What does BCC stand for? Those three letters on your email screen mean blind carbon copy. Anyone you add to the Bcc field gets a copy of the message, but the other recipients cannot see that they were included. The "blind" part is the key: their address stays hidden.
It sits right under the To and CC lines in nearly every email program. People use it for group announcements, to protect privacy, and to quietly keep someone in the loop.
Quick facts
Stands for
Blind carbon copyType
Initialism, said B C CUsed in
Email, and older paper memosWho sees Bcc names
Only the sender; each Bcc person sees just their own addressWritten as
BCC, Bcc or bcc; all are understoodRelated term
CC, carbon copyOther meanings
Basal cell carcinoma, body-centered cubic
What does BCC stand for in email?
The three words trace back to office life long before inboxes:
- Blind: the other recipients cannot see this person.
- Carbon: from carbon paper, the inked sheets typists once used to make copies.
- Copy: the person receives the same message.
Before email, a secretary could type a letter with carbon paper underneath to make extra copies. Copies sent openly were listed at the bottom as "cc." Copies sent without telling the main reader were the blind ones, noted only on the sender's file copy. Email kept the names long after carbon paper disappeared.
To, CC and BCC side by side
| Field | Who it is for | Visible to others? |
|---|---|---|
| To | The main people you are writing to | Yes |
| CC | People who should be informed | Yes |
| BCC | People getting a private copy | No |
If someone on the To or CC line hits Reply All, the reply goes to everyone visible but not to the Bcc people. That is because their addresses were never part of the visible list.
Good times to use Bcc
- Mass announcements: a school club emailing 80 parents keeps everyone's address private.
- Stopping reply storms: with all recipients on Bcc, a careless Reply All reaches only the sender.
- Introductions: after you connect two people, move yourself to Bcc so they can talk without filling your inbox.
- Your own records: some people Bcc a second address of their own to keep a copy.
An introduction email: "Thanks, Maria. Moving you to Bcc to spare your inbox." The writer has shifted Maria to the hidden line, so she sees this reply but will not get the rest of the thread.
When Bcc can backfire
Secretly copying a boss on a tense email to a coworker may seem clever, but it can damage trust if the person finds out. And they can: if the Bcc person hits Reply All, their answer goes to the whole group and reveals that they were watching. If you want someone to see a conversation, CC them openly or forward the message afterward with a note.
Also remember that Bcc hides addresses, not the message. Anything you write may still be forwarded, so keep private details out of group emails anyway.
Other things BCC can mean
| Field | Stands for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Medicine | Basal cell carcinoma, a common type of skin cancer | "The biopsy showed a small BCC." |
| Chemistry and materials | Body-centered cubic, a crystal structure | "Iron is BCC at room temperature." |
Some colleges also use BCC as a short name. In an email program, though, it always means blind carbon copy.
Explore more email and web letters in the tech acronyms section, or check FYSA and EOD, two short forms that show up in office email.
Questions people ask
Can Bcc recipients see each other?
No. Each person on the Bcc line sees only the sender, the visible recipients and their own address. They do not see the other Bcc names.
How is BCC different from CC?
CC sends a copy that everyone can see. BCC sends a copy that stays hidden from the other recipients.
Can the To recipient see Bcc?
No. The main recipient has no way to tell from the message that anyone was blind copied.
Is it rude to use Bcc?
Not for group announcements or privacy, where it is good manners. Using it to secretly copy someone on a personal dispute is often seen as sneaky.
Should I write BCC or Bcc?
Both are fine. Email programs often label the field Bcc, while writers tend to use capitals, BCC, in a sentence.