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Subscriber Preference Center

The preference center is a hosted page where subscribers can manage their own email preferences -- choosing which topics they want to receive and controlling email frequency -- without fully unsubscribing.

How It Works​

  1. You add the link -- include {{preferences_url}} in your email templates
  2. Subscriber clicks -- they land on a branded preference center page
  3. They choose -- toggle email topics on/off, pause emails, or unsubscribe
  4. Preferences apply immediately -- the next campaign respects their choices

The Preference Center Page​

When a subscriber clicks the preference link, they see a page showing:

  • Organization name at the top
  • Email topics with toggle switches (on/off for each topic)
  • Required topics that cannot be turned off (shown with a "Required" label)
  • Email frequency options (every email, or pause for 30 days)
  • Save button to apply changes
  • Unsubscribe link at the bottom as a last resort

The subscriber's email is shown partially masked for privacy (e.g., j*****e@example.com).

Use the {{preferences_url}} merge tag in your email templates to include a link to the preference center.

Example HTML:

<a href="{{preferences_url}}">Manage your email preferences</a>

Important notes:

  • {{preferences_url}} generates a unique, signed link for each subscriber
  • Links expire after 90 days for security -- subscribers can always use the link from their most recent email
  • This tag works alongside {{unsubscribe_url}} -- both can be included in the same email
  • The List-Unsubscribe header continues to use {{unsubscribe_url}} per RFC 8058

Preference Link on Unsubscribe Page​

When a subscriber clicks an unsubscribe link, the unsubscribe confirmation page includes a "Manage your email preferences" link. This gives subscribers a last-chance offramp -- they can adjust their preferences instead of fully unsubscribing.

How Topics Appear on the Preference Center​

Topics are displayed based on your configuration in Settings > Email Topics:

SettingBehavior on Preference Center
Active topicsShown as toggle switches in display order
Default Opt-InNew subscribers see the toggle set to ON
Default Opt-OutNew subscribers see the toggle set to OFF
RequiredToggle is shown but cannot be turned off; labeled "(Required)"
Inactive topicsNot shown on the preference center

Preference Center Page

Admin Preference Management​

Admins can view and update a subscriber's preferences from the Customers page:

  1. Navigate to Customers and select a list
  2. Find the subscriber in the list
  3. Click the sliders icon in the Actions column
  4. View current topic preferences and email frequency
  5. Toggle topics or change frequency
  6. Click Save Preferences

Changes made by admins are recorded in the audit log with the source marked as admin_ui.

Security​

  • Preference center links use JWT tokens signed with a per-organization secret
  • Tokens expire after 90 days -- expired links show a message directing subscribers to their most recent email
  • Email addresses are partially masked on the preference center page for privacy
  • No authentication is required beyond the signed token (same security model as unsubscribe links)

Best Practices​

  • Always include the preference link -- add {{preferences_url}} to your email footer alongside {{unsubscribe_url}}
  • Use clear topic names and descriptions -- these appear on the preference center page and help subscribers make informed choices
  • Mark transactional emails as required -- account notifications and similar essential emails should use required topics so subscribers cannot opt out
  • Keep topic count manageable -- too many choices can overwhelm subscribers. Aim for 3-5 well-defined topics
  • Test the experience -- send yourself a test email, click the preference link, and verify the page looks correct with your topics