What is the _hjid cookie?
_hjid is an HTTP cookie created by Hotjar, a behavioral analytics service (heatmaps, session recordings, surveys and feedback) used by website owners to understand how visitors interact with their pages.
The cookie appears in the browser as soon as the Hotjar script loads on a page and runs for the first time, regardless of whether the visitor actively interacts with the site.
What data it stores
The cookie stores a unique, automatically generated Hotjar User ID that does not directly contain a name, email address, or other directly identifying information. This ID is used to link together sessions from the same visitor.
The value is an alphanumeric string generated by the Hotjar script; the exact format can vary and is not documented publicly in detail by the provider. Data tied to this ID is sent to Hotjar Ltd's servers.
What it is used for
For Hotjar, _hjid is essential for consistently recognizing a visitor across multiple pages and, depending on configuration, across later visits, so that session recordings and heatmaps accurately reflect a single user's behavior.
For the site owner, this means more coherent statistics about user journeys, where visitors drop off, and which areas of a page get the most attention — information used to optimize UX.
Does it require consent?
Under CookieFix's classification, _hjid falls under the statistics (analytics) category. As a cookie used to measure user behavior, it is not strictly necessary for the site to function.
- It requires prior visitor consent under the ePrivacy Directive (2002/58/EC) and GDPR (Regulation 2016/679).
- The Hotjar script should only run after the visitor accepts the "statistics" category in the consent banner.
- The site owner must disclose this cookie, its purpose, and duration in the cookie policy.
How to block or delete _hjid
A visitor can delete or block _hjid from their browser's cookie settings (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari), either by clearing existing cookies or blocking third-party cookies. Many browsers also offer dedicated extensions for blocking analytics scripts.
For site owners, the correct approach is to automatically block the Hotjar script before consent is obtained, rather than only deleting the cookie afterward. A CMP such as CookieFix can prevent the Hotjar script from loading until the visitor accepts the "statistics" category, avoiding premature setting of the _hjid cookie.
Frequently asked questions
It does not directly contain a name or email, just a unique identifier used for statistical analysis. However, combined with other collected data, it can be considered personal data under GDPR.
Hotjar will generate a new identifier on the next visit, treating it as a separate session, which can affect the accuracy of the statistics collected by the site.
Yes, since it's an analytics cookie, it should only be activated after the visitor gives explicit consent for the statistics category.
Its typical duration is 1 year from when it is set or last updated, unless the visitor deletes it manually beforehand.