Show, hide, and view the Bcc (blind carbon copy) field in Outlook for Windows

If you add a recipient's name to the Bcc (blind carbon copy) box in an email message, a copy of the message is sent to that recipient, but that name is not visible to other recipients of the message.

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  1. Open a new message or reply to a message.

  2. On the Options tab, select Show Bcc.

  3. Add the names of people you want on the Bcc line.

    Note: When you add someone's email address to the Bcc (blind carbon copy) box, a copy of the message is sent to that person. Other people who receive the message don't see whose address is on the Bcc line.

After you turn on the Bcc box, it appears every time you create a message until it's turned off. The option to turn on the Bcc field can be found in two locations, depending on whether you are composing a new message or replying to or forwarding a message.

  1. Create a new email message or reply to or forward an existing message.

  2. If the message you're composing opens in a new window, select Options > Bcc.

    To turn on Bcc box, open a new message, choose the Options tab, and in the Show Fields group, choose Bcc.

    If the message you're composing opens in the Reading Pane, select Bcc from the ribbon.

  3. In the Bcc box, add recipients, compose the message, and choose Send when done.

Turn off Bcc

You can turn off the Bcc box for future messages at any time.

  1. Create a new email message or reply to or forward an existing message.

  2. If the message you're composing opens in a new window, select Options > Bcc.

    To turn on Bcc box, open a new message, choose the Options tab, and in the Show Fields group, choose Bcc.

    If the message you're composing opens in the Reading Pane, select Bcc from the ribbon.

    Note: The background color distinguishes between the Bcc button being turned on or turned off. A dark background means the button is turned on, and a light background means it's turned off.

View Bcc recipients

If you're the recipient of a message, you can't see whether the sender added Bcc recipients. Only the sender of a message can see the names of Bcc recipients by opening a message in the Sent Items folder where all sent messages are stored by default.

  1. In the Sent Items folder, open the message that you sent.

  2. In the Reading Pane, view the header section of the message.

    In the Sent folder, choose a message to view Bcc recipients, and if necessary, choose the expand arrow to show the complete message header.

    Tips: 

    • A + symbol indicates there are more recipients. In the screenshot, for example, +11 signals there are 11 more recipients listed in the Bcc box.

    • Choose Choose to expand the message header. to expand (open) the message header section. And choose Choose to collapse the message header. to collapse (close) the header section.

See Also

Manage suggested recipients in the To, Cc, and Bcc boxes with Auto-Complete

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