Find the unsubscribe link at the bottom of the email

Almost every marketing email you receive is required by law to include an unsubscribe link. Look at the very bottom of the email — below the main content and any footer information. The link is usually small, grey text that says "Unsubscribe" or "Manage preferences" or "Remove me from this list."

Click that link. It will take you to a page where you can confirm you want to stop receiving emails from that sender. Some senders let you choose which types of emails to stop, rather than unsubscribing from everything at once. After you confirm, the unsubscribe is usually complete within a few days, though some senders take up to two weeks.

If you cannot find an unsubscribe link in an email, scroll all the way to the bottom and look again — it is often placed where you would not naturally look. If it truly is not there, that sender is breaking the law, and you can report them to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov.

Key Takeaways

  • The unsubscribe link is always at the bottom of a marketing email, usually in small text.
  • Clicking the link takes you to a confirmation page where you finalize the unsubscribe.
  • Most senders stop sending within a few days, though some take up to two weeks.
  • If no unsubscribe link exists, you can report the sender to the Federal Trade Commission.
  • Marking an email as spam is different from unsubscribing and does not stop future emails from that sender.

Use your email provider's unsubscribe tools if the sender's link does not work

If you click an unsubscribe link and nothing happens, or if the page does not load, your email provider has its own tools. In Gmail, open the email and look for the sender's name at the top. Click it, then select "Unsubscribe" from the menu that appears. In Outlook, right-click the sender's name and choose "Unsubscribe" or "Block." In Apple Mail, open the email and look for an "Unsubscribe" button near the sender information.

These tools work by sending an unsubscribe request on your behalf, even if the sender's own link is broken. However, they only work if the sender has set up their email system correctly. If the sender ignores your request after two weeks, you can mark future emails as spam or create a filter to send them to a folder automatically.

Mark emails as spam to stop them faster, but understand the difference

Marking an email as spam tells your email provider that the sender is unwanted, and future emails from that address may go to your spam folder automatically. However, marking as spam does not send an unsubscribe request to the sender — they will keep sending emails, just to your spam folder instead of your inbox.

Use the unsubscribe link first if you want the sender to actually stop. Use the spam button if the unsubscribe link does not work or if you want a faster way to hide emails while the unsubscribe processes. In Gmail, the spam button is a trash icon at the top of the email. In Outlook, it is the "Junk" button. In Apple Mail, it is the "Junk" button in the toolbar.

Create filters or rules to handle emails you cannot unsubscribe from

If a sender refuses to unsubscribe you or has no working unsubscribe link, you can create a filter that automatically sorts their emails into a folder or deletes them. In Gmail, open an email from that sender, click the three-dot menu, and select "Create filter." Choose what you want to do with future emails — send them to a label, archive them, or delete them automatically. In Outlook, right-click the sender's name and choose "Create Rule," then pick where the emails should go.

Filters do not stop the emails from arriving on the sender's end, but they remove them from your sight. This is useful for newsletters you signed up for but no longer read, or for senders who ignore unsubscribe requests. You can delete or change a filter at any time by going to your email provider's settings.

Unsubscribe from mailing lists before they pile up

The longer you stay subscribed to an email list, the harder it becomes to manage. If you signed up for a newsletter months ago and never read it, unsubscribe now rather than letting it accumulate. The same goes for promotional emails from stores, alerts from websites, or notifications from apps. Each one takes five seconds to unsubscribe from, but fifty of them take fifty seconds.

When you sign up for something new online — a store account, a website newsletter, a service — look for a checkbox that says "Send me promotional emails" or "Subscribe to our mailing list." Leaving it unchecked means you will not receive those emails in the first place. This is easier than unsubscribing later.

Report persistent senders to the Federal Trade Commission

If a sender continues to email you after you have unsubscribed, or if they have no unsubscribe link at all, you can report them. The Federal Trade Commission accepts complaints at reportfraud.ftc.gov. Include the sender's email address, the date you received the email, and a copy of the email itself if possible.

The FTC does not respond to individual complaints, but they use reports to identify patterns and take action against senders who break the law. Reporting is free and takes a few minutes. You can also forward the unwanted email directly to spam@uce.gov, which is the FTC's email spam reporting address.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I still get emails after I unsubscribe?

Some senders take up to two weeks to process unsubscribes. If you still receive emails after two weeks, the sender may be ignoring your request. Try unsubscribing again, or use your email provider's spam or filter tools. If the sender has no unsubscribe link, report them to the Federal Trade Commission.

Is marking as spam the same as unsubscribing?

No. Marking as spam hides the email from you but does not tell the sender to stop. Unsubscribing sends a request to the sender to remove you from their list. Always use the unsubscribe link first if you want the sender to actually stop sending emails.

Can I unsubscribe from emails on my phone?

Yes. Open the email in your phone's mail app and look for an unsubscribe link at the bottom. If your app does not show it, scroll down — it may be hidden below the visible area. You can also open the email in a web browser on your phone to see the full email and find the link more easily.

What if the unsubscribe link asks for my password?

Do not enter your password. Legitimate unsubscribe links never ask for your password. If a link asks for it, that is a phishing attempt. Close the page, go back to your email, and report the sender as spam or to the Federal Trade Commission instead.

How do I stop emails from a company I still do business with?

Most companies let you choose which types of emails to receive. When you unsubscribe, look for options to keep transactional emails — like order confirmations or shipping updates — while stopping promotional emails. If you cannot find those options, unsubscribe from everything and then log into your account on their website to turn back on only the emails you need.