Idle tags
It counts tags that are paused or have no trigger. A large number of idle tags makes a container hard to review and can hide what actually fires.
Free tool · Google Tag Manager checker
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.
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.
Placeholder tag IDs
It looks for tags that still use a placeholder ID instead of a real one.
More than one container
A site can load more than one Tag Manager container. The check flags that so you can confirm each one is intended.
Tags configured twice
It checks for Pixels and conversion tags that appear in more than one tag.
Requests that fail
It notes tracking requests on the page that did not succeed.
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.
Configured tags are paused or lack a trigger
Ten or more tags are paused or have no trigger, and that is at least a fifth of the container. Clean these up before relying on the setup.
Placeholder tag ID
A tag still has a placeholder ID. It may not send anything useful.
More than one tag container loads
More than one container loads on the page, and each may run its own tags.
Pixel configured in more than one tag
The container sets up a Pixel in more than one tag, so it may load twice.
Some conversions are set up to be sent more than once
Two conversion tags may fire for the same action.
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.
Remove or document idle tags
Delete paused tags you no longer use, and keep notes on the ones you need.
Replace placeholder IDs
Swap each placeholder for the real tag ID from the vendor account.
Confirm each container is intended
Keep a second container only if a team or site depends on it. Otherwise remove it from the page.
Keep one tag per Pixel or conversion
Set up each Pixel and conversion once, then use preview mode to confirm it fires once per action.
Limits
What this check can’t see.
The limits of one homepage load, so you can read the result correctly.
- It reads the published container configuration. Changes saved but not published are not seen.
- It cannot see what the platforms received after the tags fired.
- One homepage load on desktop. Tags that trigger only on other pages are not confirmed.
- A consent banner can stop tags from firing. A tag missing from the requests may still be configured.
- It does not see server-side containers.
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.
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.
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.
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
Google Tag Manager: 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 a published container?
It is the version of your Tag Manager setup that is live on the site. Saved changes that were never published do not reach visitors, and this check does not see them.
Why do idle tags matter?
Paused or untriggered tags make the container harder to review. The check reports them when there are many.
Does the check change my container?
No. It reads the published configuration and does not edit or publish anything.
Can I see which tags fired?
The homepage requests show some of that. Tag Manager preview mode shows the full picture on your own machine.
Free Tracking Scan
Find your tracking gaps in about 10 seconds.
Enter your website and we check your live site, then list every gap we find, starting with this check’s. No call needed.