# How to add CC and BCC in Gmail on Mac: browser steps and keyboard shortcuts

> How to add CC and BCC in Gmail on Mac in your browser: click the links next to To, or use ⌘⇧C and ⌘⇧B after turning on shortcuts.

URL: https://www.lazur.app/how-to/add-cc-and-bcc-in-gmail
Updated: 2026-11-07

To add CC and BCC in Gmail on a Mac, open Compose in Safari or Chrome, then click the CC or BCC link next to the To field. You can also press ⌘⇧C for Cc and ⌘⇧B for Bcc, once Gmail keyboard shortcuts are turned on in Settings.

## Quick answer

- Open Gmail in Safari or Chrome, then click Compose.
- Click CC, BCC or both next to the To field, then type each address.
- Use ⌘⇧C for Cc and ⌘⇧B for Bcc after you turn on keyboard shortcuts in Settings.
- Cc is visible to everyone on the message. Bcc names stay hidden from the other recipients.
- Gmail flags more than 500 total recipients in one email. Google says you can usually send again within 1 to 24 hours.

Applies to: Gmail in Safari or Chrome on macOS, plus Apple Mail on macOS. Time: 4 min. Difficulty: Easy.

## What you need

- A Gmail account you can sign in to at mail.google.com
- Safari or Chrome on macOS
- Gmail keyboard shortcuts turned on, only if you want ⌘⇧C and ⌘⇧B
- Apple Mail, only if you read Gmail there

## How to Add CC and BCC recipients to a Gmail message on Mac in Gmail on a Mac

1. **Open Gmail in Safari or Chrome.** Open Safari or Chrome on your Mac. Go to mail.google.com and sign in with your Google account. Gmail opens to your inbox when the sign-in works.
2. **Turn on keyboard shortcuts (optional).** (Settings (gear icon) > See all settings > Settings tab > Keyboard shortcuts on) Skip this step if you only plan to click. For ⌘⇧C and ⌘⇧B, click Settings at the top right, then See all settings. Open the Settings tab, scroll to Keyboard shortcuts, select Keyboard shortcuts on, and click Save Changes. Tip: Reload the Gmail tab after you save so the new shortcuts start working.
3. **Click Compose.** (Compose) Click Compose to open a new message. Gmail shows the To field first, with the CC and BCC links next to it.
4. **Click CC, BCC or both.** Click CC to add a Cc field, BCC to add a Bcc field, or click both. Use Cc for people who only need to follow the thread. Tip: If you do not see the links, read the layout note in the section above and look near the To field.
5. **Type each address in the right field.** Shortcut: ⌘⇧C. Type the first address in the Cc or Bcc field, then add the next one. Google says you can add recipients in the Cc and Bcc fields. Check the spelling, because a wrong address can still receive the email.
6. **Check the To, Cc and Bcc rows.** Shortcut: ⌘⇧B. Read all three rows once more. Make sure a long list sits in Bcc and not in To. Google warns that recipients who do not use Gmail may not see that they were added to Bcc.
7. **Click Send.** Click Send. Gmail sends the message to every address in all three fields. If it went to the wrong people, use the undo guide linked at the end of this page. Tip: Sending is the last chance to check the rows without help from an undo step.

Gmail on a Mac runs in your web browser. A setup guide from Mailbird, a company that sells a competing mail app, says Google has not released an official Gmail desktop app for Mac. These steps use Safari or Chrome. Apple Mail gets its own section near the end, for people who added a Gmail account there.

## What Cc and Bcc do to your recipients

Cc stands for carbon copy. Bcc stands for blind carbon copy. Both send a copy of the message to people who are not the main audience. The difference is visibility. Everyone on the message can see the names in To and Cc. Names in Bcc stay hidden from the other recipients.

- **500** total recipients in one email can trigger Gmail's sending limit, per Google's help page ([source](https://support.google.com/mail/answer/22839))
- **19.1%** of 1,043 US office workers said they had accidentally emailed everyone in their department (Oct 2023 survey) ([source](https://www.emailtooltester.com/en/blog/survey-us-office-communication-fails/))

Use Cc for people who should see the conversation but do not need to act on it. Google's send-email help says Cc is commonly used that way. Use Bcc when a list of addresses should stay private, such as customers who should not see each other's emails.

## Add CC and BCC in Gmail on Mac, step by step

The steps cover the whole flow, from opening Gmail to sending. Step 2 is optional. Skip it if you only plan to click the links and never use the keyboard.

Gmail changes its layout from time to time. The CC and BCC links described here come from Google's help pages and a 2022 walkthrough from How-To Geek. If your screen looks different, look for the same two options next to the To field. The fields work the same way once they appear.

## Use keyboard shortcuts for Cc and Bcc

Google's keyboard shortcut table lists Add cc recipients and Add bcc recipients. Google writes the key as ⌘/Ctrl. On a Mac you press ⌘, so Cc is ⌘⇧C and Bcc is ⌘⇧B. The shortcuts do nothing until Keyboard shortcuts are turned on in Gmail settings.

Shortcuts help most when you write a lot of email. Start a new message, press ⌘⇧C, type the first Cc address, and keep typing. Press ⌘⇧B the same way for hidden recipients. Keep your hands on the keyboard and skip the mouse.

| Field | Mac shortcut | Who sees the name | Typical use |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| To | Not covered here | Everyone on the message | People who need to act |
| Cc | ⌘⇧C | Everyone on the message | People who should follow the thread |
| Bcc | ⌘⇧B | Hidden from the other recipients | Lists that must stay private |

_The three fields on a Gmail message, with Mac shortcuts_

## A worked example with three kinds of recipients

Say you send a project update. Priya Shah approves the budget, so Priya goes in To. Dan needs the update for records but has no task, so Dan goes in Cc. Forty beta testers should not see each other, so all forty go in Bcc.

Here is what each group sees. Priya and Dan see each other's names in the visible fields. Each beta tester sees Priya and Dan, but not the other testers. The total is 42 addresses, well under the 500 recipient limit in Google's help.

## Change a recipient before you send

You can fix a recipient at any point before you click Send. Remove the wrong name from the field, then type the correct address. The message does not leave your outbox until you send it, so this is the safe moment to check.

## Mistakes people make with Bcc

Mix-ups happen to careful people. A vendor survey of 1,043 American office workers, collected in October 2023, found that 19.1% had accidentally emailed everyone in their department. EmailTooltester ran that survey. It is not a peer-reviewed study, but it shows how easy a wrong field is to fill.

The most common error is a long list in To or Cc when it belongs in Bcc. Check the three fields before you click Send. Read the names, not just the count. One wrong field can expose a whole list.

Bcc is not a guarantee of privacy in every case. Google's send-email help warns that if recipients do not use Gmail, they may not see that they were added to the Bcc field. If the list is sensitive, tell people they are receiving a copy, or send them a separate message.

![Person at a desk writing an email on a laptop before adding CC and BCC in Gmail](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/howto/add-cc-and-bcc-in-gmail/how-to-add-cc-and-bcc-in-1-ff52e8.jpg)

## Sending limits for large emails

Google's sending limits help says a message can hit a limit if it goes to more than 500 total recipients in a single email. A separate limit applies after more than 500 emails sent in a day. Google says you can usually send again within 1 to 24 hours.

The page does not say whether To, Cc and Bcc count together. Assume they do when you are near 500. Add up every address in all three fields. If the total is high, split the list into smaller sends.

## Before you start: check which account you write from

If you use more than one Google account, Gmail opens the one you signed in with. Check the account picture in the top right corner before you add recipients. Sending from the wrong account is an easy mistake, because the compose window looks the same.

## Gmail in Apple Mail: the Bcc Address Field

If you added your Gmail account to Apple Mail, the steps change. Apple's Mail guide says that if the field is not listed, you should click the Header Fields button in the message toolbar, then choose Bcc Address Field.

Apple's guide says to leave the To field blank to show Undisclosed-recipients instead of a list of names. Use this when every recipient is in Bcc.

Older guides differ. A 2014 Apple Community reply, written for Yosemite 10.10.1 and Apple Mail 8.1, says to open the View menu and choose BCC Address Field. It also says Command-Option-B toggles the field. That path predates the Header Fields button, so check your own menu first.

Apple's Mail guide has a version selector that lists macOS 27 Golden Gate, macOS Tahoe 26, macOS Sequoia 15 and older releases. The guide does not say which version its steps match. Follow what you see on your Mac.

![Man working on a MacBook at a wooden desk while writing Gmail messages](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/howto/add-cc-and-bcc-in-gmail/how-to-add-cc-and-bcc-in-2-66ad57.jpg)

## Checklist before you click Send

- Check the To, Cc and Bcc rows one at a time.
- Put long lists in Bcc, not in To or Cc.
- Use Cc only for people who need to follow the thread.
- Count every address if the total is near 500.
- Tell Bcc recipients who do not use Gmail that they may not notice the copy.

## Where to go next

Once Bcc feels natural, turn on Gmail keyboard shortcuts for the rest of your mail. The [keyboard shortcuts guide](https://www.lazur.app/how-to/turn-on-keyboard-shortcuts-in-gmail) covers the settings in full. If a message went to the wrong group, read the [undo send guide](https://www.lazur.app/how-to/undo-send-in-gmail) for Gmail and Apple Mail.

## Shortcuts

- Add Cc recipients: ⌘⇧C
- Add Bcc recipients: ⌘⇧B

## If it does not work

- **I cannot find the CC or BCC links** Gmail may have changed its layout. Close the compose window, click Compose again, and look right beside the To field. Reload the Gmail tab if the links still do not appear.
- **⌘⇧C does nothing in Gmail** Keyboard shortcuts are not on. Open Settings, then See all settings, then the Settings tab. Scroll to Keyboard shortcuts, select Keyboard shortcuts on, click Save Changes, then reload Gmail.
- **I added someone to To by mistake** Remove the name from the To field and check the other rows. If the message already went out, read the undo send guide for the steps that apply.
- **Gmail says I hit a sending limit** Google says you can usually send again within 1 to 24 hours. Wait, then split the list into smaller emails so each one stays below 500 total recipients.
- **The Bcc Address Field is missing in Apple Mail** Click Header Fields in the message toolbar and choose Bcc Address Field. If that button is not there, check the View menu, which older guides describe.

## With Lazur

Lazur is a voice assistant for the Mac that lives in the notch. Hold ⌥ ⌘ and ask; it sees your screen, answers out loud, points at buttons and walks you through apps. Hold fn to dictate. Free for 3 days, then $18/month: https://www.lazur.app/download

- “Where's the BCC link?”: Lazur draws a circle and a label around the BCC link next to To, so you know where to click. (Points at it)

## FAQ

### Is there an official Gmail app for Mac?

As far as the sources for this guide show, no. Mailbird's setup guide says Google has not released an official Gmail desktop app for Mac. Use Gmail in Safari or Chrome, or add the account to Apple Mail.

### Can I add Bcc without showing Cc?

Yes. Click BCC next to the To field and leave the Cc field empty. Gmail shows only the fields you open, so a Bcc row alone is enough.

### Do Bcc recipients see the other names?

No, names in Bcc are hidden from the other recipients. Google warns that recipients who do not use Gmail may not see that they were added to Bcc, so the copy can go unnoticed.

### Why do the Cc and Bcc keyboard shortcuts not work?

The shortcuts need Keyboard shortcuts turned on first. Open Settings, then See all settings, then the Settings tab. Select Keyboard shortcuts on and click Save Changes.

### How many recipients can one Gmail email have?

Google's help says more than 500 total recipients in a single email triggers a limit. It does not say whether To, Cc and Bcc count together, so count all three fields.

### Does Apple Mail have a shortcut for Bcc?

A 2014 Apple Community reply says Command-Option-B toggles the Bcc field in Apple Mail 8.1 on Yosemite. That reply is old, so test the shortcut on your Mac before you rely on it.

## Sources

1. [Keyboard shortcuts for Gmail - Computer](https://support.google.com/mail/answer/6594), Google Help, checked 2026-11-07
2. [Send or unsend Gmail messages - Computer](https://support.google.com/mail/answer/2819488?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop), Google Help, checked 2026-11-07
3. [Gmail sending limits](https://support.google.com/mail/answer/22839), Google Help, checked 2026-11-07
4. [Send email messages in Mail on Mac](https://support.apple.com/guide/mail/send-email-messages-mlhlp1098/mac), Apple Support, checked 2026-11-07
5. [Mail User Guide for Mac (version selector)](https://support.apple.com/guide/mail/mlhlp1098/mac), Apple Support, checked 2026-11-07
6. [How to CC or BCC in Gmail](https://www.howtogeek.com/788714/how-to-cc-or-bcc-in-gmail/), How-To Geek, checked 2026-11-07
7. [How to always show the BCC field in Apple Mail in Yosemite](https://discussions.apple.com/thread/6666108), Apple Community, checked 2026-11-07
8. [Gmail App for Mac: Easy Setup Guide](https://www.getmailbird.com/setup-gmail-on-mac/), Mailbird, checked 2026-11-07
9. [The Biggest Office Communication Fails (Survey)](https://www.emailtooltester.com/en/blog/survey-us-office-communication-fails/), EmailTooltester, checked 2026-11-07