Steps on how to create and style a banner that informs your visitors of cookies.

Cookies are small pieces of data that websites store on a device. Squarespace and, other third-party services, place cookies on visitors’ browsers. Placing cookies:

• Helps your site run effectively
• Provides the best experience for your visitors
• Helps you learn more about traffic to your site

As the website owner, certain laws may require you to:

• Inform your visitors of cookies placed by your website
• Receive visitors’ permission to use certain types of cookies, for example, non-essential cookies 

You can disable these cookies, or use a cookie banner to notify your visitors and offer consent options. Use this guide to learn how to add a banner to your site.

Learn more about the cookies Squarespace and third-party services place on your visitors’ browsers.

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Cookie banner settings

Before setting up your cookie banner, review the table below to learn more about the different settings and what options they provide your visitors when you enable the cookie banner:

Note: If your site has custom code injection that drops non-essential cookies, you may want to ensure your cookie banner can interact with the code. For example, Google provides a sample code snippet you can use to integrate the banner with Google Analytics. Keep in mind, custom code modifications fall outside the scope of our support. This means we’re unable to help you set up or troubleshoot code-based solutions.

Adding a cookie banner to your site

To display a cookie banner on your site:

1. Open the Cookies & Data Privacy panel.
2. Switch on the toggle beside Cookie banner.
3. Choose which buttons to display in your cookie banner:
   • Decline all button - Allows visitors to reject all non-essential cookies
   • Manage cookies button - Allows visitors to customize their cookie preferences
4. (Optional) Customize your button labels and disclaimer text. 
5. (Optional) To include a cookie preferences option, choose the Subfooter or Pill layout. If you don’t want to give your visitors the option to edit their cookie preferences at any time, choose Hidden. 
6. Choose whether to include activity log data in Analytics.
7. Click Save.
8. To change the color, position, and text size of your banner, under Preview, click Customize Banner Style. 

Note: Cookie notice requirements vary depending on your location and cookie use. While we provide sample text you can use, you shouldn’t assume that it satisfies your particular legal requirements.

Turning the cookie banner off

To turn off your cookie banner:

1. Open the Cookies & Data Privacy panel.
2. Switch off the toggle beside Cookie banner.

If you turn the cookie banner off and select Restrict Cookies from the non-essential cookies dropdown menu, a visitor won’t have the option to accept or decline cookies. As a result, some content that drops non-essential cookies won’t function, and your visitors won’t be able to opt in. 

Restrict non-essential cookies until visitors acknowledge your banner

To prevent Squarespace, and some third party integrations, from placing non-essential cookies on visitors’ browsers until visitors accept them by clicking the confirmation message on your banner:

1. Open the Cookies & Data Privacy panel.
2. Switch the toggle on beside Cookie Banner to add the banner.
3. By default, we’ll restrict some non-essential cookies. You can review your non-essential cookie settings under Advanced Privacy Settings, next to Non-essential cookies.
4. Click Save.

Learn more about disabling non-essential cookies without displaying a cookie banner. 

Styling the cookie banner

The way you style your cookie banner depends on your site's version:

Preview the banner

To preview the banner, log out of your Squarespace account or open your site in Private Browsing or Incognito mode. The banner doesn’t display when you’re logged in.

Add a link to your privacy or cookie policy

To create a separate privacy or cookie policy and link to it from your banner, follow these steps:

1. Add a layout page. Name it Privacy Policy or Cookie Policy (or something similar), and add your policy text.
2. Return to the Cookie Banner panel. In the text field, add a link to the new page.
3. Click Save.

For more help, visit Sharing policies and terms on your site.

Tip: To hide this page from your navigation menu, add it to the Not linked section. You can also hide it from search engines.

Note: Squarespace can’t provide advice about the content of a privacy or cookie policy page.

Activity log

Enable or disable the activity log to choose whether you receive activity log data in analytics. To learn more, visit Activity log.