Removing a Contact
Description
Contacts can choose to unsubscribe from your list, they can do so by clicking on an [UNSUBSCRIBE] link in an email campaign you sent them, or it can be done manually (a contact can send you an email with an unsubscribe request, for example). Similarly, you can permanently delete a user's information from your list. We'll explain how to do this in this article both ways.
Two options available:
- Unsubscribe a contact
- Permanently delete a contact
Why It's Important
If you handle manual unsubscribe requests properly, you can maintain a good sender reputation. Therefore, your deliverability won't be affected. Warning: Differentiate between Delete vs unsubscribe a contact.
Unsubscribe, Suppression List, or Permanently Delete?
The contact menu offers three ways to stop emailing someone. They don't keep the same data:
| Unsubscribe | Add to suppression list | Permanently delete | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contact stays on the list | Yes, with the Unsubscribed status | Yes | No |
| Contact's activity history (opens, clicks) | Kept | Kept | Erased |
| Global campaign statistics | Kept | Kept | Kept |
| Can receive your emails | No | No, never | No (the contact no longer exists) |
| Applies to | This list only | Every list in your account | This list only |
| Can be undone | Yes, with the contact's consent | Yes, for addresses you added yourself | No |
Our recommendation: if several people import contacts into the same list, add unsubscribed contacts to the suppression list as well. A suppressed address never receives your emails, on any list, even if someone imports it again by mistake. You respect the contact's choice, and you protect your sender reputation.
Resubscribing a contact
An unsubscribed contact can be resubscribed if they ask for it again. Get their consent first: see Managing your suppression list, which explains that new proof of consent is required. Then use the contact edit option to change their status. If you added the address to the suppression list, remove it from that list first, or the contact still receives nothing.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Unsubscribing a Contact
To manually unsubscribe a contact, follow these steps:
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Go to Audience then Contacts
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Choose your list
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Find, using the magnifying glass, the contact's email
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Click on the ... in the contact's row
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Select Unsubscribe You can also edit, delete, or add this contact to the suppression list.
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The unsubscribe message will appear at the top of your page to confirm the action
Permanently Deleting a Contact
You can also permanently delete contacts from your list. Note that all information will be lost. Here's how to proceed:
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Go to Audience then Contacts
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Choose your list
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Find the contact using the magnifying glass search
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Click on the ... in the contact's row
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Select Permanently delete
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Confirm permanent deletion
Important Considerations
- Unsubscribe vs Delete: Unsubscribing maintains records for compliance, while deletion permanently removes all data, including the contact's opens and clicks. Your global campaign statistics are not affected
- Compliance: Always honor unsubscribe requests quickly to maintain good sender reputation
- Data loss: Permanent deletion cannot be undone - use with caution
How Your Contact Count Affects Billing
When a contact is deleted or unsubscribes, they are removed from your list immediately. The contact count used for billing, however, is only recalculated at the start of your next billing cycle.
Example
- October 1 — 10,000 contacts
- October 10 — 500 contacts deleted
- Your billing stays based on 10,000 contacts until November 1, when it is recalculated to 9,500.
Troubleshooting
Unable to unsubscribe contact
- Check if the contact is already unsubscribed
- Verify you have the proper permissions
- Make sure the contact exists in the selected list
- Try using manual unsubscribe option
Unsubscribed contact still receiving emails
- Check if the contact is on multiple lists
- Verify unsubscribe was applied to all lists
- Allow 24-48 hours for full propagation
- Check for active transactional emails
Unable to permanently delete contact
- Make sure the contact isn't part of an active automation
- Check if deletion is blocked by compliance rules
- Verify you have administrator permissions
- Try unsubscribing first, then deleting
Deleted contact reappears
- Check if the contact is being re-imported. To block an address for good, add it to the suppression list
- Verify deletion was confirmed correctly
- Look for duplicate entries with variations
- Review recent import logs
Unsubscribe link not working for contact
- Check that the link includes proper merge tags
- Verify the campaign was sent from the correct list
- Make sure the unsubscribe page is working
- Test with a different email client
Contact requests to re-subscribe
- Use the contact edit option to change status
- Make sure you have written consent
- Document the re-subscription request
- Check if the contact is on the suppression list
Related Articles
- Manage contacts - Contact management overview
- Use suppression lists - Alternative removal method
- Delete a list - Remove multiple contacts
- Understand contact status - Contact states explained
- Create and manage a contact list - List management basics