# Understand contact statuses

> What Active, Pending, bounced, Unsubscribed and Deleted mean - and when to unsubscribe rather than delete.

Source: https://www.kualo.com/knowledgebase/contacts-audiences/understand-contact-statuses
Updated: 2026-06-10

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Every contact on your list has a status that tells you whether you can email them and why. Getting to grips with these - especially the difference between unsubscribing and deleting - keeps your list healthy and keeps you compliant.

## What each status means

**Active** - the email is valid and you have permission. They can receive your campaigns.

**Pending** - they haven't confirmed their subscription yet, so you can't email them. They're not really on your list until they confirm.

**Hard bounce** - the address is invalid according to the receiving server, so you can't send to it.

**Soft bounce** - your last send failed for a temporary reason; you can keep trying.

**Unsubscribed** - they opted out (usually via the unsubscribe link). They're removed from sending, but their data and history stay stored, they won't be re-added by an import, and if they re-subscribe their history comes back.

**Deleted** - they're removed and all their data and activity are gone for good. A re-subscribe starts from scratch. (Past campaign reports aren't affected.)

## Unsubscribe or delete?

- **Unsubscribe** when someone disengages or asks to be removed. It keeps an audit trail for compliance and lets them come back later with their history intact.
- **Delete** only when you genuinely need to remove invalid or problematic data permanently - it can't be undone.

Wherever you can, prefer unsubscribing: it preserves the records anti-spam law expects, and it keeps the door open for a future re-engagement.

## Troubleshooting

**Stuck in Pending** - the contact hasn't clicked the confirmation email. Check it arrived and the address is valid, and that double opt-in is configured.

**Hard bounce** - the address is likely misspelled or gone. Correct or remove it to protect your deliverability.

**An unsubscribed contact got added by import** - unsubscribed contacts can't be re-added by import. They need to re-subscribe through your form themselves.

**Lost data after deleting** - deletion is permanent, so use Unsubscribe if there's any chance you'll want them back, and keep exports as backups.

For the related delivery view, see **[Bounces, complaints and unsubscribes](/knowledgebase/mailmachine-reporting/bounces-complaints-and-unsubscribes)**. Still unsure about a status? [Open a support ticket](/knowledgebase/getting-started/how-to-create-a-support-ticket-in-mykualo).

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_Source: Kualo Knowledgebase — https://www.kualo.com/knowledgebase/contacts-audiences/understand-contact-statuses · © Kualo Ltd._