Office Settings & Configuration

How to Show the BCC Field in Microsoft Outlook Email

Rana Garcia Sep 29, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to make the BCC (Blind Carbon Copy) field visible when composing or replying to emails in Microsoft Outlook.

Product: Microsoft Outlook
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Composing a new email or replying to an existing one where the sender wants to hide certain recipients' email addresses.
Observed behavior: The BCC field is hidden by default in the Outlook message composition window.

Before you start

Ensure you have Microsoft Outlook open and are logged into your email account before attempting to change the message field settings.

Solution 1Recommended

Enable the BCC Field in the Outlook Desktop App

Use this method to reveal the BCC line for the current message and all future emails in the Microsoft Outlook desktop application.

By default, Outlook hides the BCC field to keep the composition window clean. Enabling it requires a quick toggle from the Options menu while you are actively composing a message.

Open a Message Window

Click on 'New Email' to compose a new message, or click 'Reply' to respond to an existing email in Outlook.

Navigate to Options

On the ribbon at the top of the message composition window, click on the 'Options' tab.

Show the BCC Field

Locate the 'Show Fields' group on the ribbon, and click on the 'Bcc' button. The Bcc text box will immediately appear below the Cc line.

Add Hidden Recipients

Type the email addresses of the recipients you wish to hide directly into the newly visible Bcc field.

Enable the BCC Field in the Outlook Desktop App

Persistent Setting: Once you turn on the BCC box, it will remain visible for all future messages you compose in Outlook until you manually turn it off from the Options tab.

Solution 2

Show the BCC Field in Outlook Web and Other Webmail Services

If you are using Outlook on the web, Gmail, or similar web-based email clients, the process relies on a quick link rather than a ribbon menu.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the BCC field missing when I reply to an email in Outlook?

By default, Outlook hides the BCC field to save screen space and because it is used less frequently. You can unhide it at any time by navigating to the Options tab and clicking 'Bcc' in the Show Fields group while composing your reply.

Do recipients know they are on the BCC list?

No. Anyone added to the BCC (Blind Carbon Copy) line will receive the email, but their email addresses will be completely hidden from all other recipients, including those in the 'To' and 'Cc' fields.

Will the BCC field stay visible for all future emails I send?

Yes. Once you enable the BCC field in the Outlook desktop application, it becomes a persistent setting. The Bcc line will remain visible for all new emails and replies until you manually disable it.

Can I automatically BCC myself on all outgoing emails in Outlook?

Yes, you can achieve this by creating a specific Rule in Outlook. Go to File > Manage Rules & Alerts, start from a blank rule for messages you send, and select the action to Cc the message to people or public group (Outlook rules use Cc to route to yourself, as true automatic Bcc requires specialized macros or add-ins).

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