User encounters the Error
When signing up and creating an account, the error "Email has already been taken" can show at the Account Details step.
This usually means that the user started the checkout process but never completed the purchase, or that they previously signed up for free access or content. This can also mean that the user simply forgot that they had an account.
Additionally, this error may occur if the email is associated with a Draft Client account.
A user is marked as a Draft Client when a combination of the following conditions is met:
The user created an account but did not complete the checkout process
The user created an account, but did not enter a payment method
The user created an account but has shown no activity for at least 48 hours
The entered payment fails due to a required action on their end (e.g., 3D Secure authentication)
The user signed up through an app but didn't make a purchase
The payment requires pending approval (especially with debit cards)
📝 NOTE: The Draft Client status is implemented as a security measure to protect stores from being flooded with spam or fraudulent accounts, but these accounts remain in the system for security reasons and may prevent the reuse of an email address.
Admin encounters the Error
The same error can also be experienced when sending an invite to a user being added as a new Team Member.
This often means that the email address already exists within the system as an admin. Since all team members log in using the same Admin portal, the same email address may not be used more than once.
📝 NOTE: In Uscreen, email addresses must be unique across the entire platform. If an email is already associated with an account, attempting to use it for a new account or additional role will result in an error.
Dealing with the error "Email has already been taken"
The key idea is to confirm if the email already exists in the system. This can be done by searching for the user using the Quick Search, through the People page, and via the Team Members page.
Delete and invite back
If the user wants to reuse the email address to start a fresh account, you may delete the account and either invite the user or have the user sign up again. The same can be done when inviting a new team member.
Using a different email address
If the user wants to keep the existing account, using a different email address is a simple option.
The system also supports and accepts email variations (task-specific). This can be created by adding a plus (+) symbol after the email prefix and any alphanumeric characters right before the @ sign.
Example of email variations:
Original: user@domain.com
Variations: user+admin@domain.com, user+123@domain.com, etc.
💡 TIP: Email variations are particularly useful for scenarios requiring multiple Uscreen accounts while ensuring all communications are directed to the same mailbox, providing both flexibility and security.
Reset the password
If the user wants to keep and use the same account, you may offer to reset their password.
🔗 Learn more about Resetting a User's Password
Email cannot be found
If the email address can't be found yet, and you're still getting an error, please reach out to the Support team.