What is Google Consent Mode v2?
Also known as: Consent Mode v2, Google Consent Mode, Google Consent Mode 2, GCM v2
It allows Google tags to adjust their behaviour based on the user's consent state. Consent Mode v2 introduced two additional consent signals-ad_user_data and ad_personalization-alongside the existing ad_storage and analytics_storage signals.
When consent is denied, Google tags can operate with restricted functionality and, depending on the implementation and product, Google can use modelling to help preserve measurement capabilities without treating denied consent as granted.
Google Consent Mode is not a consent banner or Consent Management Platform (CMP). Instead, it is a technical framework that communicates consent states to Google products.
What does Google Consent Mode v2 mean?
Google Consent Mode v2 is a technical mechanism that connects a website's consent choices with Google's advertising and analytics technologies.
A typical implementation works like this:
Arrive
A visitor arrives on a website.
Determine
The website's consent system determines the visitor's applicable privacy choices.
Communicate
The consent state is communicated to Google tags.
Adapt
Google tags adjust their behaviour based on the relevant consent signals.
Update
If consent changes, the consent state is updated.
Process
Google services process data according to the consent signals they receive.
Google describes Consent Mode as a way to adjust Google tags' behaviour based on user consent choices. It can be implemented through a CMP or a custom consent banner.
What changed in Google Consent Mode v2?
The major change in Consent Mode v2 was the addition of two consent signals:
These were added to the existing:
Google's current documentation identifies these consent settings and explains their respective roles.
The four main Consent Mode signals
| Signal | What it controls |
|---|---|
| ad_storage | Whether advertising-related cookies or storage can be used |
| analytics_storage | Whether analytics-related cookies or storage can be used |
| ad_user_data | Whether user data can be sent to Google for advertising purposes |
| ad_personalization | Whether data can be used for personalised advertising |
The exact behaviour associated with each signal depends on the Google product and implementation.
What is ad_storage?
ad_storage communicates whether the user has granted consent for advertising-related storage.
When the relevant consent state is denied, Google advertising tags can adjust their behaviour rather than treating advertising storage as permitted.
This signal is primarily concerned with advertising cookies and related storage.
What is analytics_storage?
analytics_storage communicates whether the user has granted consent for analytics-related storage.
It is particularly relevant to Google Analytics.
When analytics storage is denied, Google tags can change their behaviour accordingly rather than assuming that analytics cookies or storage are permitted.
What is ad_user_data?
ad_user_data is one of the two additional signals introduced with Consent Mode v2.
It communicates whether consent has been granted for sending user data from events and user properties to Google for advertising purposes. Google's documentation defines this signal as either GRANTED or DENIED.
This is different from simply asking whether an advertising cookie can be stored.
A user could therefore have a consent state in which advertising storage and the use of user data are evaluated as separate permissions.
What is ad_personalization?
ad_personalization communicates whether the user has consented to personalised advertising.
Google defines the signal as consent for personalised advertising and uses GRANTED or DENIED states.
This signal is particularly relevant to advertising personalisation and audience-based advertising.
Google Consent Mode v2 vs Consent Mode
Google Consent Mode v2 is the updated version of Google's Consent Mode framework.
The main distinction is the addition of the two advertising-related consent signals:
Original Consent Mode signals:
Consent Mode v2:
The additional signals provide more granular communication of a user's advertising-related privacy choices.
Is Google Consent Mode v2 a CMP?
No.
Google Consent Mode v2 and a Consent Management Platform are different technologies.
A CMP is responsible for collecting and managing the user's privacy choice.
Google Consent Mode communicates the resulting consent state to Google tags.
For example:
- CMP
- User choice
- Consent Mode
- Google tags
A CMP may therefore integrate with Consent Mode, but Consent Mode itself does not replace the CMP.
Google Consent Mode v2 vs cookie banner
A cookie banner is the interface through which a website can present privacy choices to a visitor.
Google Consent Mode is the technical mechanism used to communicate applicable consent states to Google tags.
They perform different functions.
| Cookie banner | Google Consent Mode v2 |
|---|---|
| Presents privacy choices | Communicates consent states |
| Interacts directly with the user | Communicates with Google tags |
| Can collect consent | Does not itself constitute a consent interface |
| Can provide granular choices | Translates relevant choices into Google consent signals |
| Part of a broader CMP implementation | Google-specific technical framework |
A website can therefore have a cookie banner without correctly implementing Consent Mode.
Likewise, implementing Consent Mode does not automatically make the website legally compliant.
How does Google Consent Mode v2 work?
A simplified implementation looks like this:
Set the default consent state
The website establishes the initial consent state before the relevant Google tags operate.
Present the consent interface
The CMP or consent mechanism presents the applicable choices to the visitor.
Capture the user's decision
The visitor accepts, rejects or customises their privacy preferences.
Update Consent Mode
The website sends the appropriate consent state to Google.
Google tags adapt
Google tags adjust their behaviour according to the consent signals.
Handle changes
If the visitor later changes their privacy preferences, the website should update the consent state accordingly.
This creates a connection between the user's privacy decision and the technical behaviour of Google services.
What happens when consent is denied?
Consent Mode is designed so that Google tags can adjust their behaviour when relevant consent is denied.
For example, where analytics_storage is denied, Google Analytics-related storage is not treated as permitted.
Where advertising-related consent is denied, advertising tags can adjust their behaviour accordingly.
Google also provides measurement approaches involving modelling in supported implementations. The exact behaviour depends on the Google product, Consent Mode configuration and implementation.
The important principle is:
Denied consent should be communicated to the relevant Google tags rather than being treated as granted.
Does Google Consent Mode v2 block cookies?
Not by itself.
This distinction is extremely important.
Consent Mode communicates consent state. It is not the same thing as a script-blocking mechanism.
A CMP or tag-management implementation may determine whether a tag is allowed to execute, while Consent Mode communicates the consent state to Google tags.
For websites requiring prior consent, organisations should therefore consider both:
- Whether a tag can execute before consent, and
- What consent state is communicated to Google.
ConsentX's prior-script blocking capability addresses the first part, while its Google Consent Mode integration addresses the second.
Google Consent Mode v2 and prior consent
For jurisdictions where prior consent is required for certain technologies, implementing Consent Mode does not eliminate the need for appropriate consent controls.
For example, a website may configure Google Analytics to receive a denied analytics_storage state, but it still needs to assess whether the underlying implementation complies with applicable cookie and privacy rules.
This is why Consent Mode should be treated as one component of a broader consent architecture, rather than as a substitute for consent management.
Basic vs Advanced Consent Mode
Google supports different Consent Mode implementation approaches, including Basic and Advanced consent mode.
The distinction is important because they differ in how Google tags behave before a user interacts with the consent interface.
Basic Consent Mode
In a basic implementation, Google tags can be prevented from loading until the visitor interacts with the consent mechanism.
This can provide a stricter approach where the website wants Google tags to remain inactive until a consent decision has been made.
Advanced Consent Mode
In Advanced Consent Mode, Google tags can load with consent defaults and adjust their behaviour based on the consent state.
Google's current documentation describes Advanced Consent Mode as the default approach in some of its mobile implementations and distinguishes it from Basic Consent Mode.
The choice between Basic and Advanced should be evaluated alongside the organisation's legal requirements, Google product configuration and desired measurement approach.
Google Consent Mode v2 and GDPR
Google Consent Mode is particularly relevant to websites serving users in jurisdictions where consent requirements apply.
Under the GDPR, consent must meet specific legal requirements when consent is the applicable legal basis.
Consent Mode itself does not determine whether a website has obtained legally valid GDPR consent.
Instead:
obtains and manages consent
communicates the resulting state to Google
adapt behaviour to that state
Google itself recommends consulting legal teams to ensure that consent mechanisms meet applicable regulatory requirements.
Google Consent Mode v2 and the EU User Consent Policy
Google's EU User Consent Policy imposes specific requirements on publishers and advertisers operating in relevant European markets.
Google states that publishers must obtain consent for the use of cookies or other local storage where legally required and for the collection, sharing and use of personal data for personalised advertising. For relevant advertising products, Google also requires appropriate consent-management mechanisms.
Therefore, Consent Mode v2 is particularly important for organisations using Google advertising and measurement products with relevant European traffic.
Does Google Consent Mode v2 make a website GDPR compliant?
No.
Consent Mode is a technical integration, not a complete compliance solution.
It does not by itself:
- Create a legally valid privacy notice
- Determine the correct legal basis
- Obtain valid consent
- Block every third-party tracker
- Handle non-Google technologies
- Fulfil data-subject requests
- Establish retention policies
- Create a complete record of every privacy decision
- Guarantee compliance with GDPR or ePrivacy rules
A complete compliance architecture may require a CMP, prior blocking, privacy notices, consent records, rights management and other controls.
Google Consent Mode v2 and Google Analytics 4
Google Consent Mode is closely associated with Google Analytics 4 (GA4).
The consent state can affect how Google Analytics processes information.
For example, analytics_storage communicates whether analytics-related storage is permitted.
Google's current documentation also exposes consent settings such as ad_user_data and ad_personalization in its measurement infrastructure.
A correct GA4 implementation should therefore ensure that the consent state communicated by the website accurately reflects the user's privacy choice.
Google Consent Mode v2 and Google Ads
Consent Mode is also important for websites using Google Ads and related advertising technologies.
Advertising-related consent can affect:
- Advertising storage
- User data sent for advertising
- Personalised advertising
- Measurement
- Audience-related functionality
The specific impact depends on the Google product and configuration.
A CMP can translate a visitor's advertising preferences into the corresponding Consent Mode signals.
Google Consent Mode v2 and Google Tag Manager
Google Tag Manager (GTM) can be used to deploy Google and third-party tags.
Consent Mode can work alongside GTM to communicate consent states and control tag behaviour.
However, simply installing Consent Mode through GTM does not guarantee that every tag respects the user's privacy choice.
A robust implementation should evaluate:
- Which tags load
- When they load
- What consent checks they use
- Which consent signals they receive
- Whether third-party tags are controlled
- What happens after consent is withdrawn
This is particularly important when GTM contains non-Google advertising or analytics tags.
Google Consent Mode v2 and third-party trackers
Consent Mode primarily communicates consent to Google technologies.
It does not automatically control every third-party tracker on a website.
A website may also contain:
- Meta Pixel
- LinkedIn Insight Tag
- TikTok Pixel
- Microsoft Advertising
- Hotjar
- HubSpot
- Other analytics tools
- Other advertising technologies
These technologies require their own consent controls where applicable.
This is why a website-wide CMP and prior-script blocking system can be more comprehensive than relying on Google Consent Mode alone.
How do you test Google Consent Mode v2?
A proper Consent Mode audit should test the website in several states.
Before consent
Check:
- Default consent state
- Google tag behaviour
- Cookies and storage
- Network requests
- Third-party trackers
After accepting analytics
Check:
- analytics_storage
- GA4 behaviour
- Analytics cookies
- Relevant network requests
After accepting advertising
Check:
- ad_storage
- ad_user_data
- ad_personalization
- Advertising technologies
After rejecting
Check:
- Consent signals are set to denied where appropriate
- Relevant storage is not created
- Tags behave according to the denied state
- Applicable non-Google trackers remain blocked
After withdrawing consent
Check:
- Consent state changes
- Relevant future processing is restricted
- Privacy preferences persist correctly
- The website does not silently restore previously denied consent
Common Google Consent Mode v2 mistakes
Treating Consent Mode as a cookie banner
Consent Mode does not replace the user-facing consent interface.
Loading trackers before consent
Consent Mode does not automatically prevent every tracker from firing.
Only implementing ad_storage
Consent Mode v2 includes additional signals for user data and advertising personalisation.
Ignoring analytics_storage
Analytics consent needs to be represented separately where applicable.
Treating Google tags as the only trackers
A website can contain many third-party technologies outside Google's ecosystem.
Failing to update consent after user changes preferences
A consent system needs to handle both the initial decision and subsequent changes.
Assuming technical integration equals legal compliance
Consent Mode is a technical framework. Legal compliance depends on the broader implementation.
Google Consent Mode v2 implementation checklist
A practical implementation checklist includes:
- Identify all Google tags on the website.
- Identify which Google products are being used.
- Determine the applicable consent requirements.
- Configure the appropriate default consent state.
- Implement ad_storage.
- Implement analytics_storage.
- Implement ad_user_data.
- Implement ad_personalization.
- Connect Consent Mode to the CMP.
- Ensure consent is updated after the user makes a choice.
- Test accepted and rejected states.
- Test consent withdrawal.
- Check cookies and network requests.
- Review Google Tag Manager configuration.
- Audit non-Google third-party trackers separately.
- Maintain appropriate consent evidence.
How ConsentX works with Google Consent Mode v2
ConsentX acts as the consent-management layer that captures the user's privacy choice and communicates the relevant state to Google technologies.
A simplified architecture is:
- Visitor
- ConsentX CMP
- User choice
- Consent Mode v2
- Google tags
At the same time, ConsentX can provide additional controls around the broader website environment, including:
Consent banners
Granular privacy choices
Prior-script blocking
Cookie and tracker discovery
Consent records
Audit evidence
Region-based privacy rules
Consent withdrawal
This is important because Google Consent Mode handles the Google-specific consent layer, while a CMP can manage the broader privacy decision.
Google Consent Mode v2 vs Consent Management Platform
| Google Consent Mode v2 | Consent Management Platform |
|---|---|
| Google technical framework | Privacy-management platform |
| Communicates consent states to Google | Collects and manages user choices |
| Controls Google tag behaviour | Can control Google and non-Google technologies |
| Uses Google consent signals | Can support multiple privacy frameworks |
| Not a complete consent interface | Typically provides the consent interface |
| Does not replace legal compliance | Supports the technical implementation of compliance |
The two technologies are complementary rather than competing.
Google Consent Mode v2 vs Google Tag Manager
These are also different technologies.
Google Tag Manager is a tag-management system used to deploy and manage tags.
Google Consent Mode is a consent-state framework that tells Google tags how to behave based on user privacy choices.
They can be used together, but one does not replace the other.
Key takeaways
Google Consent Mode v2 is Google's framework for communicating user consent choices to Google tags.
The most important points are:
- Consent Mode adjusts Google tag behaviour based on consent states.
- Consent Mode v2 added ad_user_data and ad_personalization.
- The main consent signals are ad_storage, analytics_storage, ad_user_data and ad_personalization.
- Consent Mode is not a CMP.
- Consent Mode is not a cookie banner.
- Consent Mode does not automatically block every tracker.
- It should be integrated with an appropriate consent-management system.
- Basic and Advanced Consent Mode have different implementation behaviours.
- Consent Mode is particularly relevant to Google advertising and analytics in markets with applicable consent requirements.
- Consent Mode does not by itself make a website GDPR compliant.
- Non-Google trackers still require separate consideration.
- Testing should cover initial consent, acceptance, rejection and withdrawal.
Google Consent Mode v2 works best when it is connected to a broader consent architecture.
The goal is not simply to install a Google script. It is to ensure that:
- User choice
- Consent state
- Tag behaviour
- Audit evidence
Make Google consent signals accurate and enforceable
ConsentX helps organisations collect privacy choices, enforce tracker behaviour and communicate consent states to Google technologies through Consent Mode v2. Connect your consent management system to Google Consent Mode v2 with ConsentX.
Related Terms
Software that collects, manages, enforces and records user privacy choices.
A mechanism for obtaining and managing consent for cookies and similar technologies where consent is required.
Preventing relevant non-essential trackers from executing before the required consent is obtained.
Google's analytics platform, which can use Consent Mode signals to adjust its behaviour.
Google's tag-management platform for deploying and managing website tags.
Consent Mode signal controlling advertising-related storage.
Consent Mode signal controlling analytics-related storage.
Consent Mode v2 signal relating to sending user data to Google for advertising purposes.
Consent Mode v2 signal relating to personalised advertising.
The European Union's comprehensive data-protection regulation.
An advertising-industry framework for communicating consent and vendor choices in the programmatic advertising ecosystem.