> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://support.tapfiliate.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# How to approve or reject affiliates
> This guide walks you through managing your affiliate program membership-from accepting a single pending applicant to automating approvals and revoking program access.
October 15, 2026
1. [The Affiliate Application Process](#h_e16535ae28)
2. [Managing Program Applications](#h_eacee8fce8)
3. [Automation and Advanced Approval](#h_7e95622b75)
4. [Managing Active Affiliates](#h_e822989432)
5. [Next Steps](#h_e483774e0c)
## The Affiliate Application Process
When an **applicant** signs up to join your program, they land in the **Pending program approval** folder on your **Affiliates Overview** page.
### What are Pending Affiliates and what actions are required?
The **Pending** status means an affiliate is waiting for you to make a decision. This part of the process is your final control point, regardless of whether you use manual or automatic approval settings.\
Affiliates in this folder require one of two actions:
* **Approve:** The affiliate gains the **Active** status, full access to all program assets (referral link, banners, etc.), and can start earning commissions.
* **Disapprove:** The affiliate is **rejected** (status becomes **Archived**) and cannot participate in the program.
To view your pending applicants, click the filter on your Affiliates Overview page and select **Pending program approval**.
### Understanding Affiliate Statuses
| **Status** | **Description** | **Key Functionality** |
| - | - | - |
| **Active** | An approved participant. | **Free to use their links and earn money.** All actions (clicks, conversions) are tracked by the system. |
| **Pending** | A user who has **applied to join the program and is currently waiting for approval**. | **Awaiting program admission.** Appears in the "Pending program approval" folder and requires action (Approve or Disapprove). |
| **Archived** | A user who has been **rejected (disapproved)** from participating in the program. | **Their actions will be rejected by the system.** Any tracking attempts associated with their links are not recorded. |
When an affiliate is rejected (disapproved), their status changes to **Archived**.\
It is important to know that the **Archived status does not permanently delete them** from the system; rather, it serves as a record of their rejection. If you decide to accept them at a later date, you can easily change their status back to **Active** from their profile page.
### Application Process Summary
When a user signs up, they are initially given the **Pending** status. You must then choose to:
* **Approve →** Status changes to **Active**.
* **Disapprove →** Status changes to **Archived**.
To view your pending applicants, click the filter on your **Affiliates Overview** page and select **Pending program approval**.
## How to Manage Program Applications (Single & Bulk)
You have several options for approving or disapproving applicants, depending on the volume of applications.
### Approving/Disapproving a Single Affiliate
1. Click on the affiliate's name to open their **details panel** on the right side of the screen.
2. In the **Programs** section, find the program they applied for.
3. Click on the current status (**Pending**).
4. In the dropdown menu, select **Approve** or **Disapprove**.
### Approving/Disapproving in Bulk (Batch Management)
You can manage multiple applications simultaneously by using the batch management feature on the **Affiliates Overview** page.
1. Select multiple affiliates by checking the boxes next to their names, or **Select All** if you have more than 100 pending applicants.
2. Two buttons, **Approve** and **Disapprove**, will appear near the top of the table. Click the relevant action.
**Note:** If an affiliate is part of multiple programs, **Approve all** and **Disapprove all** actions will impact their participation in **all** programs simultaneously.\
**What is the difference between Approving and Adding an affiliate to a program?**
* **Approve:** You approve an affiliate who has already **requested to join**. This moves them from the *Pending Program Approval* tab to *Active Affiliates*.
* **Add to Program:** You can add an affiliate to a program if they **were not a part of it beforehand**. When adding an affiliate this way, they are **automatically approved**, and their unique program assets are generated instantly.
## Automation and Advanced Approval
### Automating Approval
For a standard, hands-off approach, you can set up automatic approvals:
1. Go to **Programs** > **General** **Settings**
2. Toggle the **Automatically approve affiliates** option **On**.
**Customized Auto-Approvals**\
If you require specific filters or conditions to be met (e.g., specific country or website traffic criteria), you can set up customized auto-approvals using **Triggers**, a webhook action, and our **[REST API](https://developers.tapfiliate.com/api-reference/programs/approve-an-affiliate)**. A developer can reference our advanced Trigger Webhook guide for more information.
## Managing Active Affiliates (Disapprove/Re-approve)
### Disapproving an Affiliate After Approval
You can easily remove an active affiliate from a program:
1. **Bulk Disapproval:** Check the box next to the affiliate's name. The **Disapprove (all)** option will appear near the top.
2. **Single Program Disapproval:** If the affiliate is part of multiple programs, click on their name to open the details panel. Click on the **Approved** status for the specific program and select **Disapprove** from the dropdown menu.
### Re-approving an Archived Affiliate
You can re-approve a previously disapproved (archived) affiliate:
1. In your **Affiliates Overview**, change the filter from **Active affiliates** to **Archived affiliates**.
1. Check the box next to the affiliate's name.
2. Click the **Approve for all programs** option that appears at the top.
*To re-approve for a single program, open the details panel and change the status for that specific program.*
### Still need help?
If you have any questions or if something in this guide is unclear, please don't hesitate to **contact us at [support@tapfiliate.com](mailto:support@tapfiliate.com)**-we're happy to assist!
## Next Steps
You have successfully learned how to manage your program membership.
* **Next:** Learn **[How to Customize Your Affiliate Sign-Up?](https://support.tapfiliate.com/core-program-functions/program-management/how-to-customize-your-affiliate-sign-up.md)**
**After that:** See how to efficiently **[Set affiliate groups](https://support.tapfiliate.com/advanced-configurations-automation/scale-plan/how-to-use-affiliate-groups.md)** to manage different commission tiers.
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