# Confirm subscribers with double opt-in

## Understand double opt-in
Double opt-in is a subscription confirmation method that requires people to verify their email address after submitting a form. 
Use double opt-in to reduce invalid or mistyped signups, keep your contact list cleaner, and maintain a clearer record of subscriber consent.

<Aside type="note">
Double opt-in is optional in Pushwoosh and applies to all subscription forms in the project.
</Aside>


Once double opt-in is on, subscribers receive a confirmation email and must click a link to finish signing up. The link expires after 24 hours. If the link expires, the subscriber sees a notification and must return to the form and resubscribe.

<Aside type="note">
Pushwoosh sends the confirmation message automatically for each subscriber who must confirm. You do not send it manually per subscriber.
</Aside>

### What happens when you turn double opt-in on or off

##### Turning double opt-in on 
  - Subscribers who signed up **before** you enabled double opt-in keep their existing status (for example **Confirmed**) and do not receive new confirmation emails.  
  - All new signups after you enable double opt-in receive a confirmation email and stay in **Pending** until they confirm.

##### Turning double opt-in off
  - Subscribers who signed up while double opt-in was enabled and are still in **Pending** are **not** automatically promoted to **Confirmed**. They must either confirm via the email they received (if the link is still valid) or submit the form again.  
  - All **new** signups after you disable double opt-in are recorded as **Confirmed** immediately and do not receive confirmation emails.



## How to configure double opt-in

### Enable double opt-in

On the **Audience → Subscription forms** page, click **Enable** on the Double Opt-In card to enable double opt-in.

<img src="/subscription-forms-12.webp" alt="Subscription forms page showing Double Opt-In card with Enable control and subscription forms area"/>

When you click **Enable**, a confirmation dialog opens with information you should review before turning on double opt-in. Click **Enable** in the dialog to continue.

<img src="/subscription-forms-6.webp" alt="Enable Double Opt-In modal with description, consent-related information, and Enable button"/>

### Customize the confirmation email content

The confirmation email editor opens so you can customize the message for your brand and campaign.

The template already includes the confirmation button and the unsubscribe notice. Complete this template once before your forms start sending confirmation emails. Add company name, physical address, and links to your Privacy Policy and Contact Us pages.
<Aside type="note">
The confirmation email template is shared across all subscription forms in the project. You cannot use different templates for different forms.
</Aside>

<img src="/subscription-forms-13.webp" alt="Double opt-in confirmation email in Unlayer editor with subject, body, Confirm your email button, and button settings panel"/>


In the editor:

- Set **Subject**, **From name**, and **From email** for the confirmation message.
- Add your company name and address.
- Include links to your Privacy Policy, Contact Us, and Unsubscribe pages.

<Aside type="caution" title="Important">
The confirmation button is ready to use. It already includes the merge field for the confirmation URL. Pushwoosh replaces it with the real link when the email is sent.
</Aside>

<Aside type="tip">
For multiple languages, use the same editor steps as for other email content. [Learn more](/product/content/email-content/drag-and-drop-email-editor/set-up-your-email-in-the-editor/#define-the-languages-you-want-to-use-in-your-email).
</Aside>

## Consent logging in User Explorer for double opt-in

When double opt-in is enabled for subscription forms, Pushwoosh logs consent-related details in the subscriber profile in [**User Explorer**](/product/audience-data-and-segmentation/user-explorer/). You can use this information for internal reviews, to answer consent questions in support, or when your own legal and privacy teams need a record of what the product captured.

Pushwoosh records the following details in the subscriber profile:
- Form submission timestamp
- Confirmation timestamp (when the subscriber clicks the confirmation link)
- IP address
- Method of consent (subscription form with double opt-in)

For export and form metrics, see [View form performance and export subscribers](/product/audience-data-and-segmentation/subscription-forms/form-analytics-and-export/).