What This Feature Does
This feature allows you to permanently remove a segment from your SendX account. You can choose to delete just the segment structure (keeping all contacts intact) or delete both the segment and all contacts within it from your entire account.
When and Why You'd Need This
You might need to delete a segment when:
You no longer need a specific audience grouping and want to clean up your segments list
You want to permanently remove a group of contacts (such as bounced emails, unengaged subscribers, or outdated leads) from your entire account
You're reorganizing your audience structure and need to remove obsolete segments
You've created duplicate or test segments that are no longer useful
How To Delete A Segment
Option 1: Using the Dropdown Menu (Recommended)
Step 1: Navigate to the Segments page
Click Audience in the top navigation bar
Select Segments from the dropdown menu
Step 2: Locate the segment you want to delete
Browse your segments list or use the search bar to find the specific segment
Step 3: Open the actions menu
Click the three-dot menu icon (⋮) next to the segment name
Select Delete from the dropdown menu (shown in red)
Step 4: Choose your deletion option A confirmation dialog will appear asking: "Are you sure you want to delete selected contacts? They will be permanently removed. This action cannot be undone."
To delete ONLY the segment (keep all contacts): Leave the "Delete associated contacts?" checkbox unchecked, then click Delete
To delete the segment AND all its contacts: Check the "Delete associated contacts?" box, then click Delete
Step 5: Confirm deletion
Click the red Delete button to confirm
Click Cancel if you change your mind
Option 2: Using the Checkbox Selection
Step 1: Select the segment
On the Segments page, click the checkbox to the left of the segment name
Step 2: Follow steps 4-5 above
The same deletion dialog will appear with the same options
⚠️ Important Warnings and Limitations
Critical: Understand What Gets Deleted
When you check "Delete associated contacts?":
ALL contacts in that segment are permanently deleted from your entire SendX account
Contacts are removed from every segment they belong to, not just the one you're deleting
All associated contact data is deleted, including:
Email engagement history (opens, clicks)
Custom field values
Tags
Form submission history
Any other contact-related data
This Action Is Permanent
Deleted contacts and data cannot be recovered through the SendX interface
There is no undo button or trash folder
Emergency recovery option: If you accidentally delete contacts, contact SendX Support immediately. If you reach out within a short timeframe, they may be able to raise a backend ticket to retrieve the data within 5 working days. This is not guaranteed, so always double-check before deleting.
Impact on Active Campaigns and Automations
Before deleting a segment with active campaigns:
Active campaigns: Contacts deleted from the segment will not receive any emails currently being sent
Scheduled campaigns: If you delete the segment itself, scheduled campaigns targeting that segment will fail because there are no recipients
Automation workflows: Any automations targeting the deleted segment or its contacts will fail
Best practice: Never delete segments or contacts while campaigns targeting them are in progress. Review all active and scheduled campaigns first.
Who Can Delete Segments
Only users with Admin or Account Owner roles can delete segments
There are no protected or system segments that cannot be deleted
Common Questions and Troubleshooting
Q: What's the difference between deleting a segment and deleting contacts?
A: Think of it this way:
Deleting just the segment (checkbox unchecked) = Removing the folder, but keeping all the files
Deleting the segment with contacts (checkbox checked) = Removing the folder AND permanently deleting all files inside
The checkbox gives you control over whether you want to clean up your organization (segments) or actually remove people from your database (contacts).
Q: If a contact is in multiple segments and I check "Delete associated contacts," what happens?
A: The contact is completely removed from your SendX account, including all other segments they belong to. This is not a "remove from this segment only" action—it's a full account-level deletion.
Example: If john@example.com is in both "Webinar Attendees" and "Newsletter Subscribers," and you delete "Webinar Attendees" with the checkbox checked, John is removed from both segments and deleted from your contacts entirely.
Q: I accidentally deleted contacts. Can I get them back?
A: There is no self-service recovery option, but:
Contact SendX Support immediately via live chat or email
Explain what happened and approximately when the deletion occurred
Support may be able to raise a backend recovery ticket (recovery typically takes up to 5 working days)
This is not guaranteed, so always verify before confirming deletion
Q: How can I safely test this feature without losing real contacts?
A:
Create a test segment with a few dummy contacts
Practice deleting the segment without checking the "Delete associated contacts?" box first
Verify the contacts still exist in your contacts list
When comfortable, create another test segment and practice the full deletion with the checkbox checked
Q: What happens if I try to delete a segment that a campaign is currently using?
A:
If you delete only the segment (checkbox unchecked), the campaign may fail or have unpredictable results because the targeting rules no longer exist
If you delete the segment and its contacts (checkbox checked), those contacts will immediately stop receiving emails from active campaigns
Always pause or complete campaigns before deleting their target segments.
Q: Can I archive segments instead of deleting them?
A: No, SendX does not currently have an archive or deactivate option for segments. You can only delete them. If you want to preserve a segment but stop using it, consider:
Renaming it with a prefix like "[OLD]" or "[Archive]"
Moving it to a "Favorites" category for inactive segments (if using favorites)
Documenting the segment rules elsewhere before deletion
Q: The delete confirmation doesn't show me how many contacts will be deleted. How do I check?
A: Before initiating deletion:
Click on the segment name to open it
Note the contact count displayed at the top of the segment view
Decide whether you want to proceed with deletion based on that number
Q: I only want to remove some contacts from a segment, not delete the whole segment. How do I do that?
A: To remove individual contacts from a segment without deleting the segment itself:
Open the segment by clicking its name
Select the specific contacts you want to remove
Use the bulk actions menu to remove them from just that segment
This is different from the "delete segment" feature, which is an all-or-nothing action.
Quick Reference
What You Want To Do | What To Check |
Remove segment, keep all contacts | Leave "Delete associated contacts?" unchecked |
Remove segment AND permanently delete all contacts | Check "Delete associated contacts?" ✓ |
Remove some contacts from a segment | Don't use segment deletion—edit the segment instead |
Test deletion safely | Create a test segment with dummy contacts first |
Need Help? If you're unsure whether deleting a segment is the right action, or if you need to recover accidentally deleted contacts, contact SendX Support immediately for guidance.