How profiles are added to and removed from lists
You will learn
Learn the various ways profiles in Klaviyo are added to or removed from lists. In most cases, a profile is added to a list when they subscribe and removed when they unsubscribe from that list. There are also a few ways to add and remove profiles from lists manually or through an integration, as outlined below.
The information in this article applies to lists, not to segments. Profiles are added to and removed from segments dynamically based on their actions and profile data.
How profiles are added to lists
A profile will be added to a list if they:
- Subscribe through a Klaviyo sign-up form or subscribe page connected to that list
- For double opt-in subscriptions, they must confirm their subscription before they are added to the list.
- Exception: transactional-only SMS subscribers are not added to lists.
- Are added through a third-party integration or Klaviyo’s APIs
- Are added via Quick add
- Are included in a CSV upload
- Are added when a Klaviyo user clicks Add to list from the profile's Lists and segments tab, selects one or more lists, and clicks Add to list to confirm
List membership is separate from marketing consent. Using Add to list on a profile does not change their subscription status, send double opt-in messages, or trigger flows.
A single profile can be added to an unlimited number of lists. If a profile subscribes repeatedly to the same list (e.g., by filling out a sign-up form multiple times), they remain a member of the list, but no duplicate profile is created.
Ready to import subscribers to your own lists? Learn how to add a single subscriber or upload a list of subscribers.
How profiles are removed from lists
A profile will be removed from a list if they:
- Unsubscribe from that list
- Are globally suppressed for email and a user removes suppressed profiles from the list
- Are removed by a user who opens the list's menu on the profile's Lists and segments tab, selects Remove from list, and clicks Remove profile from list to confirm
- Are deleted from Klaviyo (e.g., manually deleted by a user)
- Are removed from the list via a third-party integration or API
Removing a profile with Remove from list does not unsubscribe or suppress them. To stop marketing messages on a channel, unsubscribe or suppress the profile for that channel.
If a profile is suppressed from a marketing channel (e.g., email or SMS), they may still be a part of a list depending on how they became suppressed. Suppressed profiles are skipped for marketing messages on the affected channel, to avoid damaging your sender reputation.
Additional resources
- Understanding active email profiles in Klaviyo
Learn about active email profiles, including how they differ from suppressed email profiles, and how you can contact the people represented by these profiles.
- Understanding the difference between segments and lists
Learn the difference between segments and lists, which are 2 Klaviyo tools you can use to keep track of your subscribers and contacts. Segmentation is one of the most important aspects of your Klaviyo account. Not only can you get extremely granular with your data, but segmentation happens fast, allowing you to get back to your data-driven marketing. That being said, it is important to understand the difference between segments and lists when getting started with Klaviyo.