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To add a Mailchimp signup form to a website, create an embedded form, choose the audience that should receive subscribers, configure the fields and consent settings, then copy the generated code into your site. For a designed overlay, use a popup form instead. Test a signup before publishing widely, and replace an embedded form’s pasted code whenever you change its settings.
Choose the right Mailchimp form type
Pick a form based on where it should appear and how much control you need over its design and behavior. Mailchimp does not establish that one type will convert better in every situation.
| Form type | Best fit | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Embedded | A form placed within a website page or section | Generate the code in Mailchimp and paste it into the site. It inherits the website’s stylesheet, and changes made later in Mailchimp are not pushed to previously pasted code automatically. Mailchimp’s embedded form guide. |
| Popup | A designed overlay with page and visitor targeting | Customize the form and its display rules, then publish it to a connected website or Shopify store. It is single opt-in by default. Mailchimp’s popup form guide. |
| Hosted | A signup form hosted by Mailchimp and shared directly | Use the hosted form as a direct signup destination or as a reference for a custom implementation. Mailchimp’s hosted-form guide. |
| Custom-coded | A form built and hosted on your own website | Requires matching the form action, user ID, audience ID, and exact input names to the hosted form source. Mailchimp describes this as advanced and recommends coding familiarity. Mailchimp’s hosted-form guide. |
Create and publish an embedded form
- In Mailchimp, open Forms and select Create form.
- Choose Embedded form, give it a name, select the audience that should receive signups, and continue to the builder.
- Enable, disable, or reorder the audience fields you want to collect. Configure the available form settings, such as title, width, JavaScript, email-format options, and campaign archive link. Add tags if you want to label contacts by signup source. Options can vary by account. See Mailchimp’s instructions for customizing embedded signup forms.
- Continue to generate the form code, copy it, and paste it into the intended page or site section. The form inherits the website’s stylesheet, so the live appearance can differ from the builder preview.
- Submit a test signup. Confirm that the contact appears in the selected audience and that the submitted field values are correct.
Create a popup form
- Open Mailchimp’s Popup forms area and start creating a form.
- Select an incentive and template, name the form, choose its audience, and select the data to collect.
- Customize the layout and design, save it, and review the setup checklist.
- Set where the popup should appear and which visitors should see it. Mailchimp describes targeting options such as page targeting and showing the form to new or all visitors.
- Connect a website or Shopify store before enabling the popup, then publish and verify it on the live site. The exact interface may vary by account. See Mailchimp’s popup form instructions.
Set the audience, opt-in, and consent appropriately
The audience determines where new subscribers are stored, so select it before generating or publishing the form. Mailchimp supports single opt-in, which adds a contact as subscribed immediately, and double opt-in, which requires the contact to confirm through an email. The popup form is single opt-in by default; review the relevant audience and form settings rather than assuming every form uses the same choice. See Mailchimp’s audience setup guidance and popup form guidance.
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If GDPR-related marketing permission applies to your use case, Mailchimp’s guidance describes permission fields and explanatory text about how data will be used, and suggests considering double opt-in as additional evidence of consent. Mailchimp also documents signup and confirmation time and IP fields in relevant hosted-form exports. This product guidance is not legal advice; make sure your consent wording and practices comply with the laws that apply to your business and contacts. See Mailchimp’s GDPR guidance.
Email permission is not permission to send marketing texts. To collect SMS contacts, use the SMS field and obtain SMS marketing approval before sending marketing messages. Mailchimp’s popup form documentation distinguishes SMS consent from email consent.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Update and troubleshoot the live form
- The embedded form looks different on the live page: It inherits the website’s stylesheet. Inspect the live page and adjust the site-level styling or form code as needed.
- Changes in Mailchimp do not show on the website: Generate the updated embed code and replace the older code on the page. Editing the Mailchimp form does not update existing pasted code automatically.
- The form remains on the website after deletion in Mailchimp: Deleting an embedded form does not remove its code from your site. Remove the embed code from the page separately.
- A custom form submits blank or misplaced fields: Compare its form action and each input name with the hosted form source, then test every field and inspect the resulting subscriber profile.
- The popup cannot be enabled: Check that a website or Shopify store is connected.
For WordPress, Mailchimp documents several ways to add a signup form; the right method depends on how the site is built. See Mailchimp’s WordPress signup form options.
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