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Free tool · Consent Mode v2 checker

Google Consent Mode v2 checker

Consent Mode tells Google tags what a visitor agreed to. This check reads the consent signals your homepage sends and flags setups that leave out the v2 settings or set the default too late.

What this checks

What the check looks at on one homepage load.

Each item is something the scan records from the browser or reads from your published Tag Manager container.

Basic or advanced mode

Basic mode keeps Google tags blocked until the visitor chooses. Advanced mode lets them load first and send cookieless pings while consent is denied. The check reports which one it sees. Picking between them is a decision for your team, based on your banner and your privacy commitments.

Whether v2 signals are present

Version 2 adds ad user data and ad personalization to analytics storage and ad storage. Google says consent is required in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom and Switzerland, and that ad_user_data is required in regions that need end-user consent. The check looks for both signals in the defaults and updates it captures.

Whether the default comes first

The default consent state has to be set before the first Google tag fires. If a Google request goes out before any default, it carries no consent state, and the check flags it.

Whether Accept updates the signal

After a visitor clicks Accept, the new consent state should reach Google. If it does not, Google keeps the default, and the check reports it.

Ad tags with no consent setting

Some ad tags in Google Tag Manager have a consent setting and some do not. A tag without one does not read the signals above, so the check reports the ad tags it can see in that position.

What the results mean

How to read a result.

Each result says what the check saw. Some are information, and some are gaps to fix. The gaps from this check are listed first, then any other gaps the scan found.

Consent Mode basic

Google tags wait for consent before sending anything. This is an information note about your setup, not a fault. Confirm it matches what your banner says.

Consent Mode advanced

Google tags load on page open and send cookieless requests before consent. This is also information only. Check that your banner and privacy notice describe it.

The first Google request goes out before consent defaults apply

A Google request was sent before the default was set, so it had no consent state. Move the default above every Google tag in the container.

Consent Mode does not send ad user data or personalization

Only the older v1 signals were found. Add ad_user_data and ad_personalization to the default and the updates.

Clicking Accept doesn’t update Google Consent Mode

Accept was clicked, but no consent update reached Google. Google kept the default state after the visitor agreed.

Google requests lack Consent Mode signals

Your site shows a consent banner, but the Google requests we saw carried no Consent Mode signals. The banner and Google’s tags are not connected.

How to fix it

Common fixes for what this check reports.

Each one is a change to your site or your tag setup. Your team decides how to make it.

  • Set the default before any tag

    The consent default belongs at the top of the container, above every Google tag. Use Tag Manager preview mode to confirm the default event fires first.

  • Add the v2 signals

    Include ad_user_data and ad_personalization in the default and the update, next to analytics and ad storage. A consent platform may already handle this, so check its settings.

  • Choose basic or advanced on purpose

    Pick one mode with your team and make sure the banner text describes it. Do not switch modes without retesting the banner.

  • Connect the banner to the update

    Accept and Reject should both send a consent update that Google receives. Check the consent events in Tag Assistant after you click each button.

Limits

What this check can’t see.

The limits of one homepage load, so you can read the result correctly.

  • One homepage load on desktop, from one region. Consent rules differ by place, so visitors elsewhere may see a different setup.
  • A consent banner can hold Google tags back. If no Google signals appear, the banner may be the reason, not a missing setup.
  • The check reads the Tag Manager configuration and the requests the browser sees. It cannot see what Google did with the signals afterwards.
  • It does not test logged-in pages, checkout, or form submissions, where consent may be handled differently.
  • It is not a legal review of your banner or privacy notice.

Read more

Guides on the setup this check covers.

Background reading for the same setup, with the steps behind each fix.

Other free checkers

Check the rest of your tracking.

The other free checks run the same scan and list the gaps for their own topic first.

Cookie consent checker

Many sites load ad and analytics tags as soon as the page opens. This check loads your homepage once and records what fires before any choice is made on the banner.

Cookie banner reject test

A Reject button should stop optional tracking. This check clicks Reject on your homepage in a separate pass and records what keeps running afterwards.

Meta Pixel checker

A Meta Pixel that loads twice, or sends the same page view twice, can inflate the numbers Meta reports. This check counts what your homepage sends to Meta and shows where the Pixel is set up more than once.

Google Ads conversion checker

A Google Ads conversion only counts if a tag sends it to Ads. This check reads how your conversions are set up in your published Tag Manager container and whether they are sent to Google Ads.

GA4 checker

This check looks at what your homepage sends to Google Analytics 4. It flags setups with more than one property, retired Universal Analytics tags, and repeated page views.

Personal data tracking checker

Ad and analytics tags sometimes send personal details inside page addresses or request data. This check looks for categories, such as an email field, and never stores the values. It is built with healthcare and banking sites in mind, but any site can run it.

Google Tag Manager checker

This check reads the published Tag Manager container your homepage loads. It looks at how the container is set up, not only at what reaches the browser.

Lead form attribution checker

When a visitor clicks an ad and fills in a form, the campaign details have to survive the trip. This check follows links to your lead pages and looks for the fields that carry them.

FAQ

Consent Mode v2: common questions.

Answers to the questions we hear most about this check.

Is this checker free?
Yes. Enter your website and the scan loads your live site and reports what it finds. You see the verdict and how many gaps it found right away; enter a work email to see each gap and what it means.
What is the difference between Consent Mode v1 and v2?
Version 2 adds ad user data and ad personalization to the analytics storage and ad storage signals. The check reports v1 when those two signals are missing from what it sees.
Do I need Consent Mode v2?
Google says consent is required in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom and Switzerland. Talk to your compliance team about what applies to your visitors.
Is basic or advanced mode better?
Neither is better in general. Basic keeps Google tags blocked until a choice is made, and advanced sends cookieless pings before consent. The right choice depends on your setup and your commitments.
Does this check show whether Google received my consent choices?
It shows what the homepage sent and what the banner did on that load. It does not show what Google did with the data.

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