What does CC mean in email? CC vs BCC explained

CC stands for carbon copy. BCC stands for blind carbon copy. Both send a copy of your email to extra people. The difference is who can see them.

By David Ray · Updated October 30, 2026 · 7 min read · How we research

See also: See also reply vs reply all and how to address two or more people.

What CC and BCC stand for

The names come from paper. Before photocopiers, an office made a copy of a letter by putting a sheet of carbon paper between two pages in the typewriter. The copy was the "carbon copy." At the bottom of the letter, "cc: J. Smith" told the reader that J. Smith got a copy too.

A "blind" carbon copy was a copy sent without that note, so the main reader didn't know about it.

Email kept both ideas. The rules for email headers (RFC 5322) still describe three address fields: To for the main recipients, Cc for others who should get a copy, and Bcc for recipients whose addresses are hidden from everyone else.

You'll see it written as CC, Cc or cc. They all mean the same thing. As a verb, "I'll CC you" or "I CC'd her" is normal in US offices.

To vs CC vs BCC at a glance

All three get exactly the same email at the same time. CC doesn't arrive later, and BCC isn't more secure. The only difference is what shows in the header.

What each recipient sees

Google's Gmail help spells this out clearly:

• People in To and CC see every To and CC address.
• People in To and CC don't know that anyone was BCC'd.
• A BCC recipient sees the To and CC addresses, but not the other BCC addresses. In Gmail they also see a note that they were added by BCC. If they use a different email service, they may not see that note.

Here is an example. Maria sends an email:

Daniel and Priya each see "To: Daniel, Cc: Priya." Neither knows Tom got it. Tom sees the same To and CC lines, so he knows exactly who else is on the email.

Reply-all and BCC: the trap

When Daniel clicks Reply all, his reply goes to Maria and Priya. It doesn't go to Tom, because Daniel never saw Tom's address. Google notes that people in BCC won't see replies when others reply all.

The risk runs the other way. If Tom clicks Reply all, his reply goes to Maria, Daniel and Priya. Now everyone knows Tom was secretly copied. That's how most BCC mix-ups happen.

Two habits avoid it:

• If you're BCC'd, reply only to the sender, or don't reply at all.
• If you're the sender and want someone to see a thread privately, forward it to them after you send. That's clearer than a BCC.

When to use CC

CC says "for your information." Good uses:

• Keeping a manager informed: you're emailing a client, and your boss wants to see what was agreed.
• Introductions: "Daniel, meet Priya (CC'd), who runs our ordering."
• A paper trail: copying a colleague on a promise a vendor made, so there's a witness.
• Handoffs: "I'm CC'ing Sam, who covers this account while I'm away."

Etiquette for CC:

• If you need someone to do something, put them in To. People treat CC as optional reading.
• Say why they're CC'd if it isn't obvious: "CC'ing Priya so she has the delivery date."
• Don't CC to pressure. Copying someone's boss on a small complaint usually backfires.
• Trim the list on long threads. If someone no longer needs the updates, take them off and say so: "Moving Sam to BCC to spare his inbox."

When to use BCC

BCC is for privacy. Good uses:

• Groups who don't know each other: parents in a class, customers, volunteers, a neighborhood list. Putting 40 people in To or CC shares 40 private addresses with everyone, and invites reply-all storms.
• Moving someone out of a thread: "Thanks for the intro, Sam. Moving you to BCC." Sam sees this message but not the replies.
• Sending yourself a copy at another address.

Avoid BCC for secretly copying someone into a sensitive conversation. It tends to come out through a reply-all or a forward.

For bigger groups, BCC isn't the best tool. Each provider limits how many recipients you can add, and a big BCC list from a personal account is more likely to land in spam. Our guide to emailing many people without showing addresses covers the limits and better options like mail merge.

How to add CC and BCC in Gmail

On a computer:

1. Click Compose.
2. At the right of the To line, click Cc or Bcc. A new line opens.
3. Type the addresses, then write and send as usual.

In the Gmail app (iPhone or Android): tap Compose, then tap the small arrow at the end of the To line to show the Cc and Bcc lines.

How to add CC and BCC in Outlook

New Outlook for Windows and Outlook on the web: in a new message, click Cc or Bcc at the right of the To line. You can also open the Options tab and choose Show fields › Show Bcc.

Classic Outlook: CC is always shown. For BCC, open the Options tab in the new message and click Bcc. Outlook then shows the Bcc line on future messages too.

Outlook phone app: tap the To line; the Cc and Bcc lines appear below it.

Phone app layouts change often. If you can't find Bcc, look for a small arrow or "Cc/Bcc" next to the To line.

Copy-ready examples

Introducing two people (CC):

Moving someone to BCC:

Group announcement (everyone in BCC):

Questions people ask

What does CC stand for in email?

CC stands for carbon copy. It sends a copy of the email to someone who should be kept informed. Everyone on the email can see who was CC'd.

What does BCC stand for?

BCC stands for blind carbon copy. BCC recipients get the same email, but nobody else can see their addresses.

What is the difference between To and CC?

Both see the same email and each other's addresses. To is for people who need to read or act on it. CC is for people who just need to know.

Can BCC recipients see each other?

No. A BCC recipient sees the To and CC addresses, but not the other BCC addresses.

Does a BCC recipient get replies?

Not when others reply all, because nobody can see the BCC address. If the BCC recipient clicks Reply all, everyone sees they were copied.

Can I CC myself?

Yes, but you usually don't need to: your Sent folder already keeps a copy. To send a copy to another of your own addresses, BCC it.