Learning Objective
By the end of this guide, you'll know how to delete sequence steps, understand when deletion is possible and when it's restricted, and learn safe alternatives for modifying active campaigns.
Why This Matters
As you refine your outreach strategy, you may realize a step isn't working or doesn't fit your sequence anymore. Deleting unnecessary steps keeps your campaigns clean, focused, and effective.
However, lemlist restricts deletion once leads are launched to prevent disrupting active outreach. Understanding these rules helps you plan campaigns properly and avoid situations where you can't make needed changes.
When You Can (and Can't) Delete Steps
You CAN delete a step when:
✅ The campaign is in draft mode (not yet launched)
You CANNOT delete a step when:
❌ The campaign has been launched and leads are actively receiving emails
💡 Why this restriction exists: Deleting a step that leads have already received would create gaps in your analytics and disrupt the sequence flow for leads at different stages.
Prerequisites
Before attempting to delete a step:
Check campaign status: Is the campaign still in draft, or has it launched?
Review lead progress: Have any leads reached this step yet?
Consider alternatives: If you can't delete, can you pause the campaign or edit the step?
How to Delete a Sequence Step
For Draft or Unlaunched Campaigns
Step 1: Open your campaign
Go to Campaigns, then select the campaign you want to edit.
Step 2: Navigate to the Sequence section
Click the Sequence tab to view all your sequence steps.
Step 3: Locate the step to delete
In the sequence, find the step you want to remove, open the three dots (⋮) menu next to it, then select Delete this step.
Step 4: Confirm deletion
If prompted, confirm that you want to delete the step.
The step is immediately removed from your sequence. Steps below it move up to fill the gap.
What Happens After Deletion
When you delete a step:
✅ The step is permanently removed from your sequence
✅ Subsequent steps move up to maintain sequence order
✅ Delays adjust automatically – The delay after the deleted step is removed, and the next step now follows the previous step's delay
✅ No leads are affected (if done before launch)
Example:
Before: Step 1 → 2 days → Step 2 → 3 days → Step 3
Delete Step 2
After: Step 1 → 3 days → Step 3 (now Step 2)
The 2-day delay from Step 1 is removed, and Step 3 now waits 3 days after Step 1.
When You Can't Delete: What to Do Instead
If your campaign is active and you can't delete a step, use these alternatives:
Option 1: Pause the Campaign and Edit the Step
Instead of deleting, modify the step's content to make it more effective.
Step 1: Pause the campaign
Go to campaign settings and click Pause.
Step 2: Edit the problematic step
Open the step and rewrite the content, change the subject line, or adjust settings.
Step 3: Resume the campaign
Click Resume to continue with the improved version.
💡 When to use this: The step's position in the sequence is fine, but the content needs improvement.
Option 2: Create a New Campaign Without That Step
If the step is fundamentally wrong and you can't delete it:
Step 1: Duplicate the campaign
Use the duplicate feature to copy the campaign structure.
Step 2: Delete the problematic step from the duplicate
Since the duplicate hasn't launched yet, you can delete freely.
Step 3: Pause the original campaign
Stop the old campaign so leads don't continue through the bad step.
Step 4: Import leads to the new campaign
Move remaining leads to the corrected campaign.
💡 When to use this: The step is critically flawed and you need a clean version of the campaign.
Practical Application / Real-Life Example
SaaS Company Discovers a Broken Link
A B2B SaaS company launched a 5-step email sequence. After 200 leads received Step 3, they discovered the demo link in that email was broken.
Problem: They can't delete Step 3 because leads have already received it.
Solution:
Pause the campaign to stop more leads from receiving the broken link
Edit Step 3 to fix the broken link
Send a manual follow-up to the 200 leads who received the broken version, apologizing and providing the correct link
Resume the campaign with the fixed version
Result:
Future leads get the correct link
Past leads receive a personal follow-up that actually increases engagement
The campaign continues without starting from scratch
Key takeaway: When you can't delete, pause and fix. Don't abandon the entire campaign.
Troubleshooting
Issue: The "Delete this step" option is grayed out
Root cause: The campaign is active, and at least one lead has been contacted through this step
Fix:
You cannot delete this step
Use Option 1 (edit the step) from the alternatives section above
For future campaigns, test thoroughly before launching to avoid this situation
Issue: I deleted a step, but the sequence looks wrong now
Root cause: Delays may have adjusted unexpectedly when the step was removed
Fix:
Review the delays between the remaining steps
Click on each delay field and adjust to your desired timing
Remember: when you delete a step, its delay is removed, so the next step now follows the previous step's delay
Issue: I want to delete the first step in my sequence
Root cause: Same rules apply. You can only delete if no leads have been launched
Fix:
If no leads have started, delete normally using the three-dot menu
If leads have started, you cannot delete the first step
Optimization Tips
Test before launching: Build your entire sequence and test it with a small lead list (10-20 people) before launching to thousands. This lets you delete and refine freely.
Plan your sequence carefully: Map out your entire sequence on paper or in a doc before building it in lemlist. This reduces the need for deletions later.
Use step labels: Name your steps clearly (e.g., "Follow-up 1", "Case Study Email") so you know exactly what you're deleting.
Keep it simple: Shorter sequences (3-5 steps) are easier to manage and less likely to need mid-campaign deletions than complex 10+ step sequences.
Duplicate before major changes: If you're unsure whether to delete a step, duplicate the campaign first. Keep the original as a backup in case you need to reference it.
Build modular campaigns: Instead of one massive sequence, create shorter campaigns that you can chain together. If one needs changes, you can pause or modify it without affecting the others.