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Cookies Set by the Hotjar Tracking Code

This article is about Hotjar Tracking Code cookies and not about cookies set by hotjar.com

If you're looking for information on cookies set when visiting our website at hotjar.com, see the article Cookies on hotjar.com.

Cookies are small pieces of data that a website adds to a user’s browser. They can provide both essential and useful purposes. Hotjar Tracking Code cookies are set on a visitor's browser when they visit a website that loads the Hotjar Tracking Code. These cookies allow the Hotjar Tracking Code to function correctly.

You can request that Hotjar not process your information across any site on the web that has installed the Hotjar Tracking Code. For more information on this and to make a request, visit our Do Not Track page.

This article provides more detail about cookies that are set by the Hotjar Tracking Code and answers some common questions we receive.

Cookies FAQ

  • My website uses Hotjar, how do I make visitors aware of Hotjar’s cookies and classify them (e.g. marketing, analytical, performance, etc.)?

    Given the complexities around jurisdictions, privacy laws/regulations, and how you and your team intend to use Hotjar, it's best that you seek guidance from your own legal counsel when determining which cookies need to be listed on your site and whether or not a cookie manager should be utilized.

    Similarly, your legal counsel will be able to help you determine how to classify cookies. Hotjar cannot assist with any questions that might have legal implications.

  • Are Hotjar Tracking Code cookies first-party or third-party cookies?

    Hotjar Tracking Code cookies are created via a script that is executed from the host domain, making them first-party cookies.

  • Does Hotjar capture users who have disabled cookies in their web browser?

    Hotjar does not track or record users who have cookies disabled. The Hotjar Tracking Code doesn't properly load its different components if it detects that cookies are disabled. You can learn more about which traffic Hotjar can and can’t capture in our article on Does Hotjar track all your users?

  • How can I prevent the Hotjar Tracking Code from loading on my site until a visitor accepts cookies?

    Solutions exist for blocking the loading of cookies until a website visitor has given consent using a consent window. The cookie consent solution that works best for you will depend on how your website is set up and the technologies being used. To help with this, you’ll need to speak with your website developer or the platform that hosts your website.

  • Can I specify cookies only apply to one of my subdomains?

    Tracking Code cookies are set to the .topleveldomain.com of your website including all subdomains to ensure we can provide a seamless session capture between the top-level domain and subdomains of your website. It’s not possible to specify Hotjar cookies only apply to a specific subdomain of your website.

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List of cookies set by the Hotjar Tracking Code

These cookies apply when the Hotjar Tracking Code has been loaded and ensure the Hotjar Tracking Code functions correctly. Mentions of site_id refer to the unique ID allocated to an individual site when it is created in Hotjar.

In order for Hotjar features and tools to function correctly, all the cookies below should be allowed.

Relating to the user

Cookie name

Description

_hjSessionUser_{site_id}
  • Set when a user first lands on a page.
  • Persists the Hotjar User ID which is unique to that site.
  • Ensures data from subsequent visits to the same site are attributed to the same user ID.
  • 365 days duration.
  • JSON data type.

_hjid
  • Set when a user first lands on a page.
  • Persists the Hotjar User ID which is unique to that site.
  • Ensures data from subsequent visits to the same site are attributed to the same user ID.
  • 365 days duration.
  • UUID data type.

_hjFirstSeen
  • Identifies a new user’s first session.
  • Used by Recording filters to identify new user sessions.
  • Session duration.
  • Boolean true/false data type.

_hjUserAttributesHash
  • User Attributes sent through the Hotjar Identify API are cached for the duration of the session.
  • Enables us to know when an attribute has changed and needs to be updated.
  • Session duration.
  • Hash data type.

_hjCachedUserAttributes
  • Stores User Attributes sent through the Hotjar Identify API, whenever the user is not in the sample.
  • Collected attributes will only be saved to Hotjar servers if the user interacts with a Hotjar Feedback tool.
  • Cookie used regardless of whether a Feedback tool is present.
  • Session duration.
  • JSON data type.

_hjViewportId
  • Stores user viewport details such as size and dimensions.
  • Session duration.
  • UUID data type.

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Relating to the session

Cookie name

Description

_hjSession_{site_id}
  • Holds current session data.
  • Ensures subsequent requests in the session window are attributed to the same session.
  • 30 minutes duration.
  • JSON data type.

_hjSessionTooLarge
  • Causes Hotjar to stop collecting data if a session becomes too large.
  • Determined automatically by a signal from the WebSocket server if the session size exceeds the limit.
  • Session duration.
  • Boolean true/false data type.

_hjSessionRejected
  • If present, set to '1' for the duration of a user's session, when Hotjar has rejected the session from connecting to our WebSocket due to server overload.
  • Applied in extremely rare situations to prevent severe performance issues.
  • Session duration.
  • Boolean true/false data type.

_hjSessionResumed
  • Set when a session/recording is reconnected to Hotjar servers after a break in connection.
  • Session duration.
  • Boolean true/false data type.

_hjLocalStorageTest
  • Checks if the Hotjar Tracking Code can use local storage.
    If it can, a value of 1 is set.
  • Data stored in_hjLocalStorageTest has no expiration time, but it is deleted almost immediately after it is created.
  • Under 100ms duration.
  • Boolean true/false data type.

_hjIncludedInPageviewSample
  • Set to determine if a user is included in the data sampling defined by your site's pageview limit.
  • 30 minutes duration.
  • Boolean true/false data type.

_hjIncludedInSessionSample
  • Set to determine if a user is included in the data sampling defined by your site's daily session limit.
  • 30 minutes duration.
  • Boolean true/false data type.

_hjAbsoluteSessionInProgress
  • Used to detect the first pageview session of a user.
  • 30 minutes duration.
  • Boolean true/false data type.

_hjTLDTest
  • We try to store the _hjTLDTest cookie for different URL substring alternatives until it fails.
  • Enables us to try to determine the most generic cookie path to use, instead of page hostname.
  • It means that cookies can be shared across subdomains (where applicable).
  • After this check, the cookie is removed.
  • Session duration.
  • Boolean true/false data type.

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Relating to Recordings

Cookie name

Description

_hjRecordingEnabled
  • Set when a Recording starts.
  • Read when the Recording module is initialized to see if the user is already in a recording in a particular session.
  • Session duration.
  • Boolean true/false data type.

_hjRecordingLastActivity
  • Set in Session storage as opposed to cookies.
  • Updated when a user recording starts and when data is sent through the WebSocket (the user performs an action that Hotjar records).
  • Session duration.
  • Numerical Value (Timestamp) data type.

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Relating to Feedback and Survey tools

Cookie name

Description

_hjClosedSurveyInvites
  • Set when a user interacts with a Link Survey invitation modal.
  • Ensures the same invite does not reappear if it has already been shown.
  • 365 days duration.
  • Boolean true/false data type.

_hjDonePolls
  • Set when a user completes an on-site Survey.
  • Ensures the same Survey does not reappear if it has already been filled in.
  • 365 days duration.
  • Boolean true/false data type.

_hjMinimizedPolls
  • Set when a user minimizes an on-site Survey.
  • Ensures that the Survey stays minimized when the user navigates through your site.
  • 365 days duration.
  • Boolean true/false data type.

_hjShownFeedbackMessage
  • Set when a user minimizes or completes a Feedback widget.
  • Ensures the Feedback widget will load as minimized if the user navigates to another page where it is set to show.
  • 365 days duration.
  • Boolean true/false data type.

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See also

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