Microsoft Clarity Consent Mode: What You Need to Know

Learn in detail about Microsoft Clarity Consent Mode and why you should consider adding a certified CMP on your website if you are using Microsoft Clarity.

Respecting user consent is no longer optional—it’s a legal requirement. Microsoft Clarity, a powerful analytics and session replay tool, uses cookies to track user behavior. But in regions like the EU, tracking without explicit consent violates GDPR and the ePrivacy Directive.

That’s where Microsoft Clarity Consent Mode steps in. It ensures Clarity only starts collecting data after a visitor agrees. If you’re using Clarity, updating your setup before early 2025 is critical to stay compliant and retain analytics insights. This guide breaks down what Clarity Consent Mode is, how it works, and what it means for your website’s legal and data strategy.

Microsoft Clarity Consent Mode (also called the Clarity Consent API) is essentially a switch that controls Clarity’s tracking based on user consent. In simple terms, it lets your website tell Clarity, “wait until the user says it’s okay before you start collecting data.” By default, the Clarity script would start collecting data as soon as it loads on a page. That included setting cookies to identify a user across sessions right away for every visitor.

Microsoft Clarity’s Consent Mode shifts tracking to an opt-in model. Instead of setting cookies by default, Clarity now waits until a visitor explicitly agrees, usually via your cookie banner or Consent Management Platform (CMP). Without that consent, Clarity stays idle: no session linking, no cookies, no personal data. You may still see basic heatmaps or anonymous stats, but session replays and user-level insights remain disabled.

This change is essential for GDPR and ePrivacy compliance. Microsoft now requires all sites serving users in the EU, UK, or Switzerland to implement Consent Mode by early 2025. If not, Clarity’s full tracking features will be blocked automatically.

Tracking user behavior with tools like Microsoft Clarity involves processing personal data, whether it’s cookies, user IDs, or session recordings. Under GDPR Article 6(1)(a), this type of data collection requires a lawful basis, and the most relevant one for analytics is explicit user consent.

GDPR defines consent as a “freely given, specific, informed and unambiguous” action, meaning users must actively agree to tracking, usually by clicking “Accept” on your cookie banner. Recital 32 makes it clear: silence, inactivity, or pre-ticked boxes don’t count as valid consent. The user must make a deliberate choice.

The ePrivacy Directive (Article 5(3)) backs this up. It states that storing or accessing information (like analytics cookies) is only allowed if the user has been clearly informed and has a chance to refuse. Analytics cookies are non-essential and always require prior consent in the EU, UK, and similar regions.

If your website serves visitors from the EEA, UK, or Switzerland, you’re now required by Microsoft to update your Clarity setup to include Consent Mode. Beginning in early 2025, Clarity will automatically switch to a restricted mode for users in these regions unless it receives a valid consent signal. In practical terms, this means that if you haven’t integrated Consent Mode, Clarity will significantly limit its data collection, impacting both compliance and functionality.

There are two major risks if you don’t act. First, the legal risk: tracking users without explicit consent violates the GDPR and ePrivacy Directive. Regulators across Europe have already penalized sites for failing to meet consent requirements.

Second, there’s a functional risk. Without consent, Clarity won’t set key cookies like _clck, which means it can’t track sessions across multiple pages. Session replays won’t work properly, and user behavior will appear fragmented. You may only get partial insights, like single-page heatmaps, without the context needed to understand full user journeys.

Updating your implementation now helps you avoid legal trouble and ensures you continue to get valuable behavioral data from your visitors.

What You Need to Do

Thankfully, fixing this is simple. Just:

1. Disable automatic tracking in Clarity settings.
2. Update your cookie banner or CMP to call clarity(‘consent’) after the user opts in.
3. Test it across EU and non-EU regions.

1. User Visits Your Website

When a visitor lands on your site, the Microsoft Clarity tracking script can be loaded immediately—but only in an idle state. If you’ve configured Clarity correctly, it won’t set any cookies or start tracking until the user gives explicit consent. This ensures compliance from the very first interaction.

2. User Makes a Choice via Cookie Banner or CMP

Your cookie banner or Consent Management Platform (CMP) presents the visitor with options—typically to accept, reject, or customize their tracking preferences. Analytics tracking (including Clarity) falls under non-essential cookies, so it must be opt-in.

3. Your Website Communicates Consent to Clarity

Once the user gives consent, your website needs to tell Clarity it’s allowed to begin tracking. This is done by calling:

window.clarity(‘consent’);

This command activates Clarity’s full tracking capabilities—setting cookies like _clck and _clsk, and enabling features such as session replays and funnel analysis.

4. Clarity Begins Tracking (If Consent Was Given)

After consent is granted and the API is triggered, Clarity begins tracking user behavior across pages. It retroactively connects interactions from that session and begins collecting detailed analytics in compliance with GDPR.

5. Consent Withdrawn? Disable Tracking Immediately

If the user later changes their mind and withdraws consent, you can disable Clarity tracking by calling:

window.clarity(‘consent’, false);

This clears cookies and stops any further data collection. Most CMPs automate this part, but the manual method gives you added control.

Microsoft Clarity is widely used across industries that rely on user experience and behavioral data. But in every case, Consent Mode ensures insights are only gathered with user permission.

eCommerce: Retailers use Clarity to analyze cart abandonment and checkout friction. With Consent Mode, tracking begins only after the shopper agrees, protecting privacy while improving conversions.

SaaS: Platforms use Clarity to study onboarding flows and feature usage. Consent Mode helps them stay compliant in regulated regions, especially for B2B clients.

Education: E-learning providers track student engagement to enhance learning. Consent Mode ensures data is only collected if students (or parents) opt in—vital for privacy-sensitive environments.

Publishing: News and media sites use Clarity to monitor content performance. Consent Mode ensures tracking aligns with global privacy laws, especially for EU readers.

1. Use a Trusted Consent Management Platform (CMP)
Simplify compliance by using a reliable CMP like WebToffee Cookie Consent (ideal for WordPress). It helps with Microsoft Clarity and automatically triggers tracking only after user consent. They also handle consent logs, region-specific banners, and user preferences with minimal manual setup.

2. Defer Clarity Until After Consent
Never run Clarity before consent. Disable cookies in your Clarity settings, and configure your CMP to block or delay the script. You can also conditionally load Clarity via Google Tag Manager or inside your consent callback.

3. Link Consent Events to Clarity
Make sure your consent banner actively triggers Clarity’s tracking with window.clarity(‘consent’) once a user opts in. Double-check that both Clarity and other tools like GA are activated only after consent is given.

4. Keep a Consent Record
Maintain logs of who gave consent and when. Many CMPs offer built-in audit trails. This is essential for proving compliance and honoring GDPR’s record-keeping requirements.

5. Respect Withdrawals
If a user changes their mind, disable tracking with the window.clarity(‘consent’, false). Ensure your CMP removes Clarity cookies and halts data collection. Avoid re-prompting users who declined—just offer an easy way to opt in again if they choose.

Implementing these steps helps you stay compliant, build trust, and keep your analytics running smoothly, without compromising user privacy.

If you’re running your website on WordPress, the WebToffee GDPR Cookie Consent plugin offers one of the easiest ways to manage Microsoft Clarity’s Consent Mode without touching a line of code.

This plugin is built to handle both Google Consent Mode and Microsoft Clarity Consent Mode, which means it knows exactly when and how to trigger tracking based on the user’s choice. Once set up, it automatically blocks Clarity from setting cookies or collecting data unless the visitor gives explicit consent.

Here’s how it works:

• Auto-Handles Consent Signals: When a user clicks “Accept” on your cookie banner, the plugin automatically sends the required window.clarity(‘consent’) signal to Microsoft Clarity. If the user declines, Clarity stays disabled.
• Blocks Tracking by Default: Clarity’s script is prevented from running until the visitor opts in, ensuring that no cookies (_clck, _clsk) or session data are captured without permission.
• Region-Based Display Rules: The plugin can display the cookie banner only to visitors from GDPR-affected regions (like the EEA, UK, and Switzerland), minimizing friction for users in other areas.
• Consent Logs for Audit-Readiness: WebToffee records user consents—what they agreed to and when—helping you stay ready for privacy audits.
• Easy Integration: No complex coding or third-party middleware required. You can configure everything from your WordPress dashboard with a few clicks.

For WordPress site owners, WebToffee GDPR Cookie Consent is a fast, compliant, and hassle-free solution to manage Clarity’s Consent Mode while keeping your analytics legally sound.

As data privacy regulations tighten across the globe, relying on default tracking behavior is no longer safe or legal. Microsoft Clarity Consent Mode is a necessary update for any website serving users in the EU, UK, or Switzerland. It gives you a simple, effective way to align with GDPR and ePrivacy requirements while still gaining powerful behavioral insights.

By delaying tracking until users explicitly consent, you not only protect their privacy, but you also protect your business from legal risk and future disruptions to your analytics. Implementing Consent Mode may seem technical, but with the right tools, it’s straightforward.

If you’re on WordPress, using a certified solution like the WebToffee GDPR Cookie Consent plugin makes the entire process effortless. From automatically triggering Clarity’s consent signal to keeping audit-ready logs, it helps ensure you’re compliant without sacrificing data or user trust.

We hope this article has helped you understand the complexities of Microsoft Clarity Consent Mode. If you have any queries, please drop them in the comments.