Articles in this section

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. 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. Apart from cookies, the Hotjar Tracking Code uses local and session storage as well.

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.

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.

Back to top

List of cookies set by the Hotjar Tracking Code

The following cookies, local and session storage items 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 items below should be allowed.

Relating to the user

Name

Data storage type

Description

_hjSessionUser_{site_id}

 Cookie
  • Set when a user first lands on a page.
  • Persists the Hotjar User ID which is unique to that site. Hotjar does not track users across different sites.
  • Ensures data from subsequent visits to the same site are attributed to the same user ID.
  • 365 days duration.
  • JSON data type.

_hjid

 Cookie
  • This is an old cookie that we do not set anymore, but if a user has it unexpired in their browser, we will reuse its value and migrate to _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.
  • UUID data type.

_hjFirstSeen

 Cookie
  • Identifies a new user’s first session.
  • Used by Recording filters to identify new user sessions.
  • 30 minutes duration, extended on user activity.
  • Boolean true/false data type.

_hjHasCachedUserAttributes

 Cookie
  • Enables us to know whether the data set in _hjUserAttributes Local Storage item is up to date or not.
  • Session duration.
  • Boolean true/false data type.

_hjUserAttributesHash

 Cookie
  • Enables us to know when any User Attribute has changed and needs to be updated.
  • 2 minutes duration, extended every 30 seconds.
  • Content hash data type.

_hjUserAttributes

 Local storage item
  • Stores User Attributes sent through the Hotjar Identify API.
  • No explicit expiration.
  • Base64 encoded JSON data type.

hjViewportId

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

hjActiveViewportIds

 Local storage item
  • Stores user active viewports IDs.
  • Stores an expirationTimestamp that is used to validate active viewports on script initialization.
  • JSON data type.

Back to top

Relating to the session

Name

Data storage type

Description

_hjSession_{site_id}

 Cookie
  • Holds current session data.
  • Ensures subsequent requests in the session window are attributed to the same session.
  • 30 minutes duration, extended on user activity.
  • JSON data type.

_hjSessionTooLarge

 Cookie
  • Causes Hotjar to stop collecting data if a session becomes too large.
  • Determined automatically by a signal from the server if the session size exceeds the limit.
  • 1h duration.
  • Boolean true/false data type.

_hjSessionResumed

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

_hjCookieTest

 Cookie
  • Checks to see if the Hotjar Tracking Code can use cookies. If it can, a value of 1 is set.
  • Deleted almost immediately after it is created.
  • Under 100ms duration, cookie expiration time set to session duration.
  • Boolean true/false data type.

_hjLocalStorageTest

 Cookie
  • 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.

_hjSessionStorageTest

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

_hjIncludedInPageviewSample

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

_hjIncludedInSessionSample_{site_id}

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

_hjAbsoluteSessionInProgress

 Cookie
  • Used to detect the first pageview session of a user.
  • 30 minutes duration, extended on user activity.
  • Boolean true/false data type.

_hjTLDTest

 Cookie
  • 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.

Back to top

Relating to Recordings

Name

Data storage type

Description

_hjRecordingEnabled

 Session storage item
  • 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

 Session storage item
  • Updated when a user recording starts and when data is sent to the server (the user performs an action that Hotjar records).
  • Session duration.
  • Numerical value (timestamp) data type.

Back to top

Relating to Feedback and Survey tools

Name

Data storage type

Description

_hjClosedSurveyInvites

 Cookie
  • 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.
  • List of Survey IDs, URL encoded.

_hjDonePolls

 Cookie
  • 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.
  • List of Survey IDs, URL encoded.

_hjMinimizedPolls

 Cookie
  • 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.
  • List of Survey IDs, URL encoded.

_hjShownFeedbackMessage

 Cookie
  • 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.
  • One day duration.
  • Boolean true/false data type.

Back to top

See also

Related articles