HubSpotOpen-tracking pixel, click tracking and unsubscribe

Opens are registered when a tracking pixel - an invisible image embedded in the email - loads, or when a link is clicked.

Caveat Tracking can be switched off for the whole account or for one email. Two sentences from the previous note left the page with the update of 14 October: "Marketing emails are tracked by default" and anonymous tracking maintained after switching off. When switched off for an email, the pixel is removed from it ("This will remove the tracking pixel from the email").

Manage marketing email open and click tracking · Help centre · page dated 10/14/2026 · last reviewed on 10/17/2026 · confidence high

When click tracking is turned on, tracking parameters will be added to links. While the links will function as normal, the URL will be longer and may include a redirect to ensure the click is registered. [...] To turn off click tracking in emails that render using HTML, toggle the Track clicks in HTML emails switch off.

Caveat Tracked clicks set a cookie that links the visit to the original contact's record, even when the email has been forwarded; a separate setting switches off this identification.

Manage marketing email open and click tracking · Help centre · page dated 08/07/2026 · last reviewed on 09/11/2026 · confidence high

In the Email Performance section, toggle the Track opens and clicks for this email switch off. This will remove the tracking pixel from the email.

Caveat The page confirms the "yes" observed in the tool on 4 August and removes the doubt raised in the note: the sentence "HubSpot will still anonymously track this data…" is no longer there. Two conditions: tracking must be active at account level, and source tracking must be set to "Add source tracking tags to all URLs". To be reviewed on an email actually received.

Manage marketing email open and click tracking · Help centre · page dated 10/14/2026 · last reviewed on 10/17/2026 · confidence high

After you turn on consent-based email tracking, each recipient’s email tracking consent status is checked when an email is sent. If a recipient’s consent status does not allow tracking, the email is sent without applying open or click tracking.

Caveat In beta, upon enrolment of the account by a super admin, followed by activation of "Require consent to track emails". The status applies to the email address, not the contact. The page states that the email is sent "sans appliquer le suivi" (without applying tracking), but not, as it does when tracking is switched off for an email, that the image is removed. Not observed on screen.

Manage consent for email open and click tracking · Help centre · page dated 10/16/2026 · last reviewed on 10/17/2026 · confidence high

Open tracking can be turned off on a marketing email. No documentation found on automatically removing the pixel for contacts without consent only — the box stays "not verified" rather than "no": we have not observed the absence, we have not found the proof.

Observations in the interface, first batch · Help centre · last reviewed on 08/04/2026 · confidence medium

Recipients who have given consent are tracked, while recipients who have declined consent or don't have a recorded consent status aren't tracked.

Caveat In beta and must be enabled. "Not specified" is the default status, and it is not tracked. The setting applies to all recipients and is not limited to one country. The brand can also set "Consent not applicable", which restores tracking, including in bulk. The page does not say that the image is removed ("sent without applying open or click tracking"). The "no" observed on 4 August predates the beta, published on 15 October: to be reviewed on screen.

Manage consent for email open and click tracking · Help centre · page dated 10/16/2026 · last reviewed on 10/17/2026 · confidence high

Contacts can opt in to or out of email open and click tracking from their subscription preferences page. [...] If a recipient’s consent status does not allow tracking, the email is sent without applying open or click tracking.

Caveat In beta. The checkbox is added to the default subscription preferences module when the option is enabled; a custom page must include it. HubSpot forms do not collect this consent (custom property and workflow, Pro or Enterprise plans). Statuses cannot be imported directly. No checkbox in the default unsubscribe for one-to-one emails. No row in our database for this capability.

Manage consent for email open and click tracking · Help centre · page dated 10/16/2026 · last reviewed on 10/17/2026 · confidence high

Can email tracking data be collected anonymously when a recipient has not consented to tracking? No. Anonymous email tracking is not supported in this beta.

Caveat Applies to the beta. Outside the beta, the tracking page has said nothing about anonymous tracking since 14 October: the sentence from the note ("HubSpot will still anonymously track this data to support the network health…") is no longer there.

Manage consent for email open and click tracking · Help centre · page dated 10/16/2026 · last reviewed on 10/17/2026 · confidence high

The email tracking consent status is associated with an email address rather than a contact. [...] The Email tracking consent contact property is automatically set by HubSpot and can't be edited directly.

Caveat In beta. The status carries the date, source and collection method; it is changed through bulk editing, a segment or a workflow action, never directly. The page does not say whether it can be exported. The URL currently in our database (export-your-contacts) returns a 404.

Manage consent for email open and click tracking · Help centre · page dated 10/16/2026 · last reviewed on 10/17/2026 · confidence high

Transactional emails are relationship-based emails and are generally triggered by an action taken by the recipient [...] Consequently, transactional emails can be sent to contacts regardless of subscription preferences, quarantine status, previous bounces, or non-marketing contact status. [...] Because transactional emails bypass subscription preferences, your email will not include a subscription link.

Caveat Transactional emails bypass subscription preferences and carry no subscription link; they require the Transactional Email add-on.

Send transactional emails · Help centre · page dated 09/04/2026 · last reviewed on 09/11/2026 · confidence high

To set up DKIM in HubSpot, you'll be guided to set up DKIM using two CNAME records in your DNS provider. [...] While DKIM, SPF, and DMARC are not strictly required to send emails via HubSpot, you cannot send emails with your domain in the From address (e.g. user@company.com) until you connect that domain to HubSpot by setting up DKIM.

Overview of email authentication · Help centre · page dated 06/23/2026 · last reviewed on 09/11/2026 · confidence high

SPF is traditionally required for the envelope return path domain, which is the address that bounces will be sent to. HubSpot already has this configured for marketing emails sent through its shared servers.

Caveat For marketing sends from shared servers, the envelope is already covered by the vendor: the brand has no SPF record to publish for it.

Overview of email authentication · Help centre · page dated 06/23/2026 · last reviewed on 09/11/2026 · confidence high

By configuring a DMARC record, inbox providers can confirm how to process any emails sent from your domain that do not pass SPF and DKIM checks. [...] Example policies. You can customize your DMARC policy to fit your business needs. Here are a few examples: Neutral policy. v=DMARC1; p=none;

Overview of email authentication · Help centre · page dated 06/23/2026 · last reviewed on 09/11/2026 · confidence high

Domains not connected as an email sending domain in your account will be modified to a HubSpot-hosted system domain. [...] All accounts may connect up to 2000 email sending domains.

Caveat A domain that is not connected is replaced by a vendor system domain.

Overview of email authentication · Help centre · page dated 06/23/2026 · last reviewed on 09/11/2026 · confidence high

In the Click tracking domain section, you can set the domain used for click tracking in email links. If you have the Brands Add-On, you can set separate domains for each brand.

Manage marketing email open and click tracking · Help centre · page dated 08/07/2026 · last reviewed on 09/11/2026 · confidence high

Super Admins can use audit logs to review, filter, and export a record of user actions in a HubSpot account. This helps troubleshoot unexpected changes and monitor security-related activity. [...] To view, filter, and export a centralized log of account activity on your Audit Logs page

Caveat A log that super admins can view and export; the page does not say on which plans.

View and export account activity history · Help centre · page dated 06/22/2026 · last reviewed on 09/11/2026 · confidence high

The v4 subscriptions APIs allow you to programmatically subscribe or unsubscribe contacts from your email subscription types, or unsubscribe a contact from all email communication. [...] To get the current subscription preferences for a specific contact, make a GET request to /communication-preferences/v4/statuses/{subscriberIdString}?channel=EMAIL

Caveat The API handles subscriptions and their statuses; nothing on tracking settings.

API guide - HubSpot docs · API documentation · last reviewed on 09/11/2026 · confidence high

Immutable historical logging: Each change to a subscription status or channel consent generates a unique, independent event. HubSpot never updates or overwrites existing events. If a contact modifies their preferences multiple times or through different operational sources, each distinct action produces its own event record, preserving a flawless historical audit trail.

Caveat Every change of subscription status or consent becomes a dated event, never rewritten, readable in the report builder.

Understand communication subscription events in the custom report builder · Help centre · page dated 05/26/2026 · last reviewed on 09/11/2026 · confidence high

In the right panel, click the History tab. Review the email tracking consent status and the following details: [...] Update source: how the consent status was updated (e.g., through a workflow or the subscription preferences page).

Caveat In beta, and concerns consent to tracking: history per contact (author, source, date), on the card in the contact record; export is not described. The current source ("Understand communication subscription events…", unchanged since 26 May) remains accurate but covers only subscriptions and per-channel consent. Add or replace: to be decided.

Manage consent for email open and click tracking · Help centre · page dated 10/16/2026 · last reviewed on 10/17/2026 · confidence high

You can turn off open and click tracking for either all emails in your account or individual emails.

Caveat Two levels: the account and the email. No setting per contact, list or sequence is documented, nor which one takes precedence.

Manage marketing email open and click tracking · Help centre · page dated 08/07/2026 · last reviewed on 09/11/2026 · confidence high

Can I send an email without tracking if the recipient has consented to tracking? Yes. If you turn off tracking, email opens and clicks will not be tracked, regardless of each recipient’s email tracking consent status.

Caveat Three levels: the account and the email ("Manage marketing email open and click tracking", 14/10), and the recipient's address (beta). Switching off at account or email level takes precedence over consent given. Consent applies to all brands and is not limited to one country.

Manage consent for email open and click tracking · Help centre · page dated 10/16/2026 · last reviewed on 10/17/2026 · confidence high