How to Unsubscribe from Email Lists (Safely)

The golden rule: legitimate senders get an unsubscribe click; spammers get marked as spam. Clicking "unsubscribe" in true spam confirms your address is live and can make things worse.

For legitimate marketing (stores, newsletters)

1. Use the unsubscribe link — reputable senders must honor it within 10 business days under CAN-SPAM.
2. In Gmail, use the "Unsubscribe" button next to the sender name — it uses the safe list-unsubscribe header.
3. Bulk-clean subscriptions in Gmail: Settings → "Manage subscriptions" shows every list you're on.

For spam from unknown senders

1. Never click links, images, or unsubscribe — mark as spam and move on.
2. If a specific address is compromised beyond saving, migrate important accounts and retire it.

Prevent future spam

1. Use email aliases (Apple Hide My Email, Firefox Relay, SimpleLogin, Gmail +tags) when signing up for anything.
2. Complete the data-broker opt-outs in our Start Here checklist — brokers sell email lists too.
3. Register at DMAchoice.org, which also has an email preference service.