What is the intercom-id- cookie?
intercom-id- is an HTTP cookie set by Intercom, a service used for live chat, messaging and customer support embedded on websites. The cookie name is not fixed: after the prefix "intercom-id-" comes an identifier for the specific Intercom app (workspace) configured by the site owner.
It usually appears as soon as the Intercom widget loads on a page, even if the visitor never opens or interacts with the chat, because the script needs a persistent identifier to recognize the session.
What data it stores
The cookie stores a unique identifier assigned to the visitor, generated by Intercom to recognize them on later visits to the same site or domain. The value is typically an alphanumeric string with no human-readable meaning and no personal data directly embedded in it.
This value is sent to Intercom's servers with each widget interaction, where it can be linked to other browsing session data, visited pages, and — if the visitor submits a form or logs in — contact details.
What it is used for
From Intercom's side, the cookie ties chat conversations, events and browsing behavior to a single visitor across return visits. This allows building visitor profiles, segmenting contacts, and triggering automated or targeted messages.
For the site owner, this provides full context for support or sales teams (conversation history, pages viewed) and enables behavior-based marketing messaging, which is why it is classified as a marketing/tracking cookie rather than strictly necessary.
Does it require consent?
- Category: marketing (advertising/tracking)
- Consent required: yes — under the ePrivacy Directive and GDPR, a cookie used for persistent identification and behavioral profiling is not "strictly necessary" for the site to function, so it requires prior visitor consent.
- Site owner obligations: disclose the cookie in the cookie policy (provider, purpose, duration); obtain explicit consent before loading the Intercom widget for EU/EEA visitors; make withdrawing consent as easy as giving it.
How to block or delete intercom-id-
A visitor can manually delete the intercom-id- cookie from browser settings (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari — cookies/site data section) or block Intercom's scripts using a tracker-blocking extension. Deleting the cookie causes Intercom to generate a new identifier on the next visit.
For site owners, the correct fix isn't manual deletion but preventing the Intercom widget from loading before consent. A consent management platform like CookieFix can automatically block the Intercom script until the visitor accepts the marketing category, avoiding the cookie being set without a legal basis.
Frequently asked questions
It's an identification cookie set by Intercom to recognize a unique visitor of the chat/support widget embedded on a website.
Yes, since it's used for tracking and behavioral profiling, it's classified as marketing and requires prior visitor consent under the ePrivacy Directive and GDPR.
It typically lasts 9 months, after which it expires automatically unless renewed by a new visit.
Use a consent management platform (CMP) that stops the Intercom script from loading until the visitor accepts the marketing category, or delete it manually from the browser as an individual visitor.