Consent Mode v2: what it is and how to set it up
Google's consent mode tells Google tags what each visitor accepted or refused in your cookie banner. With that information, Google Ads and Google Analytics adjust what they collect. "v2" is the version that added two signals about using data for advertising. If you advertise to or measure European users, it applies to you.
Key takeaways
- Consent mode is not a cookie banner: you need a consent management platform (CMP).
- It carries four signals: `ad_storage`, `analytics_storage`, `ad_user_data` and `ad_personalization`.
- There are two implementations: basic and advanced.
- Without the signals, features such as remarketing stop receiving data for those users.
What consent mode is
Google's documentation describes it as a way for site and app developers to adjust how tags and SDKs behave based on users' consent choices. It does not decide what is lawful for you and it displays no banner: it receives a state (granted or denied) and acts accordingly.
The four signals
| Signal | What it controls |
|---|---|
| ad_storage | Storage (cookies, for example) related to advertising |
| analytics_storage | Storage related to analytics |
| ad_user_data | Sending user data to Google for online advertising purposes |
| ad_personalization | Personalised advertising, including remarketing |
Swipe the table sideways to see all columns.
The last two came with version 2. Google states that when `ad_personalization` is denied, personalised advertising is switched off and features such as remarketing in Google Ads stop receiving data.
Basic and advanced
| Basic | Advanced | |
|---|---|---|
| Tag loading | Tags do not load until the visitor chooses | Tags load with a default state of denied |
| If the visitor refuses | Nothing is sent to Google | Cookieless signals are sent, with no advertising identifiers |
| Modelling | More limited | Fuller, built from those signals |
| Decision | More conservative | Weigh it against your privacy position |
Swipe the table sideways to see all columns.
The choice is not purely technical. Discuss it with whoever handles data protection in your organisation.
How to implement it
- Pick a CMP compatible with Google's consent mode. Many integrate with Google Tag Manager through templates.
- Set the default state before any tag fires: in the European Economic Area, denied for all four is the usual starting point.
- Map the banner's categories to the signals: marketing to `ad_storage`, `ad_user_data` and `ad_personalization`; analytics to `analytics_storage`.
- Update the state when the visitor chooses, using the update command your CMP sends.
- Configure Google Ads and GA4 tags to respect consent; Google tags do this natively.
- Check third-party tags (Meta, TikTok and others): they do not read consent mode and must be blocked until consent through the CMP or tag manager.
- Document which banner version is live and since when.
If your CMP uses the IAB Europe TCF, check in its settings how TCF purposes map to Google's signals.
How to verify it works
- Tag Manager preview: the consent tab shows the default and updated state at each event.
- Browser: before acceptance, no advertising or analytics cookies should be created; after, they should.
- Google Ads and GA4: tag and conversion diagnostics show whether consent signals are arriving.
- Refusal test: decline everything and confirm no third-party tags fire.
Effect on measurement and campaigns
With a share of users refusing, you will see fewer observed conversions. Google fills part of that gap with modelled conversions where its volume requirements are met. Automated bidding strategies and campaigns such as Performance Max depend on that data, so a faulty implementation shows up in performance. Google's requirements change often: check the official documentation before any significant change.
Common mistakes
- Installing consent mode without a banner that genuinely captures the choice.
- Setting the default state after tags have already fired.
- Forgetting `ad_user_data` and `ad_personalization`.
- Leaving third-party tags outside consent control.
- Not retesting after changing template or CMP.
Frequently asked questions
Does consent mode replace a cookie banner?
No. It only passes the visitor's decision from the banner to Google tags.
Is it mandatory?
Google requires it for certain advertising and measurement features with users in the European Economic Area. Check the current requirements in its documentation.
Basic or advanced?
Basic sends nothing without consent; advanced sends cookieless signals for modelling. Decide with your data protection lead.
Does it affect Meta or other platforms?
Not directly. Their tags must be handled separately through the CMP or tag manager.
How do I know the setup is right?
Tag Manager preview, checking browser cookies, and the diagnostics in Google Ads and GA4.
Sources
About this article. Produced by the MetaEX team with AI assistance, from the official documentation listed under Sources. Examples marked as illustrative are not client data. Last updated on 11 November 2026.
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