In June 2026 Clientbook removed the separate opt-in text message. Your clients no longer need to reply YES before you can text them, and Clientbook no longer sends opt-in requests when you add a new client. This article explains what changed, what replaced it, and what you need to do.
Short answer: If you added a new client and no opt-in text went out, your account is working correctly. Opt-in messages were intentionally turned off. You can message that client right now.
At a Glance
| Before June 2026 | Now | |
|---|---|---|
| Adding a new client | Client received a separate text asking them to reply YES | No opt-in text is sent. You can message the client right away |
| Client who never replied | Stayed in a pending state and could not be messaged | Can be messaged normally |
| Opt-in settings in Message Settings | Controlled when opt-in requests were sent | No longer used. Being removed from the app |
| Opt-in / Invite button on a client profile | Sent an opt-in request | No longer sends anything. Being removed |
| Opting out of marketing only | Not possible | Client replies REMOVE |
| Opting out of everything | Client replies STOP | Unchanged. Client replies STOP |
Why We Made This Change
- Requiring a reply before you could text was stricter than current texting standards call for.
- Clients who never answered the opt-in got stuck. You could not reach them at all, even though many of them were happy to hear from you.
- The old model was all or nothing. A client who wanted fewer promotions had to block every text from your store, including repair updates and appointment reminders.
- The new model gives clients a way to turn off marketing without cutting off contact with your store.
How Consent Works Now
You no longer collect consent through a Clientbook opt-in text. Consent is gathered the way it is in the rest of your business, and Clientbook records the result.
| How the client came in | Can you text them? |
|---|---|
| Imported from your POS | Yes |
| Added manually by an associate in Clientbook (web or app) | Yes |
| Signed themselves up through Kiosk mode | Yes. Kiosk remains the cleanest way to capture consent at the counter, because the client agrees at the moment they give you their number |
| Previously replied STOP | No. See the keyword table below |
Your responsibility: You still need permission to text the people in your database, the same as before. What changed is that Clientbook no longer asks them to confirm it a second time by text.
The Three Keywords Clients Can Text
These are the only words that change a client's messaging status. Clientbook adds opt-out wording to your mass messages automatically, so you do not need to write it into your message.
| Keyword | What it stops | What the client still receives | Reversed by |
|---|---|---|---|
| REMOVE | Mass messages only | One-on-one texts from associates, appointment reminders, and automated messages | An associate, from the client's profile. The client cannot undo it themselves |
| STOP | Everything from your store number | Nothing. All messaging is blocked | The client texting START |
| START | Nothing. This restores messaging after a STOP | Everything | Not applicable |
REMOVE and STOP are not the same thing
This is the distinction that matters most for your team:
- REMOVE is handled inside Clientbook. It is narrow. The client is telling you they do not want promotions, but the relationship stays open and your associates can still text them directly.
- STOP is handled by the client's phone carrier (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and others). It is total. The carrier blocks every message between your store number and that phone number.
Important: Clientbook cannot undo a STOP. Deleting the client profile, creating a new one, merging profiles, or changing their status by hand will not restore messaging, because the block lives at the carrier and not in Clientbook. The only fix is for the client to text START to your store number.
Undoing a REMOVE
There is no automated way for a client to put themselves back on your mass message list. There is no keyword for it, and replying to a later message will not do it.
If a client tells you they want your promotions again, an associate can opt them back in from that client's profile. Because the client has to ask first, this is normally handled by whichever associate is already talking with them.
Worth knowing: This works the opposite way from STOP. You can undo a REMOVE for a client, but you cannot undo a STOP, because a STOP is held by the phone carrier rather than by Clientbook. If a client replied STOP, only the client can lift it, by texting START.
Where to see a client's status
Each client profile shows whether that client is currently set to receive mass messages, so an associate can check before reaching out.
What Did Not Change
- STOP and START work exactly as they always have.
- Messages still send between 9:00 am and 7:00 pm.
- You still need permission to text the clients in your database.
- Blocked word protections that guard your deliverability are unchanged. See Why Certain Words Are Blocked in Messages and How It Protects Your Deliverability.
- One-on-one messaging between associates and clients is untouched.
Common Questions
I added a new client and no opt-in message was sent. Is something broken?
No. This is the expected behavior after the June 2026 change. Opt-in messages were turned off on purpose. The client is ready to receive messages from you now, with no waiting period and no confirmation reply needed.
The opt-in or Invite button is missing from a client profile. Where did it go?
It is being removed. That button existed only to send an opt-in request, and opt-in requests are no longer part of Clientbook. If you still see the button in your account, it does not send anything.
I turned on "Require Opt-In to Receive Auto Messages" and nothing happens.
The opt-in settings in Message Settings are no longer connected to anything. They are in the process of being removed from the app. Turning them on or off has no effect, and you do not need to change them.
Can I still send an opt-in request manually?
No. There is no longer a way to send one, and there is no need to. If you want a client to confirm interest in a specific promotion, send them a normal one-on-one message and ask.
A client replied REMOVE. Can I still text them?
Yes. REMOVE only stops mass messages. Your associates can still text that client directly, and they will still receive appointment reminders and automated messages.
A client replied REMOVE and now wants our promotions again. How do I turn that back on?
An associate can opt them back in from the client's profile. There is no automated way for the client to do it themselves, so they will need to tell someone at your store first. See "Undoing a REMOVE" above.
A client replied STOP. Can I still text them one-on-one?
No. STOP blocks every message from your store number, including direct messages from an associate. The block is enforced by the client's phone carrier, so Clientbook cannot lift it. Reach the client another way (email, a phone call, or in person) and ask them to text START to your store number.
Do I need to change any settings?
No. There is nothing to turn on and nothing to configure. The opt-out wording is added to your mass messages automatically.
Does this change what I am allowed to send?
No. The rules about who you may text and what you may send are the same. This change affects how consent is collected inside Clientbook, not the standards you are held to.
Related Articles
- What's New in Mass Messages
- How Clients Opt Out and Opt Back In to Texts (STOP and START)
- How to Configure Your Message Settings
- Getting Started with Mass Messages
- Mass Messaging Best Practices
- Targeting Your Mass Message Audience
Need Help?
If you have any questions or need additional guidance contact our Customer Support Team at support@clientbook.com.