What is Google Consent Mode and why does it matter?
Google Consent Mode is how your website tells Google Analytics and Google Ads what a visitor has agreed to before any tracking data is sent. Instead of turning tags fully on or fully off, Consent Mode adjusts how Google collects data based on four separate signals — so a site can still measure performance, in an approximate, privacy-respecting way, even when a visitor declines cookies.
Since March 2024, Google has required the newer Consent Mode V2 standard for any site running Google Ads or Analytics for visitors in the EEA, UK, or Switzerland. Sites still running the older V1 setup, or no consent signals at all, are increasingly seeing gaps in conversion tracking, remarketing audiences, and reporting.
What this checker inspects
- Consent Mode call present — is a
gtag('consent', ...)command on the page at all? - Default state set — does a
'default'command run before any tag fires? - ad_storage & analytics_storage — are the original two Consent Mode signals configured?
- ad_user_data & ad_personalization — are the two newer V2-only signals present?
- wait_for_update — is there a delay giving your cookie banner time to respond before tags fire?
- Region-specific defaults — are defaults scoped to the EEA/UK, or applied everywhere?
This is a static scan of your page's HTML — it tells you what's configured at page load. It does not simulate clicking your cookie banner, so it can't confirm that consent state updates correctly after a visitor makes a choice; that requires a live browser check.
Frequently asked questions
What is Google Consent Mode V2?
Google Consent Mode V2 is a set of signals your website sends to Google Analytics and Google Ads telling them what a visitor has consented to. Depending on the visitor's choice, Google adjusts how it collects and models data, instead of collecting it in full regardless of consent.
Is Google Consent Mode mandatory?
Yes, for websites in the EEA, UK, and Switzerland that use Google Ads or Analytics. Since March 2024, Google requires Consent Mode V2 for these regions, and sites without it risk losing conversion tracking, remarketing, and audience data for users covered by GDPR.
What are the four Consent Mode V2 signals?
The four signals are ad_storage, analytics_storage, ad_user_data, and ad_personalization. The last two were added in the V2 update; a site that only sets the first two is running the older V1 behaviour and is missing V2 requirements.
Why would my site fail a Consent Mode check?
The most common causes are: no gtag('consent', ...) call on the page at all, a missing 'default' command before tags fire, one or more of the four required signals left out, or a setup that predates the March 2024 V2 update and never added ad_user_data and ad_personalization.
Does a Consent Mode scanner modify my website?
No. A properly built checker only reads your page's public HTML or its rendered JavaScript state — it never writes to your site, your tags, or your analytics data. It is a read-only diagnostic.
How do I fix a failed Consent Mode check?
Add or correct the gtag('consent', 'default', {...}) call so it fires before any measurement tag, include all four signals with valid granted/denied values, and connect it to your cookie banner so an 'update' command fires the moment a visitor makes a choice. Most Consent Management Platforms (CMPs) handle this automatically once installed.