Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) is a French email marketing and transactional platform popular with European SMBs for its generous free tier and GDPR-oriented defaults. The unsubscribe mechanism uses the {{ unsubscribe }} Liquid tag in the campaign editor, or [UNSUBSCRIBE] in the legacy classic editor. Brevo blocks any campaign save that lacks the tag and emits RFC 8058 headers automatically for authenticated domains. This guide covers the tag syntax, the list-level suppression model, and how to verify the setup end to end.
Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) unsubscribe link
| Tag syntax | {{ unsubscribe }} |
| Alternative | [UNSUBSCRIBE] |
| Placement | Auto-embedded in every campaign footer, enforced at save |
| Scope | Per-list opt-out with account-wide suppression option |
| Config path | Senders, Domains and Dedicated IPs > Senders |
| RFC 8058 one-click | Yes, automatic for authenticated domains |
How to add the unsubscribe tag in Brevo (formerly Sendinblue)
Place the merge tag exactly as shown below in the email template. Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) replaces it at send time with a signed URL scoped to the recipient and campaign.
{{ unsubscribe }}For custom HTML templates, wrap the tag in an anchor to render a proper hyperlink in the delivered email:
<a href="{{ unsubscribe }}">Unsubscribe from this list</a>Auto-embedded in every campaign footer, enforced at save
Yes, automatic for authenticated domains The recipient's mailbox provider (Gmail, Yahoo) uses the List-Unsubscribe-Post header to expose the native one-click button on the message. Requires domain authentication with DKIM and DMARC.
Brevo enforces unsubscribe tag presence at save time, not at send time. If the campaign editor blocks the save with a validation error, the tag is missing somewhere in the body. The classic editor uses [UNSUBSCRIBE] while the new drag-and-drop editor uses {{ unsubscribe }} Liquid syntax. Copying templates between editors requires converting the tag.
Testing your Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) unsubscribe link
- Send a test message to a controlled Gmail address you own via the Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) campaign preview action
- Click the footer unsubscribe link and confirm the opt-out on the landing page
- Check the subscriber or contact record: the status should be Unsubscribed within seconds
- Verify the RFC 8058 headers in Gmail: open the message, click three dots, then Show original. Look for
List-UnsubscribeandList-Unsubscribe-Post: List-Unsubscribe=One-Click
Want the full 222-platform reference?
See the pillar guide with the compliance landscape, the RFC 8058 deep dive, and the unsubscribe tag for every ESP: How to add an unsubscribe link: the complete 2026 guide →
How to add the Brevo unsubscribe link (step by step)
Brevo drag-and-drop templates inject the unsubscribe link in the default footer, but custom HTML templates require manual insertion. Brevo refuses to save a campaign without an unsubscribe tag anywhere in the body.
- Open your campaign or template in the Brevo editor.
- Add or edit a text block where the unsubscribe link should appear.
- Insert the Liquid tag
{{ unsubscribe }}in the new drag-and-drop editor, or[UNSUBSCRIBE]in the classic editor. - Wrap it in an anchor with your preferred label:
<a href="{{ unsubscribe }}">Unsubscribe</a>. - Add the required physical postal address. Brevo pulls it from Account Settings > My Company Info.
- Save the campaign. Brevo validates the tag presence at save time and blocks the send if it is missing.
List-level and account-level suppression
Brevo defaults to list-level unsubscribes: a contact who opts out of a campaign is removed from the list associated with that campaign but remains subscribed to other lists in the account. Account Settings can enforce account-wide suppression, which suppresses the address across every list simultaneously. This is the safer default for single-brand senders. Brevo also maintains a blocklist that permanently prevents sends to specific addresses regardless of list membership.
RFC 8058 one-click headers
Brevo added RFC 8058 one-click unsubscribe automatically ahead of the Google and Yahoo February 2024 requirements. The List-Unsubscribe and List-Unsubscribe-Post headers inject on every marketing send from domains authenticated through Senders > Domains. SPF and DKIM must both be verified. Transactional sends via the API can include List-Unsubscribe headers manually through the headers parameter of the transactional email payload for consistency with marketing sends.
GDPR compliance orientation
As a European platform headquartered in Paris, Brevo defaults to GDPR-oriented behavior: double opt-in available at the list level, timestamped consent records per contact, and permanent suppression on opt-out that cannot be overridden by API. Reactivation requires the subscriber to re-opt in through a Brevo-hosted signup form, triggering a fresh double opt-in confirmation. This matches European regulatory expectations and is stricter than some US-focused platforms.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Brevo unsubscribe tag?
In the new drag-and-drop editor, use {{ unsubscribe }}. In the classic editor and older templates, use [UNSUBSCRIBE]. Brevo replaces the tag at send time with a signed URL unique per recipient that routes to a Brevo-hosted preference page.
Does Brevo support one-click unsubscribe for Gmail and Yahoo?
Yes, automatically for authenticated domains. Brevo injects List-Unsubscribe and List-Unsubscribe-Post headers on every marketing send from domains with SPF and DKIM verified under Senders > Domains, satisfying the Google and Yahoo bulk-sender requirements.
Why does Brevo refuse to save my campaign?
Brevo enforces unsubscribe tag presence at save time. If the campaign lacks {{ unsubscribe }} or [UNSUBSCRIBE] anywhere in the body, the editor returns a validation error. Add the tag inside a footer text block or in a legally compliant anchor.
Can I resubscribe a contact who unsubscribed from Brevo?
No, not through the API. Brevo enforces permanent suppression on opt-outs and blocks API-driven reactivation. The subscriber must re-opt in through a Brevo signup form, which triggers a fresh double opt-in confirmation email.
Does the Brevo transactional API include unsubscribe headers?
By default no, since transactional messages (order confirmations, password resets) are typically exempt. If you send bulk transactional content that would benefit from one-click compliance, add List-Unsubscribe and List-Unsubscribe-Post headers through the headers parameter of the transactional email API payload.
About the Author
Alaa · LinkedIn
Email infrastructure specialist with 8+ years of hands-on experience in SMTP, deliverability, and email verification. I’ve configured and troubleshot mail systems across Postfix, Exchange, and cloud relays, managed IP reputation and warmup campaigns, and built verification pipelines processing millions of addresses. My work spans DNS authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC, BIMI), bounce handling, blocklist monitoring, and compliance frameworks including CAN-SPAM and GDPR. I write every article on SMTPedia to give email professionals, developers, and marketers the accurate, RFC-grounded reference they need.
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