How to Use the CC in Gmail

How to Use the CC in Gmail: Tips and Tricks for Email Etiquette

Hello there! Today we’re going to talk about how to use the “cc” function in Gmail. If you’re not familiar with what “cc” means, it stands for “carbon copy” and it allows you to send a copy of your email to another person or group of people.

So, let’s start with the basics.

How to cc in Gmail

When you’re composing a new email in Gmail, you’ll see a field labeled “To” where you can enter the email address of the person you want to send the email to. To add a person to the “cc” field, simply click on the “Cc” link below the “To” field.

How to Use the CC in Gmail

Now, you can add the email addresses of the people you want to include in the “cc” field. You can also add multiple email addresses by separating them with commas.

How to cc when replying

But what about when you’re replying to an email? Can you still use the “cc” function? The answer is yes! When you’re replying to an email in Gmail, you’ll see the “Cc” link again below the “To” field. Simply click on it and add the email addresses you want to include in the “cc” field.

How do cc after sending? Is it possible?

Now, what if you’ve already sent an email but forgot to include someone in the “cc” field? Is it possible to add them after the fact? Yes, it is!

Simply go to the email you want to add someone to, click on the three dots in the upper right corner, and select “Forward”. This will open the email in a new window where you can add the person to the “cc” field and then hit send.

If I add someone in CC in the middle of a conversation, Can they see previous email conversations?

Great questions! To answer your first question, if you add someone to the “cc” field in the middle of a conversation, they will be able to see all of the previous email conversations in the thread. 

This is because the email thread contains the entire history of the conversation, so anyone added to the thread will be able to see all of the previous emails.

How to cc on a computer

Now, let’s talk about how to use the “cc” function in Gmail on a computer. It’s quite simple! When you’re composing a new email, simply click on the “Cc” link below the “To” field and add the email addresses you want to include in the “cc” field. 

You can also add people to the “cc” field when replying to an email by clicking on the “Cc” link below the “To” field in the reply window.

How to cc in phone or mobile

And what about using the “cc” function in Gmail on a phone or mobile device? It’s just as easy! 

When composing a new email, simply tap on the three dots in the upper right corner and select “Add Cc/Bcc”. This will allow you to add people to the “cc” field. You can also add people to the “cc” field when replying to an email by tapping on the three dots in the upper right corner and selecting “Reply all”. This will bring up the reply window where you can add people to the “cc” field.

So, whether you’re using Gmail on a computer or a phone, the “cc” function is a useful tool that allows you to send a copy of your email to another person or group of people.

But wait, there’s more!

How can I enable and use Auto CC?

Gmail also has an “auto cc” function which allows you to automatically send a copy of every email you send to a specific email address. 

To enable this function, go to your Gmail settings, click on “Accounts and Import”, and then scroll down to “Send mail as”. From there, you can select “Add another email address” and enter the email address you want to automatically “cc” on every email.

How to hide or blind the cc field to recipients

Now, what about hiding the “cc” field? Sometimes you may not want people to see who else you’ve included in the email. To hide the “cc” field, simply click on the “Cc” link and then click on “Bcc” (which stands for “blind carbon copy”). This will hide the “cc” field and allow you to send the email without anyone seeing who else you’ve included.

Some Use cases and examples:

  1. Keeping multiple parties informed: When you’re sending an email to multiple parties who need to be kept informed of a conversation or project, you can use the “cc” function to add them all to the conversation. For example, if you’re working on a project with a team of colleagues, you might “cc” your manager or supervisor so they’re kept up-to-date on progress.
  2. Introducing someone: If you’re introducing two people via email, you might “cc” the person you’re introducing to show that you’re making the connection. For example, if you’re introducing a potential client to a colleague, you might “cc” your colleague on the email so they can follow up with the client directly.
  3. Providing additional information: If you’re emailing someone and there’s a third party who might need to be informed of the conversation, you might “cc” them on the email. For example, if you’re emailing a customer about a product issue and you need to loop in the product development team, you might “cc” a product manager on the email.
  4. Ensuring accountability: When you’re communicating with someone about an issue or problem, you might “cc” a manager or supervisor to ensure accountability. For example, if you’re emailing a vendor about a late delivery, you might “cc” your manager to show that you’re taking steps to resolve the issue.

Remember, it’s important to use “cc” appropriately and only include people who need to be involved in the conversation. Including too many people can lead to cluttered inboxes and make it difficult to follow the thread of the conversation.

Some Useful Tips to consider:

  • Use CC only when necessary, to avoid cluttering recipients’ inboxes.
  • Use BCC instead of CC when sending an email to a large group of people to protect their privacy.
  • Double-check the recipients before sending the email.
  • Use a clear and concise subject line that accurately reflects the email’s content.
  • Keep the email short and to the point.

Do’s and Don’ts to keep in mind:

  • Do use CC to keep others informed or to loop someone into a conversation.
  • Don’t use CC to cover your back or to shift responsibility.
  • Do reply to all if the email requires a group discussion.
  • Don’t reply to all of your response only concerns the original sender.

Best Practices to Follow:

  • Use CC to keep everyone on the same page, especially when collaborating on a project.
  • Use CC to provide an update or to inform someone about a decision.
  • Use CC to recognize someone’s contribution or to give them credit for their work.
  • Use CC to keep important stakeholders informed.

Related Case Studies & Statistics:

  • A study by Radicati Group found that the number of worldwide email users will reach 4.4 billion by the end of 2023.
  • A study by EmailAnalytics found that the average email user sends and receives 121 emails per day.
  • A case study by Buffer found that personalized emails have a 29% higher open rate and 41% higher click-through rate than non-personalized emails.
  • According to a study by Adobe, 47% of email recipients open an email based on the subject line alone.
  • A study by Marketing Sherpa found that 72% of people prefer email as their primary means of communication with businesses.
  • A study by Return Path found that emails with one or two recipients have a 91% chance of being opened, while emails with more than ten recipients have only a 35% chance of being opened

So, there you have it! A guide on how to use the “cc” function in Gmail. Remember, “cc” stands for “carbon copy” and allows you to send a copy of your email to another person or group of people. You can use it when composing a new email, replying to an email, or even after you’ve already sent an email. And if you want to hide the “cc” field, simply click on the “Cc” link and then select “Bcc.

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