What is the __utmt cookie?
__utmt belongs to the „__utm” family of cookies used by the older Google Analytics tracking library (ga.js), now commonly referred to as „Google Analytics Classic”. It is set by the Google Analytics tracking script when a site still relies on this legacy library, or occasionally by tools that emulate ga.js behaviour.
The cookie typically appears as soon as the analytics script loads and starts communicating with Google's servers, usually on the visitor's first interaction with the page.
What data it stores
__utmt is used strictly to throttle the request rate sent by the analytics script to Google Analytics servers, not to store information about user behaviour. Its value is typically a simple numeric marker, without directly identifying information.
Session data generated by the analytics script (pages viewed, traffic source, events) is sent to Google domains (such as google-analytics.com), where it is aggregated into statistical reports.
What it is used for
From Google's perspective, __utmt helps control how frequently the ga.js script sends requests, protecting its infrastructure from overload. For site owners, its presence indicates that the site still uses the classic (legacy) version of Google Analytics, alongside the rest of the __utm family (__utma, __utmb, __utmc, __utmz).
In practice, it indirectly supports accurate traffic measurement but does not provide marketing or personalisation data.
Does it require consent?
- Category: statistics (analytics)
- Requires prior consent under the ePrivacy Directive (2002/58/EC, transposed in Romania via Law 506/2004) and must be documented in the cookie policy under GDPR
- The site operator must obtain the visitor's explicit consent before this cookie is set, not merely disclose it afterwards
- If the site still relies on ga.js (Google Analytics Classic), migrating to Google Analytics 4, the version currently supported by Google, should be considered
How to block or delete __utmt
A visitor can manually delete or block __utm cookies from browser settings (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari – privacy/cookies section), or use the official Google Analytics Opt-out browser add-on.
At the site level, the operator must ensure the Google Analytics Classic script does not run before consent is given. A CMP such as CookieFix can automatically block the script's execution until the visitor grants consent for the statistics category.
Frequently asked questions
It's a technical cookie used by Google Analytics Classic (ga.js) to throttle the rate of requests sent to Google's servers, not to track user behaviour.
It has a very short lifespan of about 10 minutes before it expires automatically.
Yes, since it's classified as an analytics cookie, it requires prior consent under GDPR and Law 506/2004, even though its technical role is limited.
Some sites still run outdated tracking code (ga.js) that hasn't been migrated to Google Analytics 4, which is why this cookie can still be detected during a scan.