How to Check if Your WordPress Website Uses Cookies

Cookies are tiny text files or temporary information used by sites to place on your device when you are browsing. Different countries have separate cookie laws and each website owners have to disclose that which cookies they are using and what information of the users they track and store in their database.

You will know how to find out cookies and What are website cookies used for?

What are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files which are sent by the website to the user’s browser. They are mainly used on the website to improve the user experience.

Cookies Types

In general, Cookies are two types in the WordPress.

Session Cookies: It is used foe all login users on the WordPress website.

Comment Cookies: Comment cookies are used when someone leave a comment on the website. They store the email address, URL information and user’s name so that there is no need to re-enter the data next time on the comment section.

Third-party tools and plugins also set cookies on the WordPress site.

Read more: My response is on my own website

What are Cookie Laws?

Cookies have the functionality to track users information who visited the website. Many countries have enacted laws that make guidelines for owners of the website. 

European Union has ePrivacy Directive and GDPR Law. Countries like Japan, UK, Canada, and many countries have privacy laws that ask site owners to get consent of the users and disclose the tracking information about users, what they are tracking for the users.

There is cookie popups when you visit different sites. These pop-ups allow to comply with the cookie laws, GDPR, and any other privacy laws.

How to check which Cookies are used on the WordPress Website?

Google Chrome
You have to visit the WordPress website. After that click on the Not secure icon in the address bar of browser. It will open a menu where you have to click on the “Cookies”.

It will bring up the cookies pop-up where you will see all the cookies set by the different websites in your browser.

You can check cookies in another way i.e. inspect the tool. Simply visit your website and right-click to select the inspect tool or by ctrl + shift+ I.

It will split your browser window and there will be a panel for developer. From here, you have to click on the Application Tab.

Now click on the cookies from the left column and you can see all the cookies on your website. And what type of data is stored by the cookie under the value column. 

Mozilla Firefox

In Mozilla Firefox, visit the website and right-click to select the inspect tool. Now, the browser window will be split and you will see the panel for the developer. Now click on the Storage tab and click on the Cookies to view all the Cookies.

Cookie Laws for WordPress sites

It is mandatory for the website to follow the cookie laws. Follow the given steps to make the site more trustworthy.

Create a Privacy Policy Page

It is required to follow cookies laws and privacy laws.

Install Notification Plugin for cookies

It show a notification that it uses cookies. It convey that it uses cookies by showing notification on the websites.

Check the Tools and plugins that use cookies

It checks cookies of the site to ensure that each cookie is connected to an installed plugin.

Now, you know how to check cookies on your website.