Use reCAPTCHA or confirmation emails to reduce the chance your campaigns are marked as spam.

Having subscribers verify that they want to be added to your mailing list reduces the chances that your emails will be marked as spam.

Newsletter blocks and promotional pop-up subscriptions require verification by Google reCAPTCHA and/or email when using Squarespace for storage. Other signup areas also use a confirmation email. Use this guide to learn about the two options and where they apply.

Verification options

To review verification options, open the Email Campaign settings panel and click Verification Options.

For newsletter blocks and promotional pop-ups using Squarespace for storage, you need to have at least one of these options enabled:

• Google reCAPTCHA - Subscribers are verified via this invisible security feature that helps prevent robots from completing forms.
• Confirmation email - Visitors verify by confirmation email after subscribing on your site.

Verification options aren't available for:

• Checkout newsletter subscribe option
• Addresses added manually to a mailing list
• Imported addresses

If you live in the EU, ensure your verification settings comply with local regulations.

Note: This guide is available as a resource, but should not be construed or relied upon in any way as legal advice. Per our Terms of Service, Squarespace doesn't provide advice or recommendations on any laws or requirements applicable to your site or business.

Google reCAPTCHA

On Squarespace, Google reCAPTCHA is an invisible security check to prevent robots from submitting forms. A reCAPTCHA badge may appear on your site when visitors submit, but they won't have to take any additional action. 

Google reCAPTCHA is available for subscriber verification in:

• Form blocks with a required email field and Email Signup enabled
• Newsletter blocks using Squarespace storage
• Promotional pop-ups

Google reCAPTCHA is enabled by default when you add a form block or newsletter block. For promotional pop-ups, or form blocks and newsletter blocks with reCAPTCHA disabled previously, you can enable it directly in the pop-up or block. Keep in mind, the Google reCAPTCHA option won't appear in newsletter blocks without Squarespace storage connected. To learn more, visit Adding Google reCAPTCHA to forms.

Disable confirmation emails

When Google reCAPTCHA is enabled, you can disable confirmation emails:

• Form blocks - Click Edit on the block, click Edit fields in the Content tab, click Email, then switch the Send confirmation email toggle off.
• Newsletter blocks - Click Edit on the block, click Storage, click Squarespace, then switch the Send confirmation email toggle off.
• Promotional pop-ups - Open the Promotional pop-up panel, click Action, click Verification, then uncheck Send confirmation email.

If you want subscribers to verify with both reCAPTCHA and confirmation email, leave Send confirmation email enabled.

Confirmation email

With a confirmation email, new subscribers receive an email asking them to confirm their subscription before they're added to an Email Campaigns list or to your subscribers list in the Contacts panel. Keep in mind, confirmation emails, including test emails, won't send on trial sites. Upgrade your site to send a test email and ensure visitors can sign up for your mailing lists.

Confirmation emails are sent to subscribers who sign up with:

• Form blocks with a required email field and Email Signup enabled
• Newsletter blocks with confirmation email enabled
• Promotional pop-ups with confirmation email enabled
• Acuity Scheduling opt-ins (free services and services that don't take payment at signup only)
• Member Sites signups (free member sites only)
• Cover page newsletter signups (version 7.0 only)

The scheduling opt-in is sent to Acuity clients who sign up for your mailing list when booking free services, not to be confused with the Acuity email that clients receive to confirm a booked appointment.

To disable confirmation emails for form blocks, newsletter blocks, and promotional pop-ups, enable Google reCAPTCHA instead. It's not possible to disable the confirmation email for other form types.

Customize the confirmation email

To customize the confirmation email:

1. Open the Email Campaign settings panel and click Verification Options.
2. Click Customize Email.
3. Customize the email's text and add or rearrange sections. To learn more, visit Building email campaigns.
4. Style the email to fit your brand.
5. Click Email to edit the subject and email preview text. The default subject line uses email personalization to insert your site title automatically, so ensure you edit your subject if you don't want your site title to appear.
6. To send a test email to your inbox to review how it will appear to customers, click Test at the bottom of the Email tab. Keep in mind, test emails will be sent from no-reply@squarespace-mail.com.
7. Click Save.

It's not possible to:

• Add blog or product sections to this email.
• Delete the Confirm subscription button.
• Select your sender details. The confirmation email automatically uses the first sender details with a custom domain you created and verified. If you don't have verified sender details with a custom domain, your confirmation email is sent from no-reply@campaign-preferences.com. 
• Customize the confirmation page that appears after subscribers click the Confirm subscription button.

Subscribers don't receive confirmation email

If you hear from people who've signed up for your mailing list but haven't received a confirmation email, advise them to take the following steps:

• Check their spam folder or other email filters to ensure the confirmation email hasn't been sorted there
• Add no-reply@squarespace.com to their contacts or trusted senders list to ensure the confirmation email can be delivered to them
• Contact their email client to ask about any restrictions or spam-filtering that may be preventing the email from delivering
• Try to subscribe again, double-checking to ensure the email address is entered correctly

If they still don't receive the confirmation email, they may want to try another email address to check if the confirmation email arrives successfully. Alternatively, you can add them to your mailing list manually, but if they aren't receiving the confirmation email at that address, their email client may prevent your campaigns from being delivered too.

Subscribers see a 404 error when confirming their subscription

Subscribers will see a 404 error message when they click the link in your confirmation email if the mailing list is disconnected from the form's storage area. To fix this, reset the connection:

1. In your newsletter block, promotional pop-up, or other signup form, click Storage.
2. Click Disconnect or X to remove the current storage option. 
3. Click Connect and select the mailing list from the drop-down menu. 
4. Click Save to publish your changes.

Subscribers may also see a 404 error message if you have a Squarespace domain that's pointed away from Squarespace. Ensure your domain is pointed to your Squarespace site or the confirmation link won't work.