Understanding Tag Deletion
Two deletion options:
Option 1: Delete ONLY the tag
Removes the tag label from your account
All contacts who had this tag remain in your account
They become contacts without that tag (but may have other tags or be on lists)
You continue to be billed for these contacts
Option 2: Delete the tag AND all its contacts
Removes the tag label from your account
Permanently deletes all contacts who have this tag
Reduces your billing by removing those contacts from your account
Irreversible—contacts cannot be recovered
Critical decision:
If you want to organize differently, delete ONLY the tag
If you want to reduce billing and permanently remove contacts, delete BOTH tag and contacts
Step-by-Step: Delete a Tag with All Its Contacts
This is the recommended method to permanently remove unwanted contacts and reduce billing.
Before You Begin
Critical checklist:
[ ] Confirm you no longer need this tag OR the contacts who have it
[ ] Export contacts for backup (create segment of tagged contacts → export to CSV)
[ ] Verify the tag isn't used in active automations or campaigns
[ ] Understand this action is permanent and irreversible
[ ] Ensure you're selecting the CORRECT tag (double-check the name)
Step 1: Navigate to Tags
Click Audience in the top navigation menu
Click Tags from the dropdown or tabs
You'll see a list of all tags in your account with contact counts
Step 2: Select the Tag to Delete
Locate the tag you want to remove
Click on the tag name to select it
Or use the checkbox next to the tag if available
You can select multiple tags at once if deleting several
Step 3: Initiate Deletion
Look for a "Delete selected tags" button or option
This may appear at the top of the tags list after selecting
Or in a dropdown menu (three-dot icon next to the tag)
Click "Delete selected tags"
Step 4: Choose Deletion Option
A dialog box will appear with two options:
Option 1: Delete ONLY the tag
A dialogal box will appear "Delete Tags"
If you do not select the Checkbox: "Delete associated Tags"
Click on Delete
The tag label is removed, but contacts remain
Option 2: Delete tag AND all contacts
Checkbox: "Delete associated contacts" ✓ ← SELECT THIS
Both the tag and all contacts with this tag are permanently deleted
⚠️ CRITICAL: Make sure you select the SECOND option if you want to remove contacts from your account and reduce billing.
Step 5: Confirm Deletion
Review the warning message:
"This action is permanent and cannot be undone"
"X contacts will be permanently deleted"
Verify the number of contacts matches your expectation
Click the red Delete button to confirm
The tag and all associated contacts are immediately deleted
Step 6: Verify Deletion
The tag should disappear from your tags list
Go to Audience → Contacts
Check your total contact count—it should have decreased by the number shown in the deletion dialog
Search for a few contacts who had that tag—they should no longer exist
Alternative Method: Delete Tagged Contacts Using Segments
If you want more control or need to export first, use the segment + bulk action method:
Step 1: Create a segment of tagged contacts
Go to Audience → Segments → Create Segment
Name it: "To Delete - [Tag Names]"
Condition: "Tag" → "Is" → Select the tags you want to delete
To save the segment, click on Create Segment
Step 2: Export for backup
Open the segment
Click Export
Save the CSV file securely
Step 3: Set up bulk action to delete contacts
Go to Automate → Bulk Action → Create Bulk Action
Trigger: "Added to a segment" → Select your segment from Step 1
Action: "Delete contacts"
To activate, click on Run Bulk Action
Step 4: Wait for processing
SendX will delete all contacts in the segment
May take a few minutes depending on volume
How to Delete Lists with All Their Contacts
The process for lists is similar to tags.
Step 1: Navigate to Lists
Click Audience in the top navigation
Select Lists
You'll see all your lists with contact counts
Step 2: Decide Your Approach
Option A: Delete from the List Settings
Some interfaces may offer a "Delete list with all contacts" option directly from the list settings
Click on the list → Look for a delete option
Select "Delete all contacts on this list"
Option B: Use Segment + Bulk Action (Recommended)
This gives you more control and a backup opportunity
Follow the steps below
Step 3: Create a Segment of List Contacts
Go to Audience → Segments → Create Segment
Name it: "To Delete - Lists "
Condition: "Is in list" → Select the lists you want to delete
Save the segment
Step 4: Export for Backup
Open the segment
Click Export
Save the CSV file
Step 5: Delete Contacts Using Bulk Action
Go to Automate → Bulk Action → Create Bulk Action
Trigger: "Added to a segment" → Select your segment from Step 3
Action: "Delete contacts"
Save and activate
Wait for processing (may take several minutes)
Step 6: Delete the Empty List
Once contacts are deleted, go back to Audience → Lists
Find the list (it should now show 0 contacts)
Click the list → Delete or use the three-dot menu → Delete
Confirm deletion
Comparison: Deleting Tags vs. Lists
Feature | Deleting Tags | Deleting Lists |
Where to do it | Audience → Tags | Audience → Lists |
Option to delete contacts | Yes ("Delete tag along with all contacts") | Yes (via segment + bulk action recommended) |
Floating contacts risk | Yes, if you delete tag only | Yes, if you delete list only |
Billing impact if contacts not deleted | Still billed for contacts | Still billed for contacts |
Can be recovered | No (permanent) | No (permanent) |
Best practice | Export → Delete tag with contacts | Export → Delete contacts via bulk action → Delete empty list |
Which Contacts Get Deleted?
When deleting a tag with contacts:
All contacts who have that specific tag are deleted
Even if they're on other lists or have other tags
They're completely removed from your SendX account
Example:
Contact "john@example.com" has tags: "VIP," "Newsletter," "2025 Webinar"
You delete the "2025 Webinar" tag with all contacts
John is permanently deleted from your account
Even though he also has "VIP" and "Newsletter" tags
He's removed from all lists, all tags, and all segments
Important: Tag/list deletion doesn't check if a contact belongs to multiple tags/lists—it deletes the contact entirely.
To avoid accidentally deleting valuable contacts:
Before deleting, create a segment showing contacts with ONLY that tag:
Condition 1: "Has tag" → "Tag to Delete"
Condition 2: "Does NOT have tag" → [All your other important tags]
This shows you which contacts will ONLY be deleted (not shared with other tags)
Export this segment first
Then proceed with deletion
Common Mistakes When Deleting Tags and Lists
Mistake 1: Deleting tag/list assuming contacts will be removed
❌ If you select "Delete tag only" or just delete the list without the bulk action, contacts remain
✅ Always select "Delete tag along with all contacts" or use the segment + bulk action method
Mistake 2: Not exporting before deletion
❌ You delete, then realize you needed some of that data
✅ Always export to CSV before deleting (takes 30 seconds, could save hours of work)
Mistake 3: Deleting the wrong tag/list
❌ You select "Old Leads" but meant to select "Really Old Leads"
✅ Double-check the tag/list name before confirming deletion
Mistake 4: Not checking automations first
❌ You delete a tag that's used in an active automation trigger
✅ Check Automate to see if the tag/list is referenced in any automations
✅ Update or delete those automations first
Mistake 5: Deleting during a campaign
❌ You delete a list while a campaign is actively sending to it
✅ Wait for campaigns to complete, or pause them first
Tips and Best Practices
1. Use Descriptive Names
Name tags and lists clearly so you know what they contain
Example: "2024 Black Friday Buyers" is better than "BF Buyers"
2. Regular Audits
Every quarter, review your tags and lists
Delete outdated or unused tags/lists with their contacts
This keeps your account organized and billing costs down
3. Archive, Don't Delete Immediately
If you're unsure, rename the tag to "[ARCHIVE] Old Tag Name"
Wait 30-60 days to ensure you don't need it
Then delete
4. Test with Small Numbers First
If you're new to this process, test with a small, unimportant tag first
Example: Create a test tag, add 2-3 test contacts, then practice deleting the tag with contacts
Once comfortable, proceed with larger deletions
5. Coordinate with Your Team
Before deleting tags/lists, notify your team
Someone else might be using that tag for a campaign or automation
Avoid surprises and conflicts
Troubleshooting
Problem: "I deleted the tag but contacts still exist" Solution:
You likely selected "Delete tag only" instead of "Delete tag along with all contacts"
The contacts are now floating contacts (no tags, possibly no lists)
Follow the "Delete Floating Contacts" method from earlier in this article to remove them
Problem: "Tag still appears after deletion" Solution:
Refresh your browser (Ctrl+R or Cmd+R)
Clear browser cache
Log out and log back in
If it persists after 5 minutes, contact SendX Support
Problem: "I accidentally deleted the wrong tag with all contacts. Can I recover them?" Solution:
Unfortunately, no—deletion is permanent with no built-in recovery
If you exported before deletion, re-import the CSV file
If you didn't export, contact SendX Support immediately—they might be able to restore from a backup within a very short timeframe (hours, not days), but this is not guaranteed
Prevention: Always export before deleting
Problem: "Some contacts were deleted but others remain" Solution:
This shouldn't happen if you selected "Delete tag along with all contacts"
Possible causes:
The bulk action is still processing (wait a few more minutes)
Some contacts had the tag removed before deletion processed
There was an error during deletion
Check Automate → Bulk Action to see if the process is complete
Contact SendX Support if the issue persists
Problem: "I want to delete contacts from a list but keep the list itself" Solution:
Create a segment: "Is in list" → Select the list
Use bulk action: "Delete contacts"
This deletes all contacts on the list
The list itself remains (as an empty list)
You can add new contacts to it in the future
FAQ: Deleting Tags and Lists
Q: If a contact has multiple tags and I delete one tag (with contacts), is the contact deleted from my account?
A: Yes, the contact is completely deleted from your SendX account, including all other tags and lists they were on.
Example:
Contact has tags: "VIP," "Newsletter," "Event Attendee"
You delete the "Event Attendee" tag with all contacts
The contact is deleted entirely, not just removed from "Event Attendee"
To avoid this:
Before deleting, review which contacts have ONLY that tag
Or manually remove the tag from valuable contacts before deleting the tag with remaining contacts
Q: What's the difference between deleting a tag/list and archiving it?
A: SendX doesn't have a built-in "archive" feature, but you can create one:
Manual archive method:
Rename the tag/list to add "[ARCHIVED]" prefix
Example: "[ARCHIVED] 2024 Black Friday Leads"
This keeps the tag/list and contacts but makes it clear it's no longer active
After 60-90 days, if you haven't needed it, delete it permanently
Benefits:
Safety net if you're unsure about deletion
Easy to restore if needed
Organized view of active vs. inactive tags/lists
Q: Can I delete multiple tags at once?
A: Yes, most interfaces allow selecting multiple tags with checkboxes.
Process:
Go to Audience → Tags
Select checkboxes for multiple tags
Click "Delete selected tags"
Choose "Delete tags along with all contacts"
Confirm
⚠️ Warning: Be extra careful when bulk-deleting tags—ensure you're not accidentally deleting valuable contacts.
Q: How do I know which automations are using a specific tag?
A: Before deleting a tag:
Go to Automate
Browse through your active automations
Look for automations with triggers like:
"Tag added" → Your tag
"Has tag" → Your tag
Make note of these automations
Update or delete them before deleting the tag
Better approach:
Use your browser's Find function (Ctrl+F or Cmd+F)
Search for the tag name across the automations page
This quickly highlights where it's used
Q: I want to merge two tags. How do I do this?
A: SendX doesn't have a built-in merge feature, but you can do it manually:
Step 1: Identify contacts with Tag A
Create a segment: "Has tag" → "Tag A"
Step 2: Add Tag B to all those contacts
Use bulk action:
Trigger: "Added to segment" → Segment from Step 1
Action: "Add tag" → "Tag B"
Step 3: Delete Tag A (tag only)
Go to Audience → Tags
Delete Tag A (select "Delete tag only")
Contacts now only have Tag B
Step 4: Clean up
Delete the segment you created
Q: Can I restore a deleted tag without restoring the contacts?
A: No, once a tag is deleted, it's gone.
However:
You can create a new tag with the same name
It will be treated as a brand new tag
If you exported contacts before deletion, you can re-import them and apply the new tag
Updated Billing Impact Summary
What reduces your SendX billing:
✅ Deleting contacts (via bulk action or tag/list deletion with contacts)
✅ Exporting and deleting inactive/unengaged contacts
What does NOT reduce billing:
❌ Deleting tags (without deleting contacts)
❌ Deleting lists (without deleting contacts)
❌ Removing contacts from lists (they become floating contacts)
❌ Unsubscribing contacts (they still exist in your account)
❌ Marking contacts as bounced or spam (still counted)
Remember: SendX bills based on total contacts in your account, regardless of tags, lists, or subscription status.
Final Checklist: Safe Tag/List Deletion
Before deleting ANY tag or list:
[ ] Confirm you want to delete the contacts, not just reorganize
[ ] Create a segment of contacts with that tag/list
[ ] Export the segment to CSV (backup)
[ ] Check if the tag/list is used in active automations or campaigns
[ ] Update or delete those automations first
[ ] Notify your team of the planned deletion
[ ] Double-check you selected the CORRECT tag/list
[ ] Select "Delete along with all contacts" option
[ ] Confirm deletion
[ ] Wait for processing to complete
[ ] Verify contacts are deleted (check total count)
[ ] Store the exported CSV securely for future reference
Remember: The key to avoiding billing issues is simple—always delete the contacts themselves, not just the organizational labels (tags/lists) that group them. When in doubt, use the segment + bulk action method for maximum control and safety.