Want to keep your consent banner and cookie policy accurate? WPConsent lets you add, edit, and delete individual cookie entries so visitors always see up-to-date information. Managing cookies ensures your site stays transparent and compliant.

Table of contents

• Prerequisites
• Opening the cookies tab
• Understanding the cookie list layout
• Adding a cookie manually
• Assigning a cookie to a service
• Editing an existing cookie
• Deleting a cookie
• Working with scanner-detected cookies
• Writing effective cookie descriptions
• Verifying your setup
• FAQ
• Conclusion

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:

• WPConsent installed and activated on your site. See our installation guide if you need help.
• Administrator access to your WordPress dashboard.

Opening the cookies tab

To get started, navigate to WPConsent >> Settings in your WordPress admin menu. Then, click the Cookies tab at the top of the page.

You’ll see an accordion listing your cookie categories. Each accordion header shows the category name and the number of cookies it contains in parentheses, for example, Essential (1). The first category is expanded by default.

Understanding the cookie list layout

Inside each expanded category, cookies appear in a table with 5 columns:

Column	Description
Cookie Name	The human-readable name displayed to visitors.
Cookie ID	The technical identifier stored in the browser.
Description	A brief explanation of what the cookie does.
Duration	How long the cookie persists (for example, “30 days”).
Actions	Edit and delete buttons for the cookie.

If the category contains services, each service appears as a labeled group within the category. Cookies belonging to a service are listed under that service’s header. Cookies not assigned to any service appear directly under the category header.

Adding a cookie manually

1. First, expand the category where you want to add the cookie.
2. Then, click the Add A Cookie button at the bottom of that category’s section.
3. A modal dialog titled Add New Cookie opens with the following fields:

Field	Required	Description
Service	No	A dropdown listing available services in this category. Defaults to “No service,” which assigns the cookie directly to the category.
Cookie Name	Yes	The display name visitors see (for example, “Google Analytics”).
Cookie ID	No	The technical cookie identifier stored in the browser (for example, _ga).
Description	No	A plain-language explanation of the cookie’s purpose.
Duration	No	How long the cookie lasts (for example, “2 years” or “Session”).

1. Fill in the fields and click Save.

The new cookie appears immediately in the list without a page reload. WPConsent saves it via AJAX and adds a new row to the table.

Note: The Cookie Name field is required. If you leave it empty, WPConsent displays an error and doesn’t save the cookie.

Assigning a cookie to a service

When you add or edit a cookie, the Service dropdown lists all services that belong to the current category. Select a service from the dropdown to group the cookie under that service in the list.

If you choose No service, the cookie is assigned directly to the cookie category instead. This is appropriate for cookies that your own website sets rather than a third-party service.

The Service dropdown updates dynamically based on the category. It only shows services that belong to that specific category. If you haven’t created any services in a category, the dropdown shows only the “No service” option.

To learn how to create and manage services, see our guide on managing services.

Editing an existing cookie

1. First, find the cookie you want to edit in the list.
2. Then, click the edit icon (pencil) in the Actions column.
3. The Edit Cookie modal appears, pre-filled with the cookie’s current values.
4. Update any field: Service, Cookie Name, Cookie ID, Description, or Duration.
5. Finally, click Save.

The changes appear immediately in the cookie list.

Deleting a cookie

1. First, find the cookie you want to remove.
2. Then, click the delete icon (trash) in the Actions column.
3. A confirmation dialog asks “Are you sure you want to delete this cookie?”
4. Click OK to confirm.

The cookie is permanently removed from the database and disappears from the list.

Important: Deleting a cookie can’t be undone. The cookie entry is permanently removed. If you need it again, you’ll have to add it manually or re-run a scan.

Working with scanner-detected cookies

When you run a website scan and configure the detected services, WPConsent automatically creates cookie entries for each recognized service. These cookies are marked internally as auto-added.

You can edit auto-added cookies the same way you edit manual ones. Feel free to change the name, description, or duration to better match your preferences.

If you re-scan your site later and configure the results again, WPConsent skips cookies that already exist. It doesn’t overwrite your manual edits.

For more details on scanning, see our guide on scanning your website.

Writing effective cookie descriptions

Good cookie descriptions help your visitors make informed consent decisions. They also demonstrate compliance to regulators. Follow these guidelines:

• Be specific about purpose. Write “Stores your cookie consent preferences for this website” instead of “Used for functionality.”
• Mention data collected. If the cookie tracks page views or user behavior, say so. For example: “Collects anonymous statistics about how visitors navigate the website.”
• Use plain language. Avoid technical jargon. Your visitors aren’t developers.
• Include the service name. When a cookie belongs to a third-party service, mention it. For example: “Set by Google Analytics to distinguish unique users.”
• State the duration clearly. Use human-readable formats like “2 years,” “30 days,” or “Session” (for cookies that expire when the browser closes).
• Keep it concise. 1 to 2 sentences is enough. Descriptions appear in the preferences panel and cookie policy page where space is limited.

The free Cookie Library is a useful resource for looking up accurate descriptions and durations for common third-party cookies.

Pro Feature: With the paid version, you can import services and their cookies directly from the Cookie Library with 1 click using the Add Service From Library button. This saves you from looking up and entering cookie data manually.

Verifying your setup

To confirm your cookies are set up correctly:

1. First, visit the cookie policy page on your site (the page with the

   Essential

   Essential cookies enable basic functions and are necessary for the proper function of the website.

   Name	Description	Duration
   wpconsent_preferences	This cookie is used to store the user's cookie consent preferences.	30 days
   free-pricing	Used to update the pricing page URL based on the visitor's landing for consistency.	Session

   CloudFlare

   CloudFlare provides web performance and security solutions, enhancing site speed and protecting against threats.

   Learn more

   Name	Description	Duration
   __cfruid	Used by the content network, Cloudflare, to identify trusted web traffic.	session
   __cf_bm	Cloudflare's bot products identify and mitigate automated traffic to protect your site from bad bots. Cloudflare places the __cf_bm cookie on End User devices that access Customer sites that are protected by Bot Management or Bot Fight Mode. The __cf_bm cookie is necessary for the proper functioning of these bot solutions.	session
   __cflb	When enabling session affinity with Cloudflare Load Balancer, Cloudflare sets a __cflb cookie with a unique value on the first response to the requesting client. Cloudflare routes future requests to the same origin, optimizing network resource usage. In the event of a failover, Cloudflare sets a new __cflb cookie to direct future requests to the failover pool.	session
   _cfuvid	The _cfuvid cookie is only set when a site uses this option in a Rate Limiting Rule, and is only used to allow the Cloudflare WAF to distinguish individual users who share the same IP address.	session
   cf_clearance	Whether a CAPTCHA or Javascript challenge has been solved.	session
   __cfseq	Sequence rules uses cookies to track the order of requests a user has made and the time between requests and makes them available via Cloudflare Rules. This allows you to write rules that match valid or invalid sequences. The specific cookies used to validate sequences are called sequence cookies.	session
   cf_ob_info	The cf_ob_info cookie provides information on: The HTTP Status Code returned by the origin web server. The Ray ID of the original failed request. The data center serving the traffic	session
   cf_use_ob	The cf_use_ob cookie informs Cloudflare to fetch the requested resource from the Always Online cache on the designated port. Applicable values are: 0, 80, and 443. The cf_ob_info and cf_use_ob cookies are persistent cookies that expire after 30 seconds.	session
   __cfwaitingroom	The __cfwaitingroom cookie is only used to track visitors that access a waiting room enabled host and path combination for a zone. Visitors using a browser that does not accept cookies cannot visit the host and path combination while the waiting room is active.	session
   cf_chl_rc_i	These cookies are for internal use which allows Cloudflare to identify production issues on clients.	session
   cf_chl_rc_ni	These cookies are for internal use which allows Cloudflare to identify production issues on clients.	session
   cf_chl_rc_m	These cookies are for internal use which allows Cloudflare to identify production issues on clients.	session

   Comments

   These cookies are needed for adding comments on this website.

   Name	Description	Duration
   comment_author	Used to track the user across multiple sessions.	Session
   comment_author_email	Used to track the user across multiple sessions.	Session
   comment_author_url	Used to track the user across multiple sessions.	Session

   Easy Digital Downloads

   Easy Digital Downloads is a complete eCommerce solution for WordPress.

   Name	Description	Duration
   edd_items_in_cart	Stores information about the cart.	Session
   edd_session_	Stores information about the current user session.	Session

   Login

   These cookies are used for managing login functionality on this website.

   Name	Description	Duration
   wordpress_test_cookie	Used to determine if cookies are enabled.	Session
   wordpress_logged_in	Used to store logged-in users.	Persistent
   wordpress_sec	Used to track the user across multiple sessions.	15 days

   Stripe

   Stripe is a payment processing platform that enables businesses to accept online payments securely and efficiently.

   Learn more

   Name	Description	Duration
   __stripe_mid	Fraud prevention and detection	1 year
   __stripe_sid	Fraud prevention and detection	30 minutes
   m	Set by payment provider stripe.com to process payments	10 years

   WPForms

   WPForms is used to add forms on this website.

   Name	Description	Duration
   wpfuuid	Used to track user interactions with forms.	11 years

   Statistics

   Statistics cookies collect information anonymously. This information helps us understand how visitors use our website.

   Convert Insights

   Convert Insights offers data-driven analysis to optimize your marketing strategies and enhance customer engagement.

   Learn more

   Name	Description	Duration
   _conv_r	This cookie is used as a referral-cookie that stores the visitor’s profile – the cookie is overwritten when the visitor re-enters the website and new information on the visitor is collected and stored.	Session
   _conv_s	This cookie contains an ID string on the current session. This contains non-personal information on what subpages the visitor enters – this information is used to optimize the visitor's experience.	1 day
   _conv_v	This cookie is used to identify the frequency of visits and how long the visitor is on the website. The cookie is also used to determine how many and which subpages the visitor visits on a website – this information can be used by the website to optimize the domain and its subpages.	6 months

   Google Analytics

   Google Analytics is a web analytics service offered by Google that tracks and reports website traffic.

   Learn more

   Name	Description	Duration
   _gac_	Contains information related to marketing campaigns of the user. These are shared with Google AdWords / Google Ads when the Google Ads and Google Analytics accounts are linked together.	90 days
   __utmx	Used to determine whether a user is included in an A / B or Multivariate test.	18 months
   _gali	Used by Google Analytics to determine which links on a page are being clicked	30 seconds
   _ga_	ID used to identify users	2 years
   _ga	Used to distinguish users.	2 years
   _gat	Used to throttle request rate.	1 minute
   _gid	Used to distinguish users.	24 hours
   __utma	Used to distinguish users.	Persistent
   __utmb	Used to determine new sessions/visits.	30 minutes
   __utmc	Used to determine if the user is in a new session/visit.	Session
   __utmt	Used to throttle request rate.	10 minutes
   __utmv	Used to store visitor-level custom variable data.	2 years
   __utmz	Stores the traffic source or campaign that explains how the user reached your site.	6 months

   Microsoft Clarity

   Clarity is a web analytics service that tracks and reports website traffic.

   Learn more

   Name	Description	Duration
   ANONCHK	Indicates whether MUID is transferred to ANID, a cookie used for advertising. Clarity doesn't use ANID and so this is always set to 0.	Session
   CLID	Identifies the first-time Clarity saw this user on any site using Clarity.	12 months
   _clsk	Connects multiple page views by a user into a single Clarity session recording.	12 months
   _clck	Persists the Clarity User ID and preferences, unique to that site is attributed to the same user ID.	12 months

   Marketing

   Marketing cookies are used to follow visitors to websites. The intention is to show ads that are relevant and engaging to the individual user.

   Name	Description	Duration
   affwp_ref	Stores the referring affiliate ID for commission attribution.	1 day
   affwp_ref_visit_id	Stores the visit ID linked to the referring affiliate.	1 day
   affwp_campaign	Stores the affiliate campaign name for tracking purposes.	1 day

   Optinmonster

   OptinMonster is a powerful lead generation tool that helps businesses convert visitors into subscribers and customers.

   Learn more

   Name	Description	Duration
   _omappvp	Cookie is used to identify returning visitors	1 day
   _omra	Used to store interaction and conversion data for campaigns in conjunction with Revenue Attribution	1 year
   omCountdown-{id}-{elementId}	Used for countdown elements {elementId} in campaigns {id} to determine when it should complete	Session
   om-{id}-closed / omSlideClosed-{id}	Used specifically with slide-in campaigns {id} to determine if it has been closed or not by a visitor.	30 days
   om-success-cookie / omSuccessCookie	used to determine if a visitor has successfully opted in to any campaign on your site to unlock content when using the Content Locking feature.	365 days
   om-success-{id} / omSuccess-{id}	Used to determine if a visitor has successfully opted in to a campaign with the ID of {id} on your site	365 days
   omSeen-{id}	Used to determine if a visitor has been shown a campaign by the slug. No expiration date	30 days
   om-{id}	used to determine if a visitor has interacted with a campaign ID of {id} on your site.	30 days
   om-interaction-cookie / omGlobalInteractionCookie	Used to determine if a visitor has interacted with any campaign on your site.	Session
   om-global-cookie / omGlobalSuccessCookie	Used to prevent any future OptinMonster campaigns from showing on your site.	Session
   _omappvs	Cookie is used to identify returning visitors	1 day

   shortcode). Verify that your cookies appear under the correct categories and services.
2. Then, open the consent banner on your site and click Preferences. Check that each category lists the cookies you configured.
3. Finally, in the Cookies tab, expand each category and verify that cookie names, IDs, descriptions, and durations are accurate.

FAQ

Why doesn’t my new cookie appear in the list?

Make sure you filled in the Cookie Name field. This field is required. If the save action failed, check your browser console for JavaScript errors and confirm your WordPress admin AJAX is working correctly.

Why does the Service dropdown show only “No service”?

The dropdown only lists services that already exist in the selected cookie category. If you need a service, create one first. Click Add A Service in the same category, or see our guide on managing services.

Why do scanner-detected cookies have generic descriptions?

The scanner populates cookies with default descriptions from the WPConsent service database. You can edit any cookie to improve its description. Click the edit icon and update the Description field with more specific language.

Can I undo a deleted cookie?

Deleted cookies can’t be recovered. You’ll need to add the cookie again manually or re-run a website scan to repopulate it. See our guide on scanning your website for help.

Conclusion

You now know how to add, edit, delete, and verify individual cookies in WPConsent. Accurate cookie records keep your consent banner and cookie policy trustworthy for visitors. To learn how to group cookies under third-party tools, we recommend reading about managing services next.