Skip to content

Language

Google Consent Mode v2

Google Consent Mode v2, configured automatically on every plan

Cookiesh sets the right defaults before any Google tag loads and sends all four v2 signals the moment a visitor chooses, so Google Ads and GA4 keep measuring without breaking consent rules.

Start free trialTalk to sales

At a glance

What it is
Google's API for passing a visitor's consent choice to Google tags
Signals
ad_storage, analytics_storage, ad_user_data, ad_personalization
Required for
Ads measurement and personalization features for EEA, UK and Swiss traffic
With Cookiesh
Included on every plan, including the free Hobby plan

Requirements

What you need to get right

  1. Defaults before any Google tag

    The consent default must be set before Google tags load. If a tag fires first, it may set cookies before the visitor has chosen.

    How Cookiesh handles it: The Cookiesh loader sets the defaults synchronously, before gtag.js or Google Tag Manager run, with a wait_for_update window for returning visitors.

  2. All four v2 signals

    Version 2 added ad_user_data and ad_personalization to ad_storage and analytics_storage. Without the new signals, Google limits remarketing and parts of conversion measurement.

    How Cookiesh handles it: Cookiesh maps your categories to all four signals: analytics to analytics_storage, marketing to the three ad signals.

  3. Updates as soon as the visitor chooses

    Google tags need an update command right after the choice, and on every later page view.

    How Cookiesh handles it: Cookiesh sends gtag('consent', 'update', …) the moment a choice is saved, and on each page view for returning visitors.

  4. Regional defaults

    Defaults should match local law: denied where opt-in is required, granted where it is not.

    How Cookiesh handles it: Each geo-targeting rule has its own Consent Mode defaults, so EEA visitors start denied while other regions can start granted.

  5. Non-Google tags too

    Consent Mode only controls Google tags. Meta, LinkedIn, TikTok and other vendors' scripts still need to be blocked until consent.

    How Cookiesh handles it: The same consent choice gates every other script through auto-blocking and data-cookiesh, and triggers cookiesh_consent_updated in the dataLayer.

Setup

Compliant in three steps

  1. Install Cookiesh first

    Add the script tag above your Google tag, or add the Cookiesh CMP template in Google Tag Manager with the Consent Initialization trigger.

  2. Check your Google tags

    Leave Google's built-in consent checks on, and require additional consent for non-Google tags in Tag Manager.

  3. Verify in Tag Assistant

    Open the Consent tab in Google Tag Assistant and confirm that the default and update events fire in the right order.

In depth

Consent Mode is how a consent platform tells Google tags what a visitor decided. Tags read four signals and adjust their behavior: with analytics_storage denied, Google Analytics does not set cookies; with ad_storage denied, Google Ads does not either. Version 2, introduced in late 2023, added ad_user_data and ad_personalization, which control whether user data may be sent to Google for advertising and used for personalized ads.

Why does it matter?

Since March 2024, Google has required valid consent signals for traffic from the European Economic Area to use its ads measurement and personalization features. Without them, remarketing audiences stop growing and conversion data for EEA visitors is limited. Google’s EU user consent policy also covers the UK and Switzerland.

Consent Mode is not a consent banner, though. It passes on a decision that something else has to collect, store and prove. That is Cookiesh’s job.

How does Cookiesh implement it?

The Cookiesh loader runs before your Google tags and sets a default for each signal based on the visitor’s region. Returning visitors get their stored choice immediately. For new visitors, Google tags wait up to 500 milliseconds by default (wait_for_update) for Cookiesh to apply a choice. When a visitor chooses, Cookiesh sends an update with all four signals. If you use Google Tag Manager, the Cookiesh CMP template does the same through Tag Manager’s consent APIs, so you do not need any custom code.

Sources

This page is general information, not legal advice. Laws and regulator guidance change, so review your setup with your legal team.

FAQ

Common questions

Is Google Consent Mode v2 a legal requirement?

No law names it. It is a Google requirement: without consent signals for EEA traffic, features such as remarketing and parts of conversion measurement in Google Ads are limited. The legal duty to ask for consent comes from the ePrivacy Directive and the GDPR.

Do I still need a cookie banner if I use Consent Mode?

Yes. Consent Mode only tells Google tags what the visitor decided. You still need a banner that asks the question, stores the answer and holds back non-Google trackers.

Should I use basic or advanced Consent Mode?

In basic mode, Google tags do not load until the visitor consents. In advanced mode, they load with consent denied and send cookieless pings that Google uses for modeling. Cookiesh supports both; check with your legal team which one fits your risk appetite.

Does Cookiesh work with server-side Google Tag Manager?

Yes. Consent signals travel with the requests that web tags send to your server container, so server-side tags can respect the same choice.

Related guides

Ship compliant cookie banners in minutes, not sprints

Start free on one domain. Upgrade when you need more domains, geo-targeting or custom branding.

Start free trialTalk to sales

No credit card required · Cancel anytime