How to Read the BCC Line in an Email

Blind carbon copies conceal the addresses of email recipients.

The BCC --- which stands for blind carbon copy --- line in emails makes it possible to send a message to scores of recipients without revealing their names or addresses. If you are the recipient of the email, you will not be able to read this line, it's "blind" to you. If you sent the email, you can see the addresses in the BCC line.

Things You'll Need

• Computer
• Internet access

Instructions

1. Open your email program and click "Sent" in the list of email folders.

2. Locate the email in which the BCC function was used. Click the subject listing to open it.

3. Check to see whether the BCC appears and contains the addresses to which the email was sent. If not, try accessing the information another way. Check whether the email programs will reveal the information through menu items such as "Actions," "Find" or "View."

Tips & Warnings

• You will not be able to view the BCC if you are the recipient of the email. It would be unethical for an email program to reveal what is meant to be undisclosed. Consider that you might want to use the BCC function in the future.

References

• Ask Leo: How Do I View the List of BCC'ed Recipients on An Email I've Received?
• Ask Leo: How Do I Find the List of BCC'ed Recipients in Outgoing Email?
• Slipstick Systems: To View BCC Addresses for Sent Messages
• BNET: 10 Fatal Mistakes Managers Make in E-mail