> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.flowforth.co/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Understanding Subscription Statuses

> Learn what each subscription status means in Flowforth and how it affects email delivery.

In Flowforth, every person has a **subscription status** that determines whether or not they receive your emails. These statuses help you stay compliant with email laws and avoid spam issues while managing your sending limits wisely.

Here’s a breakdown of each status you may see:

***

## Subscribed

These are people who are **fully subscribed** and can receive **all of your emails**.

***

## Unsubscribed

These individuals have **opted out** of receiving emails from your organization.

* They will **not receive any emails**, regardless of category.
* This may have been triggered by clicking the **unsubscribe** link in an email footer.
* You can view or resubscribe them via the [People section](https://flowforth.co/people) **if they request it**.

***

## Cleaned

These are email addresses that Flowforth has automatically cleaned because they:

* **Hard bounced** (the address permanently could not be delivered to), or
* **Soft bounced 3 or more times** within the past year, or
* Reported your messages as **spam 3 or more times**

Flowforth **automatically stops sending** to these addresses to protect your deliverability. See [Understanding Email Bounces](/emails/bounce-types) for more on how automatic cleaning works.

If someone has been cleaned, check the **Emails Received** tab on their person page to see if there are any bounces. This can help you understand why the address was cleaned and whether the issue can be resolved.

<Warning>
  Repeatedly sending to cleaned addresses can damage your sending reputation.
  These contacts are excluded to safeguard your domain and inbox placement. A
  high bounce rate can lead to your Flowforth account being suspended.
</Warning>

If you've confirmed the address is valid, you can resubscribe a cleaned contact from their person page. When you do, you'll be offered the option to **protect the address from being cleaned again** — so a future bounce or spam complaint won't automatically remove it.

<Note>
  Only protect an address when you're confident it's valid and the person wants
  your emails. A protected address stays on your list even if it keeps bouncing,
  which can hurt your deliverability. See [Managing Subscription
  Statuses](/people/manage-subscription-status) for step-by-step instructions.
</Note>

***

## Blocked in Planning Center

If Planning Center has flagged an email address as **blocked** or invalid, Flowforth mirrors that status.

* These addresses are **automatically excluded** from email sends.
* You’ll need to update or replace the email address in Planning Center if it's incorrect.

***

## Suppressed

These are email addresses that have been suppressed by our email provider. Even if the contact appears subscribed in Flowforth, the provider will block delivery.

If the person wants your emails again, you can resubscribe a suppressed address from their person page — this **removes it from the provider's suppression list** so delivery can resume. See [Managing Subscription Statuses](/people/manage-subscription-status) for step-by-step instructions.

***

## Partially Subscribed

These people are subscribed to **some email categories**, but not others.

This is perfectly normal and intentional:

* For example, someone without children may be unsubscribed from **Kids Ministry** emails.
* These preferences help you **target emails more effectively** and **conserve your sending limit**.

<Note>
  You do not need to change anything for partially subscribed people. They’re
  still receiving the content that’s relevant to them.
</Note>

***

Need help reviewing or updating someone's subscription status? Visit the [People section](https://flowforth.co/people) or contact [support@flowforth.co](mailto:support@flowforth.co).