How to Install and Configure CookieYes on WordPress (Step-by-Step Setup Guide)

Step 1 – Create Your CookieYes Account

Before installing the WordPress plugin, you need to create a CookieYes account.

Go to the CookieYes website and click the “Get Started Free” button in the top right corner.

👉 View CookieYes pricing and create your account

Then complete the registration:

1. Enter your email address

2. Add your website domain

3. Create your account

Most small WordPress websites can start with the Free plan, which supports up to 5,000 monthly visitors.

If your website receives more traffic or uses advanced tracking tools, you can start with the 14-day Pro trial and downgrade later if needed.

After your account is created, you’ll be taken to the CookieYes dashboard where you can start configuring your cookie banner.

👉 Detailed guide: How to Create a CookieYes Account (Step-by-Step)

Now that your account is ready, let’s install the plugin on your WordPress website.

Step 2 – Install the CookieYes WordPress Plugin

Now install the official CookieYes plugin on your WordPress website.

1. Go to Plugins → Add New

2. Search for CookieYes

3. Click the “Install Now” button

4. Click the “Activate” button

After activation, you’ll see CookieYes in your WordPress admin menu.

Step 3 – Connect the WordPress Plugin to Your CookieYes Account

After installing and activating the plugin, open:

WordPress → CookieYes → Dashboard

You should now see something like this:

On the CookieYes dashboard, click “Connect to an existing account”.

After clicking Connect to an existing account inside the WordPress plugin, you’ll be redirected to a confirmation screen.

You’ll see:

• Your logged-in email address

• The website domain that will be connected

• A confirmation button

To complete the connection, click “Connect Site to CookieYes”.

What Happens After You Click “Connect Site”?

Once confirmed:

• Your WordPress site connects to your CookieYes account

• Banner settings sync automatically

• Advanced plan features activate (if you’re on a paid plan)

• Cookie scanning becomes available

• Consent logs are stored securely in the cloud

You’ll then be redirected back to your WordPress dashboard.

Step 4 – Scan Your Website for Cookies

After connecting, go to: CookieYes → Cookie Manager or directly to your Web App dashboard.

Then click the “Scan now” button.

Cookie scanning is important because privacy laws such as GDPR and CCPA require websites to identify and categorize cookies before showing a consent banner.

The scan will:

• Detect cookies

• Identify trackers

• Automatically categorize cookies

• Generate a cookie declaration

This usually takes a few minutes.

Step 5 – Review and Adjust Detected Cookies

After the scan completes, CookieYes will display a list of detected cookies and trackers.

You’ll see details such as:

• Cookie name

• Provider (e.g., Google, Meta, Stripe)

• Duration (expiry time)

• Type (first-party or third-party)

• Assigned category

Most cookies are automatically categorized into:

• Necessary

• Functional

• Analytics

• Performance

• Advertisement

Edit Cookie Categories If Needed

If something looks incorrect:

1. Open the cookie entry.

2. Change its category.

3. Update the description if necessary.

4. Save changes.

This ensures your cookie declaration is accurate and transparent.

What Changes After Review?

Once reviewed and saved:

• Your banner will block non-essential cookies before consent

• The “Customize” button will show correct categories

• Your cookie declaration page will update automatically

If you install new plugins or tracking tools later, remember to run the scan again.

Step 6 – Make Sure Your Banner Works

Before considering the setup complete:

1. Open your website in Incognito mode.

2. On your website, click the “Reject All” button.

3. Refresh the page.

4. Make sure analytics and marketing cookies do not load.

5. Then click the “Accept All” button and verify that tracking activates correctly.

6. (Optional) Open Developer Tools → Application → Cookies to verify that no non-essential cookies are stored before consent.

If everything works correctly, your setup is complete.

For a full technical testing guide (including DevTools verification), see our detailed tutorial below: 👉 How to Test If Your Cookie Banner Is Working Properly

Summary

Installing CookieYes on WordPress is straightforward when you follow the setup steps carefully. Once installed, your cookie banner can block non-essential cookies and help your website comply with privacy regulations like GDPR, CCPA, and other cookie laws.

In this guide, you learned how to:

• Choose the right CookieYes plan

• Create and activate your account

• Configure your banner template

• Install the official WordPress plugin

• Connect your site to CookieYes

• Run a cookie scan

• Verify that your banner works correctly

Your WordPress cookie banner should now be live and correctly configured for privacy compliance.

What to Do Next

Now that CookieYes is installed, the next step is to optimize your setup and test that your banner works correctly.