How to Delete Subscribers

How to permanently remove a subscriber from Reach, when deletion is the right call versus deactivation, and what happens to their data afterward.

Overview

Deleting a subscriber removes their record for good. Do this when the record was added by mistake or the person needs to be fully removed from your contact database. If you just need to pause their notifications, deactivate them instead. See KB-010.

This action is permanent

Deletion cannot be undone. The record, contact details, and history are gone. If you're not sure, deactivate instead. It's reversible.

What You'll Need

Access to the Subscribers tab (all roles).
The subscriber's name, email, or Subscriber ID to locate them in search.
Confidence that deletion is what you actually want, not just deactivation.

Step-by-Step: Deleting a Subscriber

Step 1: Find the subscriber

Click Subscribers in the left sidebar.
Use the search form to find them.
Matching records appear below the form.

Step 2: Click Delete

Click Delete in the Actions column for that subscriber.
A confirmation prompt appears.

Step 3: Confirm the deletion

Check the name in the prompt to make sure it's the right person.
Click Confirm to finish.
The record is gone and won't appear in search.

After deletion

Historical message records in Analytics are kept for reporting. Only the subscriber profile itself is removed.

Delete vs. Deactivate: Which Should You Use?

Scenario	Use Delete	Use Deactivate
Subscriber was added by mistake	Yes	n/a
Person has left the organization permanently	Yes	n/a
Person requests complete removal from contact list	Yes	n/a
Temporarily pause notifications (person on leave)	n/a	Yes
Need to keep the record but stop messages for now	n/a	Yes
Subscriber may return or be reactivated later	n/a	Yes

Having Trouble?

What you're seeing	Why it happens	How to resolve it
Delete button is not visible	You may not have delete permissions, or the subscriber is in a department you do not manage.	Ask your Reach Administrator to check your permissions.
Subscriber still appears in search after deletion	The page may need a moment to catch up.	Click Reset and search again. Still there? Hard refresh: Ctrl+Shift+R on Windows, Cmd+Shift+R on Mac.
I deleted the wrong subscriber by mistake	Deletions can't be undone.	Re-add them manually (KB-006) or via bulk upload (KB-013). If it's a significant error, contact Convey support straight away.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I delete multiple subscribers at once?

A: The Subscribers tab doesn't have a bulk delete option. For large-scale removals, talk to your Reach Administrator or Convey support.

Q: Will deleting a subscriber remove them from Analytics reports?

A: No. Message records in Analytics stay for historical reporting. Only the profile is deleted.

Q: What happens to a subscriber if they reply STOP to an SMS?

A: Replying STOP records an SMS opt-out. It doesn't delete the subscriber. Their record stays in the portal and shows up in Analytics STOPs. An admin can delete the record separately if needed.

Q: Is there a way to recover a deleted subscriber?

A: No. There's no recovery in the portal. Re-add them manually or via bulk upload.

Need More Help?

If you have followed the steps above and still require assistance, please refer to the relevant articles listed below for additional guidance.

How to Deactivate Subscribers Pause notifications for a subscriber without permanently removing their record.
How to Add a Subscriber Re-add a subscriber if they were deleted by mistake.