If you need to send a communication by e-mail to several people, without their e-mail address being visible to all the recipients of the message, and you do not know how to do it, continue reading this article. You will learn how to use the 'Blind carbon copy' (Bcc) method of sending emails with the most popular email programs. You will be able to communicate with several people at the same time with an eye to their privacy.
Steps
Method 1 of 6: Microsoft Outlook via PC
Step 1. Normally the blind carbon copy (Bcc) recipients field is invisible, you need to enable it before you can use it:
- Using Outlook 2007 and 2010 click on the new mail button. In the menu bar select the item 'Options' and then click on the 'Show Bcc' icon.
- Using Outlook 2003, click on the new mail button. In the toolbar, relating to the new mail message, locate the 'Options' button, expand the drop-down menu by clicking on the small black arrow pointing down, located on the right of the button, and check the menu item' Bcc 'with a simple click of the mouse.
- Using Outlook Express click on the 'Create message' button. From the 'View' menu of the e-mail, check the 'All headers' item.
Step 2. Enter all the email addresses of the recipients of your message
In the 'Bcc' field, enter all the email addresses to which you want to send a copy of the message without the other recipients being aware of it.
Method 2 of 6: Macintosh Mail
Step 1. Even in the Apple world, the field of recipients for blind carbon copy (Bcc) is normally invisible, it must be enabled before it can be used:
Using Mac OS X Mail create a new mail message by clicking on the 'New' button. To view the 'Bcc' option click on the 'View' menu and check the 'Bcc Address Field' item. From now on, in future emails, the 'Bcc' field will be visible by default
Step 2. Enter all the email addresses of the recipients of your message
In the 'Bcc' field, enter all the email addresses to which you want to send a copy of the message without the other recipients being aware of it.
Method 3 of 6: Yahoo Mail
Step 1. In Yahoo Mail, by default, the blind carbon copy (Bcc) recipients field is invisible, you need to enable it before you can use it:
In the new message composition window, click on the 'Add Bcc' button, located on the right of the field reserved for carbon copy recipients (Cc)
Method 4 of 6: Gmail
Step 1. Also in Gmail, by default, the blind carbon copy (Bcc) recipients field is invisible, you need to enable it before you can use it:
Click on the 'Write' button and then, in the window for composing the e-mail message, click on the 'Add Bcc' item immediately below the address field of the e-mail recipients
Step 2. Enter all the email addresses of the recipients of your message
In the 'Bcc' field, enter all the email addresses to which you want to send a copy of the message without the other recipients being aware of it.
Method 5 of 6: Firstclass
Step 1. Also in Firstclass, by default, the field of recipients for blind carbon copy (Bcc) is invisible, it must be enabled before it can be used:
While you are in the composing window of the new mail message, click on the 'Message' menu and select the 'Show Bcc' item, or use the 'Ctrl + B' key combination
Step 2. Enter all the email addresses of the recipients of your message
In the 'Bcc' field, enter all the email addresses to which you want to send a copy of the message without the other recipients being aware of it.
Method 6 of 6: How to use blind carbon copy
Step 1. Use the blind carbon copy option correctly
Use this method of sending your e-mail if you need to maintain privacy among the recipients of your correspondence. The normal 'To' and 'Cc' (carbon copy) address fields make e-mail addresses visible to all recipients of the message. This may be fine in a small office, or for a small workgroup, but in larger areas, especially if the people you are sending the message to don't know each other personally, it could be unpleasant.
- Using blind carbon copy not only respects the privacy of the recipients, but will also avoid that unpleasant exchange of e-mails with all the original recipients in copy, many of whom are not interested in the conversation in the least. It will also prevent addresses from being used by unwary time wasters to feed spam.
- If, for example, you want to send an e-mail to your colleagues who work with you on a specific project, to keep colleagues from other work areas updated and, in an invisible way, keep the company management updated on the progress of the project, you can enter the e-mail addresses of your work team in the 'To' recipients field, the recipients of other workspaces in the carbon copy 'Cc' field and, finally, the addresses of the managers in the 'Bcc' field. You can optionally include yourself in this last field to send you a copy of the email you are writing.
- Enter all recipients you want to keep 'hidden' in the Bcc field. Thus, none of the email recipients will see these addresses, this is the best way to maintain privacy when sending an email communication to a large list of people.
Step 2. Send your mail
Step 3. Find information on how the email clients you usually use work
There are no precise standards, or obligations to be respected, for the management of the e-mail addresses entered in the blind carbon copy field. They could still be sent in the header of the message in a visible way to everyone. Find out through the online communities, to make sure that the email program you normally use makes the addresses in the 'Bcc' field effectively invisible to the recipients of your emails.
Advice
- In Outlook Express, there is an alternative way to enter email addresses in their respective fields. From the new message composition window, click the button with the address book symbol, located next to the destination address fields ('To', 'Cc', 'Bcc'). A small window will open that will allow you to enter the recipients of the e-mail, from the address book of your contacts, directly in the respective address fields ('To', 'Cc', 'Bcc').
- The 'To' recipients field is used to send an e-mail directly to that recipient.
- The 'Cc' recipients field is used to send a carbon copy email to people who are not directly involved in the email, but who still need to be aware of it.
- If you want the recipients of your e-mail not to reply to you, you can create a specific e-mail address, such as noreply@your_domain.com, whose messages received will be directly deleted.
