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Letters were once the primary form of communication. However, emails and other forms of modern communication are the norms. Even so, some features used in letters have been brought to emails, such as carbon copy (Cc). Like the typewriter days, where carbon copy paper was used to create a copy of the letter, Cc in Gmail sends a duplicate email to several recipients.
With this feature, you don’t have to rewrite, forward, or copy-paste an email to send to different recipients. Let’s dive in to see when and how Cc is used in Gmail and how you make the best of this feature.
When Do You Use Cc in Gmail?
Understanding these circumstances when you can use Cc will keep you from going against email etiquette. So, when do you Cc an email? Here are the top reasons:
Need to Keep People in the Loop
For instance, you may have sent an email to your colleague and need your boss to see what you communicated. In this case, you will Cc the boss to keep them in the loop. It is a form of courtesy to show them that they are part of the conversation, although they are not the focus of the message.
Introduce People to Each Other
Suppose you have new clients or employees; you can use a Cc’d email to introduce them to the rest of the team. Since every recipient can see the Cc’d email addresses, they can use this to save them to their contacts. You also save the new person the multiple email threads they would have if each person introduced themselves in a single email.
Internal Communication
Cc’d emails are ideal communication modes for sending organizational messages eg. between departments. These are primarily those that don’t need replies. For instance, you can use Ccs to send meeting invites, and the invitees can also see who else will be part of the meeting.
Method 1: How to Cc in Gmail on a Web Browser
Use these steps to Cc on Gmail if you are working on your computer and have a browser like Chrome or Firefox.
Step 1: Open your Gmail account
Launch your ideal browser and type mail.google.com, then hit enter. If you are not logged on to your device, enter your Google Account details to proceed. Otherwise, the search automatically opens your Gmail Account.
Step 2: Open the compose field
Tap compose.
On the left-side corner of your Gmail inbox screen, click compose. It is the first option on the menu list.
Step 3: Open the Cc field
Click on Cc.
On the new message field that opens, you see a “To” field, and on the right are the letters Cc and Bcc. Click on Cc to access the function and type the Cc email addresses.
Step 4: Enter the recipients’ addresses.
Add recipient(s).
Enter the secondary recipient(s) address(es) in this Cc field and the primary recipient in the “To” field. A comma appears after each complete address, and you can add a new recipient after every comma.
Step 5: Compose the email
Write your message.
Write your email, as usual, communicating to the people whose addresses you’ve written above.
Step 6: Send the email.
Click send.
After your email is ready, hit send at the bottom of the compose field to send the email to both the primary and secondary recipients.
Method 2: How to Cc in Gmail on iPhone
It is possible to send a Cc from your iPhone using the Gmail app. Here are the steps you should follow.
Step 1: Open your Gmail account
Go to the apps list and open the Gmail app, which is shown by a colored capital M. In case you don’t have the app on your iPhone, you can download it from the Apple store. Enter your Google Account username and password to open your Gmail inbox.
Step 2: Open the compose field.
Tap compose at the bottom right of the screen to type the message.
Step 3: Open the Cc field
After the compose field opens, you will see a downfacing arrow to the right of the “To” field. Click on the arrow and tap on Cc.
Step 4: Enter the recipients’ addresses
Enter the address of the primary recipient in the ‘To’ field and the secondary recipient(s) in the ‘Cc’ field.
Step 5: Type and send the email
Type your message in the compose field and tap the right-facing arrow on the top right menu to send the email. These emails will be delivered to the addresses in the ‘To’ and ‘Cc’ fields.
Method 3: How to Cc on Android
Android devices such as phones or tablets can also send a Cc’d email using the Gmail app. Here is how to go about it.
Step 1: Open your Gmail account on your Android device
Download the Gmail app if you do not have it on your phone and enter your Google account details to open your Gmail inbox.
Step 2: Open the compose field
Click on the pen-like icon at the bottom right corner to open the typing field.
Step 3: Open the Cc field
Click on the downfacing arrow to the top right of the ‘To’ field to open the ‘Cc’ and ‘Bcc’ fields.
Step 4: Enter the recipient’s address.
Type address(es).
Enter the address of the primary and secondary recipients in the ‘To’ and ‘Cc’ fields.
Step 5: Enter the email subject and compose the email
Tap on the subject field to type the email subject and the compose email field to type the content.
Step 6: Send the email
When you are done typing the email body, confirm the addresses and hit on the arrow icon at the right of the top right menu to send the message. The email will be sent to the recipients.
What to Remember When Sending Ccs on Gmail
- When you send a Cc email, recipients’ email addresses are visible to everyone in the loop. If you are sending a Cc’d email to a group of people who are strangers, this becomes a breach of privacy. Cc’ing is not a great way of sending promotional or marketing emails to your customers. Bcc is a preferable option.
- Although you can Cc up to 100 people in an email, avoid having too many recipients. A crowded Cc field looks unprofessional and takes up too much space for the email message.
- Email etiquette says Cc emails are not meant to be replied to. Don’t always expect to get a reply to a Cc’d email.
- If you have to reply to a Cc’d email, be careful to click on Reply and not Reply all. Reply sends your reply only to the person who sent the email, while Reply All sends it to everyone in the loop.
Conclusion
Cc’ing in Gmail is ideal when emailing a group of people, especially at work. However, this is not a place for group discussion. Generally, Cc emails are emails without replies.
Use the methods and steps above to help you Cc on Gmail, whether you are using a computer, iPhone, or Android device.
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