What happens when a contact replies STOP in GoHighLevel?

What happens when a contact replies STOP in GoHighLevel?

When a contact texts STOP, UNSUBSCRIBE or another opt-out keyword, GoHighLevel automatically turns on Do Not Disturb (DND) for SMS on that contact, and workflows can no longer text them. This DND is permanent: you cannot switch it off in the contact record. Only the contact texting START, or proof of their opt-in sent to HighLevel support, removes it.

That behaviour is documented in HighLevel's Do Not Disturb guide, updated September 28, 2026. It matches the legal rule: since April 11, 2025, the FCC treats replies such as "stop", "quit", "end", "revoke", "opt out", "cancel" and "unsubscribe" as a revocation of consent, which must be honored within 10 business days at most. GoHighLevel honors the keywords instantly.

The part that surprises people is what happens next: the SMS channel closes, but the others may not. That is where most opt-out mistakes happen.

Which channels does a STOP reply block?

A STOP text turns on DND for SMS. GoHighLevel keeps DND separately per channel: email, SMS, calls, Facebook Messenger, Google Business messages and WhatsApp. So a contact who texts STOP can still receive emails and calls from your workflows unless you close those channels too.

The law cares about the person, not the channel. A lead who texts "stop contacting me" has revoked consent for automated calls and texts from you, not just for that one text thread. We add a workflow that runs when a contact replies with an opt-out keyword: it sets DND on calls and other messaging channels, removes the contact from active sequences and logs the date. Whether to also stop email is a business decision, because email follows different rules.

Can you still send appointment reminders after STOP?

Not by text, unless the contact opts back in. Permanent SMS DND blocks every workflow text, including reminders. You can still reach the customer another way: an email reminder, a call from a person, or asking them at the next visit whether they want text reminders again, and having them text START.

HighLevel notes one exception on the email side: transactional messages such as invoices and calendar notifications can still be sent when email DND is on. For texts there is no such exception in the account. The FCC is also changing how opt-outs apply across message types: its 2024 rule would have made one opt-out apply to all message categories, and a draft order scheduled for a vote on September 30, 2026 would let an opt-out from informational texts cover only that category. Our news post on the FCC opt-out rule changes tracks the outcome. Build for the stricter reading until the final text is published.

How does a contact opt back in?

The contact texts START (or another supported opt-in keyword) to the same number they opted out from. GoHighLevel then removes the SMS DND. You cannot do this for them in the contact record; the alternative is sending HighLevel support proof that the contact opted in again.

• Say it simply on forms and at the front desk: "Text START to this number to get reminders again."
• Keep the proof: a signed form or a web form with the consent checkbox, timestamped on the contact.
• Do not text them to ask. A text to an opted-out contact is exactly what the opt-out forbids.

What should the confirmation reply say?

One short confirmation, with no marketing, sent within five minutes. The FCC's rule allows a single confirmation text after an opt-out if it contains no promotional content and goes out within five minutes. Carriers expect the same, and GoHighLevel's messaging policy follows carrier rules.

A good confirmation: "You're unsubscribed from Example Dental texts. No more messages will be sent. Reply START to resubscribe." It names the business, confirms the result and explains how to come back. Anything more, such as "sorry to see you go, here's 10% off", turns the confirmation into marketing. The opt-in and opt-out wording also has to match what you registered for texting; see our A2P 10DLC registration guide.

What if people write "stop" in other words?

Keywords are caught automatically, but people also write "please don't text me again" or "take me off your list". The law says consent can be revoked by any reasonable means, so those count too. Route replies that contain opt-out phrases to a person or an AI step that can recognise them, and set DND manually when they are genuine.

This matters most for AI sales agents and AI calling agents, which hold conversations rather than send one-way blasts. Our page on whether AI calling is legal covers how an agent should handle an opt-out mid-call, and what time businesses can text customers covers the other rule people trip on.

How do you audit opt-out handling in your account?

Use a test contact with your own phone number, send it a message from a live workflow, reply STOP, and then check four things: SMS DND is on, the confirmation text had no marketing, the contact left every active sequence, and no call or other message follows in the next few days.

1. Trigger a real workflow on the test contact, the way a lead would.
2. Reply STOP and note the time.
3. Check the confirmation: one message, within five minutes, no offer.
4. Check the contact record: SMS DND on, and your opt-out workflow's tag and date set.
5. Wait out the sequence: no further texts, and no automated calls if your policy closes calls.
6. Text START and confirm texts can resume, so the path back works too.

This is a quick test worth running on any account that texts customers, such as the patient follow-up in the Smile Bright dental case study. If a step fails, the fix is usually in the workflow, not in GoHighLevel's settings; our lead automation builds include an opt-out workflow as standard.

Questions about STOP and DND in GoHighLevel

Why can't I turn off DND on a contact who texted STOP?

Because it is permanent DND set by the contact's own opt-out. HighLevel only removes it when the contact texts START or when you give support proof of a new opt-in.

Does STOP remove the contact from my workflows?

The contact stays in the workflow, but SMS steps are blocked by DND. Add an opt-out workflow that removes them from active sequences so emails and calls do not continue unintentionally.

Is STOP handled differently for each phone number?

The opt-in to reverse it has to be sent to the same number the contact opted out from, so keep your texting on one consistent number per business.

Do I need to honor STOP replies to a personal text from a staff member?

If the text came from your business number through GoHighLevel, treat it as an opt-out for business texts. The safe rule is to honor any clear request to stop, whoever sent the message.

Sources and further reading

• HighLevel, How to set up and use Do Not Disturb (DND), updated September 28, 2026.
• HighLevel, LC Phone messaging policy.
• Code of Federal Regulations, 47 CFR 64.1200 (revocation by reasonable means, 10 business days), via Cornell LII.
• FCC, Order DA 25-312 on the consent revocation rules, April 2025.