What is the pll_language cookie?
pll_language is a first-party cookie created by Polylang, one of the most widely used multilingual plugins for WordPress. It is set by the website itself, not by an external service, whenever Polylang is active and configured to remember a visitor's language preference.
The cookie is created as soon as a visitor loads a page on the site or manually picks a language from the language switcher provided by the theme or plugin.
What data it stores
The cookie value is typically the language code (for example en, ro, fr) matching the language currently shown to the visitor. It does not store personally identifiable data such as a name, email address, or IP address.
Being a first-party cookie, its value is sent only to the website's own server, not to Polylang's servers or any other third party.
What it is used for
The cookie's purpose is purely functional: it remembers the visitor's chosen language so they don't have to reselect it on every page or on a later visit. For site owners, this improves the user experience on multilingual sites and prevents content from being shown in the wrong language.
Does it require consent?
CookieFix classifies pll_language under the preferences (functional) category. Although it does not track behavior or serve marketing purposes, under a strict reading of the ePrivacy Directive (implemented in Romania via Law 506/2004), preference cookies generally don't qualify for the "strictly necessary" exemption, so prior consent is recommended unless the language selection is an explicit, immediate action requested by the user.
- Site owners must disclose this cookie in their cookie policy, including its purpose and duration.
- Recommended practice: activate it only after consent, except where the language choice is a direct, explicit user request.
How to block or delete pll_language
A visitor can delete or block this cookie via browser settings (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari) in the site-specific cookie management section. Blocking it doesn't break the site, but the preferred language will no longer be remembered between visits.
For site owners, a consent management platform like CookieFix can automatically block the script that sets pll_language until the visitor gives consent for the preferences category, preventing the cookie from being set beforehand.
Frequently asked questions
It's a first-party cookie set by the Polylang plugin on multilingual WordPress sites to remember the visitor's preferred language.
The typical duration is 1 year, though it can vary depending on the specific site configuration.
Since it's classified as a functional preference cookie, prior consent is generally recommended, with limited exceptions when the language selection is an explicit user action.
The site remains functional, but it will no longer automatically remember the chosen language, so the visitor may see the default language again on each visit.