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GTM & GA4 glossary

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Consent mode

A Google feature that tells your Google tags whether a visitor has agreed to cookies, so the tags adjust what they collect and store.

Also known as: Google consent mode, Consent mode v2

On this page
  1. In plain English
  2. Example
  3. Official documentation
  4. Related terms

In plain English

Consent mode uses a small set of consent types. The main ones are analytics_storage, ad_storage, ad_user_data and ad_personalization, each set to granted or denied.

Your site sets a default state before any tags fire, then updates it when the visitor makes a choice in your cookie banner. Most consent management platforms (CMPs) can do both for you, and many have a GTM template.

In basic consent mode, Google tags don't load until the visitor makes a choice. In advanced consent mode, they load straight away and send cookieless signals while consent is denied.

Google requires consent mode if you use Google Ads to measure or personalise ads for visitors in the European Economic Area or the UK.

Example

A visitor declines analytics cookies. The cookie banner updates consent mode to analytics_storage: 'denied'. With advanced consent mode, GA4 still loads but sends cookieless pings and sets no analytics cookies.

Official documentation

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