---
title: Unsubscribe and email preference pages
description: See what subscribers see on the Unsubscribe and Email preferences pages, change their words in Settings, and use your own WordPress pages.
url: "https://hiveplugins.com/docs/hive-mail-unsubscribe-and-preference-pages/"
updated: "2026-10-28"
category: Hive Mail
---

# Unsubscribe and email preference pages

Every marketing email has an unsubscribe link, and subscribers can also choose which lists they receive. Hive Mail makes the three pages for you when you activate it, so the links already work. For the preferences page to offer a choice, mark at least one list as a **Public list** ([Lists](/docs/hive-mail-lists/)).

These pages are plain and work with any theme. They show your business name (or site name), are hidden from search engines and are never cached.

## What subscribers see

**Unsubscribe.** Shows the heading, "Please confirm that you want to stop receiving our emails.", the masked address (j***@example.com), an optional "Tell us why (optional)" question with five options, and the **Unsubscribe** button. With a public list it also links to "Choose what you receive". After pressing, the page says **You are unsubscribed**, with **Subscribe again** ("Clicked by mistake?") and, with a public list, **Manage preferences**. If you set an address, the visitor is sent there instead.

![The Unsubscribe page with the reason options and the Unsubscribe button.](https://hiveplugins.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/hivemail-public-unsubscribe-01.webp)

One press unsubscribes the person from all marketing email (status Unsubscribed), and any reason is written on their timeline. Opening the page without pressing the button changes nothing, so link scanners are harmless. One-click unsubscribe from mail apps always uses the built-in address, even if you use your own page. Unknown, already-out, bounced and complained contacts all see the same "You are unsubscribed" page, so nobody can find out who is on your list. **Subscribe again** is not offered for contacts in the trash or on the suppression list.

**Email preferences.** For a Subscribed person: optional **First name** and **Last name**, one tick box per public list (name and description), **Save preferences**, and, if on, "Unsubscribe from all". Unticking a list opts them out of that list while they stay Subscribed overall; they return only by ticking it again or by confirming through a signup form that adds that list. Adding them by hand or by import does not put them back. Someone not Subscribed sees "You are not subscribed to our marketing emails at the moment, so there is nothing to choose." (an Unsubscribed person also gets **Subscribe again**).

![The Email preferences page with two public lists and name fields.](https://hiveplugins.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/hivemail-public-preferences-03.webp)

**Subscription confirmed.** Where the confirmation email's button leads: [Double opt-in](/docs/hive-mail-double-opt-in/).

## Change the words and behaviour

Go to **Settings** > **Compliance**, edit the cards, then press **Save changes**.

| Card | Setting | Default |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unsubscribe page | **Heading** | Unsubscribe from {{site_name}} |
|  | **Message** | Please confirm that you want to stop receiving our emails. |
|  | **Button** | Unsubscribe |
|  | **Heading after they unsubscribed** | You are unsubscribed |
|  | **Message after they unsubscribed** | You will not receive any more emails from us. |
|  | **Ask why they are leaving** (never blocks unsubscribing) | On |
|  | **After unsubscribing go to this address** (full http or https address) | Empty |
| Preferences page | **Heading** | Email preferences |
|  | **Let people change their name** | On |
|  | **Offer "Unsubscribe from all"** | On |
| Email footer | **Show "Manage preferences" in the footer** (only while a list is public) | On |
|  | **Your own text** (above your business name and address) | Empty |

`{{site_name}}`, `{{business_name}}` and `{{current_year}}` work in the page texts. The footer always has your business name, address and the unsubscribe link. Anything that is not a full http or https address is cleared when you save.

![hivemail compliance pages cards 04](https://hiveplugins.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/hivemail-compliance-pages-cards-04.webp) Compliance." class="wp-image-2517"/>

## Use your own WordPress pages

Hive Mail makes three published pages under **Pages**: **Unsubscribe**, **Email preferences** and **Subscription confirmed**. Each holds only a Shortcode block: `[hivemail_unsubscribe]`, `[hivemail_preferences]` or `[hivemail_confirmation]`. Edit them freely, or use the shortcodes on any page ([Shortcodes](/docs/hive-mail-shortcodes-and-block/)). The card **Your own pages** shows a badge for each:

| Badge | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| **Ready** | Published with its shortcode. Email links go to this page. |
| **No shortcode** | Published but the shortcode is gone. Use **Reset to default content**. |
| **Draft** | Not published; Hive Mail's built-in page answers. |
| **Deleted** | The page was deleted; the built-in page answers. |
| **Not made** | No page yet. Press **Create the page** (or **Create again**). |

Other buttons: **Edit**, **View**, **Use a different page** (choose it in **Show this screen on**, put the shortcode on it, save).

![The Your own pages card with three Ready badges.](https://hiveplugins.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/hivemail-compliance-own-pages-05.webp)

New emails link to your own page when it is published; otherwise to the built-in page. Old emails keep working because the built-in addresses (`?hivemail=unsubscribe` and `?hivemail=preferences`) always answer. Deleted pages are not made again until you press **Create again**. If a cache plugin stores these pages, exclude them: see [Conflicts with other plugins and caching](/docs/hive-mail-conflicts-with-plugins-and-caching/).

> **Warning:** Keep the unsubscribe path simple. Rules differ by country, and a hard-to-find unsubscribe also hurts your sending reputation. Do not share an unsubscribe link from an email you received: it works for one person.

This is information, not legal advice.

Next: [Settings: Compliance](/docs/hive-mail-settings-compliance/), [The email footer and the unsubscribe link](/docs/hive-mail-email-footer-and-unsubscribe-link/).