What is Consent Mode?

Consent Mode is Google's mechanism for passing the consent choice a visitor makes in a cookie banner to Google Analytics, Google Ads and other Google tags. Its current version, Consent Mode v2, uses four parameters (analytics_storage, ad_storage, ad_user_data and ad_personalization), and tags behave according to the consent state.

Last updated: 20 October 2026View as Markdown

In short

Consent Mode bridges cookie consent and measurement: when a user declines, tags adjust to the consent state instead of simply going silent. In Advanced mode, the cookieless signals let Google Analytics and Google Ads model conversions and behavior for users who did not consent. Setup usually runs through a consent management platform and Google Tag Manager, and is tested with Tag Assistant. For example, a purchase by a visitor who rejected ad cookies is sent as an anonymous signal, and Google Ads fills the gap with modeled conversions.

Key points

It passes the visitor's cookie banner choice to Google tags.
Consent Mode v2 uses four parameters: analytics_storage, ad_storage, ad_user_data and ad_personalization.
In Basic mode tags wait for consent; in Advanced mode they send cookieless signals.
Since March 2024 Google has required the v2 signal for EEA ad measurement and personalization.
It does not collect consent itself; a cookie management tool and compliant notices are still needed.

How does it work?

When the page loads, a default state (granted or denied) is set for the four parameters; the state is updated once the user makes a choice in the banner. In Basic mode, Google tags do not load at all before consent; in Advanced mode they load in a denied state and send cookieless signals.

When do you need it?

Since March 2024, Google has required the Consent Mode v2 signal for ad measurement and personalization features for users in the European Economic Area. Consent Mode does not collect consent itself; you still need a cookie management tool and legally compliant notices.

Why it matters

A consent setup that is not configured correctly means both compliance risk and lost ad and analytics data. More detail: What is Consent Mode v2, setup: Consent Mode and KVKK.

Last updated: 20 October 2026

Help with this topic

Consent Mode and KVKK

A consent management tool, Consent Mode v2 and tag-level consent rules: we set up your measurement in line with KVKK and Google's consent requirements.

Data and measurement

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