# Double opt-in

Double opt-in is a signup flow in which a person enters their email address and is added to the list only after clicking a confirmation link sent to that address. It proves the person owns the inbox and keeps fake, mistyped and bot signups off the list.

Canonical page: https://getlaunchlist.com/glossary/double-opt-in. Updated 2026-10-15.

## How double opt-in works

1. A visitor fills in your signup form.
2. They see a message asking them to check their inbox.
3. An email arrives with a confirmation link.
4. They click it, and only then do they join your list as a confirmed contact.

Until that click, the signup is unconfirmed. A bot that typed a random address, someone who mistyped their own, or a person who signed up a friend without asking never gets past step 3.

## Double opt-in vs single opt-in

| | Double opt-in | Single opt-in |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Steps to join | Fill in the form, then click a link in an email | Fill in the form |
| Signup count | Lower, because some people never confirm | Higher |
| Fake and mistyped addresses | Kept off the list | Get on the list |
| Proof of consent | A record of the confirmation click | The form submission only |
| Risk to your sender reputation | Lower | Higher, from bounces and spam traps |
| Best for | A list you plan to email, and referral programs | Short demand tests, or signups without an email |

The full case for skipping confirmation is on the [single opt-in](https://getlaunchlist.com/glossary/single-opt-in) page.

## Why it matters for a waitlist

- **Your launch email reaches people.** Mail to addresses that don't exist bounces, and mailbox providers count bounces against you. A confirmed list protects your [email deliverability](https://getlaunchlist.com/glossary/email-deliverability) when the email that matters most goes out.
- **Spam traps stay out.** A [spam trap](https://getlaunchlist.com/glossary/spam-trap) never clicks a confirmation link, so it never becomes a confirmed contact.
- **Referral programs stay fair.** If a referral counts only once the friend confirms, nobody can climb the line by typing made-up addresses.
- **Your numbers mean something.** A thousand confirmed signups is a thousand people. A thousand unconfirmed ones is a guess.

## Getting more people to confirm

- Send the confirmation email immediately. Minutes of delay lose people.
- Say on the thank-you screen that an email is on its way, and from whom.
- Keep the email short, with one obvious button.
- Let people resend it themselves, and remind those who haven't confirmed after a day or two.

## Double opt-in in LaunchList

Waitlist [forms](https://getlaunchlist.com/features/forms) ask new signups to confirm their email by default, and you can switch it off on any form where you would rather not ask. The confirmation email sends on its own in 17 languages, and each signup's [status page](https://getlaunchlist.com/features/status-page) asks them to confirm, with a button to send the message again.

Confirming does more than tidy the list. A referral is credited once the friend confirms. A signup's trust verdict can move up from Valid to Verified when they confirm, as described on [Contact Trust](https://getlaunchlist.com/features/contact-trust). And Analytics shows the share of signups that confirmed, beside the period before.

## Frequently asked questions

### Should a waitlist use double opt-in?

In most cases, yes. A waitlist is valuable because you can reach it on launch day, and double opt-in makes sure every address on it belongs to a real person who wanted to hear from you. It also stops fake signups from earning referral credit. Single opt-in can make sense for a short demand test you never plan to email.

### Does double opt-in reduce signups?

It reduces confirmed signups, because some people never click the link. The ones who do are reachable and interested, and the ones who don't were mostly people you could not have reached anyway. A clear thank-you screen and a quick confirmation email keep the drop small.

### Is double opt-in required by GDPR?

GDPR does not name double opt-in, but it does require you to be able to show that someone consented. A confirmation click is a common way to prove that, and in some countries, Germany being the usual example, it is the expected practice. Check the rules where your audience lives.

### What happens to people who never confirm?

They stay unconfirmed. They usually don't receive your broadcasts, and on a referral waitlist they don't earn credit for the person who invited them. You can send a reminder or let them resend the confirmation themselves.

## Related terms

- [Single opt-in](https://getlaunchlist.com/glossary/single-opt-in.md)
- [Email deliverability](https://getlaunchlist.com/glossary/email-deliverability.md)
- [Spam trap](https://getlaunchlist.com/glossary/spam-trap.md)