How to let subscribers opt out of email open and click tracking

MailPoet can track when a subscriber opens your email and which links they click. Some subscribers prefer not to be tracked, and in some countries (currently France and Italy) you may need to offer them a way to opt out. This guide shows you how to add an opt-out link to your emails and how to control tracking for subscribers who have not made a choice.

Add the opt-out link to your emails

You add the link yourself, so you can place it where you want. Most people put it in the footer, next to the unsubscribe link. The steps depend on which editor you use.

New Email Editor (personalization tag)

  • Open the email editor in template mode. Start by ensuring the email sidebar is open and selected. Scroll down and locate the template, then select the Newsletter.
    Open the email editor in template mode.
  • Click on "Edit template"
    Click on “Edit template”
  • Select the text where you want the link, or place your cursor where you want it.
    Select the text where you want the link, or place your cursor where you want it.
  • Scroll down to the bottom of the modal window and locate the Tracking opt-out URL
    Scroll down to the bottom of the modal window and locate the Tracking opt-out URL
  • Click on "Insert as link"
    Click on “Insert as link”
  • Enter a text for the link. e.g Opt out of open tracking
    Enter a text for the link. e.g Opt out of open tracking
  • Image showing the new opt out link
  1. Open your email in the Email Editor.
  2. Select the text where you want the link, or place your cursor where you want it.
  3. Open the personalization tags menu and find the Tracking opt-out URL.
  4. Choose Insert as link to turn the selected text into the opt-out link, or Insert to add the raw URL.
  5. Save your email.

Newsletter editor (shortcode)

  • Image showing how to add the Tracking opt-out link shortcode
    Select the text block and click on the MailPoet icon
  • Click on the MailPoet icon
  • Click on Links
  • Click on the “Tracking opt-out link” shortcode
  1. Open your email in the Newsletter editor.
  2. In a text block, open Select a shortcode.
  3. Go to the Links tab and choose Tracking opt-out link.
  4. Save your email

Prefer to type it yourself? Add this shortcode as a link in any text block:

[link:subscription_tracking_opt_out_url]

Tip: Give the link clear text, for example “Stop tracking my opens and clicks.” Subscribers are more likely to trust a link they understand.

What happens when a subscriber opts out

When a subscriber clicks the link, they land on a short confirmation page and confirm their choice. After that:

  • MailPoet stops recording their opens and clicks.
  • MailPoet stops adding the tracking pixel to their future emails.
  • They keep receiving your emails. Opting out of tracking is not the same as unsubscribing.

Subscribers can also change this on their manage-subscription page, using the Allow tracking of email opens and link clicks checkbox.

Choose how to treat subscribers who have not decided

Most of your subscribers have never been asked about tracking. You decide how MailPoet treats them.

  1. Go to MailPoet > Settings > Advanced.
  2. Find Tracking consent for unknown subscribers.
    • Yes (default): MailPoet keeps tracking subscribers who have not made a choice. This matches how MailPoet has always worked.
    • No: MailPoet only tracks subscribers who have actively allowed it. Everyone else stays untracked until they opt in.

If you send to people in France or Italy and want a strict opt-in approach, set this to No and add the opt-out link to your emails.

Note: This works together with your global tracking setting. If Engagement analytics tracking is set to Basic / None, MailPoet does not track opens or clicks for anyone, whatever the setting above.

A note on compliance

MailPoet gives you the tools to offer a tracking opt-out and to control tracking for undecided subscribers. Whether you need to use them, and how, depends on your audience and the rules that apply to you. This guide is not legal advice. If you are unsure, check with a qualified advisor.

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