CC vs. BCC: What’s the Difference and When to Use Each
The difference between CC and BCC in email, explained simply: who can see what, what happens with Reply All, and when to use each one.
2 min read
Quick answer
CC and BCC both send a copy of your email to extra people. With CC, everyone can see who was copied. With BCC, the copied people are hidden from all other recipients. Use CC for transparency and BCC for privacy, such as when emailing a large group.
CC and BCC both send a copy of an email to people who aren’t the main recipient. The only real difference is who can see who.
The difference in one table
| CC (carbon copy) | BCC (blind carbon copy) | |
|---|---|---|
| Recipients get the email | Yes | Yes |
| Visible to other recipients | Yes | No |
| Gets replies when someone clicks Reply All | Yes | No |
| Best for | Keeping people informed openly | Privacy and large groups |
What CC does
CC adds people to the email openly. Everyone can see they’re included, and they’ll get replies when someone uses Reply All.
Use CC when:
- Your manager should see a client conversation
- You want to be transparent about who knows what
- A colleague needs to be aware but doesn’t need to act
What BCC does
BCC adds people secretly. Other recipients can’t see them, and they won’t get Reply All responses.
Use BCC when:
- Emailing a group of people who don’t know each other
- Protecting people’s email addresses
- Moving someone out of a thread after an introduction
Example: same email, different fields
Imagine you send a party invite to 30 friends.
- With CC: all 30 people see everyone’s address, and one Reply All starts a 30-person thread.
- With BCC: each person sees only your address. Replies come only to you.
Quick decision guide
- Does this person need to act? → To
- Should they see it, and is it fine if others know? → CC
- Should they see it privately, or is it a large group? → BCC
Frequently asked questions
What is the main difference between CC and BCC?
Visibility. CC recipients are visible to everyone on the email; BCC recipients are hidden from everyone except the sender.
Do CC and BCC recipients get the same email?
Yes. The message content is exactly the same. Only who can see the recipient list differs.
Should I use BCC or CC when emailing a group?
Use BCC if the people don’t know each other or you shouldn’t share their addresses. Use CC if it’s a team that needs to see who else is involved.