Is it common practice to reactivate old unsubscribes?
Matthew Whittaker
Co-founder & CTO, Suped
Published 30 Jul 2025
Updated 15 Aug 2025
6 min read
It's a question I hear often in the email community: "Is it common practice to reactivate old unsubscribes?" The short answer, from a best practices and compliance standpoint, is a resounding no. Yet, the temptation to reach out to a large, seemingly dormant list can be strong, especially when seeking to boost engagement or promote a new offering.
I've witnessed firsthand instances where companies, years after I interacted with them and unsubscribed, have attempted to re-engage me. My initial reaction is usually a mix of morbid curiosity and a check on my spam folder. While it might seem like a quick way to tap into a forgotten audience, reactivating users who have explicitly opted out carries significant risks for your email program.
Such actions not only erode trust with your recipients but can also lead to severe deliverability issues, including increased spam complaints and potential blocklist (or blacklist) placements. Understanding why this practice is detrimental is crucial for maintaining a healthy sender reputation and ensuring your messages reach the inbox.
The perils of reactivating unsubscribes
When a recipient clicks the "unsubscribe" link, they are explicitly withdrawing their consent to receive further marketing communications. Ignoring this clear signal is a direct violation of trust and, more importantly, can breach various email regulations. Laws like CAN-SPAM in the United States, GDPR in Europe, and CCPA in California mandate that businesses honor unsubscribe requests promptly.
Non-compliance isn't just an ethical misstep, it can result in hefty fines and legal repercussions. Beyond legal risks, repeatedly emailing unsubscribed users will inevitably lead to a surge in spam complaints. Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and mailbox providers, such as Google and Outlook, closely monitor these complaint rates. High complaint rates signal to ISPs that your emails are unwanted, severely damaging your sender reputation.
A tarnished reputation means your emails are more likely to land in the spam folder, or worse, be rejected entirely. This can also lead to your sending IP addresses or domains being placed on various blocklists (or blacklists), making it difficult to reach even your engaged subscribers. For a deeper understanding of how these mechanisms work, you can learn about what happens when your domain is on an email blacklist, or how email blacklists actually work.
Legal and deliverability risks
Reactivating unsubscribed contacts without explicit re-permission is a violation of key email regulations like GDPR and CAN-SPAM. This can lead to significant fines and legal penalties.
Increased complaints: High unsubscribe complaints signal poor list hygiene to ISPs.
Reputation damage: Your sender reputation suffers, impacting all your email campaigns.
Blocklist placement: Higher risk of getting listed on email blocklists, leading to widespread delivery failures.
Poor inbox placement: Even if not blocklisted, emails are more likely to go to the spam folder.
Unsubscribed versus inactive: a critical distinction
It's essential to differentiate between an "unsubscribed" contact and an "inactive" subscriber. An unsubscribed contact has actively opted out, typically by clicking an unsubscribe link. Their intent is clear: they no longer wish to receive your emails. In contrast, an inactive subscriber is someone who hasn't engaged with your emails (opened or clicked) for a significant period but has not formally unsubscribed.
While you should never email someone who has unsubscribed without their explicit re-permission, there are strategies for re-engaging inactive subscribers. These individuals may simply have changed their email habits or their interests. However, even with inactive subscribers, continuing to send emails to an unengaged audience can negatively impact your sender reputation. It's often better to sunset these contacts if they don't respond to re-engagement efforts, as discussed in best practices for unengaged subscribers.
For instance, if an email service provider (ESP) notes that a large percentage of your emails are not being opened or are being marked as spam by inactive users, it flags your sending domain as potentially sending unwanted mail. This impacts your overall deliverability, making it harder for your emails to reach the inboxes of your active subscribers. This is why understanding the nuances of your subscriber list is paramount.
Definition
Explicitly opted out of receiving emails by clicking an unsubscribe link or requesting removal. Their consent to receive mail has been withdrawn.
Deliverability impact
Zero tolerance for re-engagement without explicit opt-in. Sending to these addresses leads to immediate spam complaints and severe damage to sender reputation. Violates regulatory compliance, as detailed in this unsubscribe best practices guide.
Definition
Have not engaged with your emails (opened, clicked) for a set period, but have not formally unsubscribed. Their consent remains, but engagement is low.
Deliverability impact
Continued sending can lead to lower open rates, higher complaint rates, and reduced overall deliverability. Re-engagement campaigns are permissible but must be strategic, as outlined in guides for re-engaging inactive email subscribers.
Ethical re-engagement strategies
If you have a segment of inactive subscribers (not unsubscribed contacts), a thoughtful re-engagement strategy can be beneficial. The goal is to prompt a re-affirmation of interest. This usually involves a dedicated series of emails that offer value, remind them of your brand, and provide a clear opportunity to opt back into receiving communications, or to update their preferences.
Key elements of a successful re-engagement campaign include compelling subject lines, clear calls to action, and perhaps an incentive to encourage re-engagement. If a subscriber doesn't respond after a few attempts, it's best practice to remove them from your active mailing list. This helps maintain a clean list and protects your sender reputation from potential blocklist (or blacklist) issues. This process is often called sunsetting inactive subscribers.
Remember, a smaller, highly engaged list is far more valuable than a large list filled with disengaged or unconsenting recipients. Prioritize quality over quantity to ensure your email program remains healthy and your messages consistently reach the inbox.
For businesses, implementing clear unsubscribe pathways, including one-click unsubscribe headers, is crucial. This not only complies with industry standards but also improves the user experience. Making it easy for people to leave ensures that those who stay are genuinely interested in your content, which in turn leads to better engagement rates and a stronger sender reputation.
Views from the trenches
Best practices
Always honor unsubscribe requests immediately to maintain trust and avoid legal penalties.
Segment your list to identify genuinely inactive subscribers versus those who have explicitly opted out.
Implement re-engagement campaigns for inactive users, but be prepared to remove them if they don't re-engage.
Regularly clean your email list to remove unengaged subscribers and prevent spam trap hits.
Prioritize list quality over quantity for long-term deliverability and better sender reputation.
Common pitfalls
Reactivating old unsubscribes, which is a significant violation of consent and can lead to severe penalties.
Ignoring explicit unsubscribe requests, resulting in increased spam complaints and blocklist placements.
Not distinguishing between unsubscribed contacts and genuinely inactive subscribers for re-engagement.
Failing to remove non-responsive inactive subscribers, which degrades overall list engagement.
Assuming that a "good cause" exempts email practices from compliance regulations.
Expert tips
Utilize double opt-in for all new subscribers to ensure explicit consent and reduce future issues.
Monitor your email deliverability metrics closely, especially complaint rates and bounce rates.
Educate your marketing team on the nuances of email consent and list hygiene best practices.
Consider implementing a re-permissioning campaign for very old lists before sending new content.
Regularly review your email service provider's policies regarding unsubscribes and inactive users.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks says that reactivating old unsubscribes is a significant mistake, as it completely disregards recipient consent and can lead to severe deliverability problems.
July 2, 2020 - Email Geeks
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks says that some companies, especially in the non-profit sector, might attempt to justify reactivating unsubscribes by claiming it's for a "good cause," despite the clear legal and ethical issues involved.
July 2, 2020 - Email Geeks
Building a sustainable email program
Reactivating old unsubscribes is not a common or advisable practice. It directly violates recipient trust and widely accepted email marketing regulations. Such actions damage your sender reputation, increase spam complaints, and can lead to your domain or IP being listed on blocklists (or blacklists), making it difficult to reach even your most engaged audience.
Instead, focus on building and maintaining an engaged list through ethical practices. This means honoring unsubscribe requests promptly and implementing smart re-engagement strategies only for truly inactive subscribers, not those who have opted out. Prioritizing consent and list hygiene is fundamental to long-term email deliverability success. You can find more comprehensive advice on reactivation and re-permissioning best practices.
By consistently adhering to these principles, you protect your email program from unnecessary risks and foster a positive relationship with your audience. A healthy sender reputation is your most valuable asset in email marketing, ensuring your messages consistently reach the inbox and drive meaningful results.
Google and 
Outlook, closely monitor these complaint rates. High complaint rates signal to ISPs that your emails are unwanted, severely damaging your sender reputation.
