Removing a Contact

Sometimes you may need to remove a reader from a list, especially when managing permissions, duplicates or data cleanup.

When to remove a contact

  • A reader asks to be removed.
  • The email address is invalid.
  • The contact was added by mistake.
  • The contact is duplicated.
  • You are cleaning an old list and no longer have permission to email that person.

Unsubscribe vs remove

Removing a contact and unsubscribing a contact are not always the same thing. If a reader has opted out, they should remain recorded as unsubscribed or suppressed so they are not accidentally re-added later.

How to remove a contact

  • Go to Contacts & Readers.
  • Search for the contact.
  • Open the contact profile.
  • Choose the remove or delete option.
  • Confirm the action.

Important caution

Do not remove someone simply to re-import them as subscribed if they previously unsubscribed. This can breach trust and damage deliverability.

Good list hygiene

  • Remove obvious invalid contacts.
  • Respect unsubscribe requests.
  • Keep suppression rules in place.
  • Avoid re-uploading old unverified lists.

Related articles