In Omnisend, each contact has a separate subscription status for Email, SMS, and Push Notifications. A contact may be subscribed to Email but unsubscribed from SMS.
This guide shows you how to create segments of unsubscribed contacts, analyze opt-out reasons, and keep your contact data organized.
Before You Start
Omnisend automatically excludes unsubscribed contacts from Email Campaigns and Automation. The only exception is transactional messages (order confirmations, shipping updates), which can be sent to all contacts. Learn more about contact statuses by channel.
Unsubscribed contacts don't count toward your billable contact limit. Understand the difference between non-subscribed and unsubscribed contacts.
Each channel (Email, SMS, Push) has its own unsubscribe process. Learn about the Email unsubscribe page and SMS opt-out methods.
Why Segment Unsubscribed Contacts?
Creating segments of unsubscribed contacts helps you:
Analyze opt-out trends – Identify which channels or campaigns cause unsubscribes.
Monitor compliance – Track customers who reported spam or bounced.
Prevent re-engagement mistakes – Ensure unsubscribed contacts aren't added to promotional workflows.
Preserve customer data – Keep unsubscribe history without affecting billing.
Where to View Unsubscription Status
In the Contacts List
Go to Audience → Contacts, to see subscription status badges for Email, SMS, and Push Notifications. Learn more about the Contacts List.
Note: A hyphen (–) means no subscription status has been recorded yet. The contact hasn't subscribed, unsubscribed, or been synced for that channel.
In a Contact Profile
Click any contact in the list to open their profile. The Channels section (right sidebar) shows subscription status for each channel. The Details section displays the opt-out date and reason. Learn more about Contact Profile.
Create a Segment of Unsubscribed Contacts
Segments let you group all unsubscribed contacts in one place to analyze trends or export data.
Step 1. Go to Segments → Create a segment → Create from Scratch → Add Filter.
Step 2. Select Subscription Status filter → set the status to Unsubscribed→ choose the channel (Email, SMS, or Push Notifications). You can select one channel or multiple channels.
Your segment now shows all contacts currently unsubscribed from the selected channel(s).
💡 If a contact unsubscribes and later resubscribes, their profile will still show the most recent opt-out date and reason.
Segment by Unsubscription Reason
You can also filter contacts by why they unsubscribed. This helps you identify issues like spam complaints or accidental unsubscribes.
Go to Audience → Segments → Create a segment → Create from Scratch → Add Filter → Opted out → Reason → select the reason.
Unsubscription Reasons
Personal preference – Contact clicked the unsubscribe link in a campaign or automation message, updated preferences through the Subscriber Preference Center.
Bounced – Email address is undeliverable (hard bounce).
Reported as spam – Contact marked your email as spam.
Were manually unsubscribed – You unsubscribed them, or they were imported with an opt-out date.
External changes – Contact unsubscribed via your website or API.
Other – Reasons not listed above.
💡 To keep your list healthy, unsubscribe inactive contacts instead of deleting them. Unsubscribed contacts don't affect billing, won't receive campaigns, and preserve customer history. Learn how to segment and unsubscribe inactive contacts.
⚠️ To restore accidentally unsubscribed contacts, follow the steps listed in the dedicated guide.
FAQ
Will unsubscribed contacts receive any messages from me?
No, except for transactional messages (order confirmations, shipping updates). Learn more about contact statuses.
Can I delete unsubscribed contacts to clean up my account?
You can, but we recommend keeping them. Deleting removes all sent message history and purchase data permanently. Unsubscribed contacts don't affect pricing and preserve compliance records.
How do I export a list of all unsubscribed contacts?
Go to Audience → Export → New Export → select Unsubscribed from [Channel] → Export. You can also export any saved unsubscribed segment from the Segments tab by clicking the three dots → Export. The CSV includes contact details, opt-out dates, and opt-out reasons.
What's the difference between "unsubscribed" and "non-subscribed"?
Unsubscribed – Contact actively opted out.
Non-subscribed – Contact never opted in (e.g., placed an order without checking the marketing box).
Didn't find the answer to your question? Reach out to our Support Team via in-app chat or at [email protected].