What is the tk_lr cookie?
tk_lr is an HTTP cookie used by Jetpack, the plugin from Automattic (the company behind WordPress.com) that adds traffic statistics, security, and other features to WordPress sites. It belongs to the family of "tk_" cookies (short for "tracking") used by the Jetpack Stats module.
It is set automatically by the Jetpack Stats script whenever a visitor loads a page on a WordPress site that has the statistics module enabled, regardless of which other Jetpack features the site owner uses.
What data it stores
The tk_lr cookie stores the referrer URL — the site or page the visitor came from before landing on the current site. It does not contain direct identifiers such as a name or email address.
The exact value format is not publicly documented by Automattic; the collected data is sent to Jetpack/WordPress.com servers to be aggregated into the statistics reports shown in the Jetpack dashboard.
What it is used for
Its main purpose is traffic analysis: Jetpack Stats uses referrer information to show the site owner where visitors are coming from (search engines, social networks, other websites, etc.), complementing pageviews and other metrics in the Jetpack "Stats" section.
For the site owner, this data helps understand traffic sources and evaluate the effectiveness of promotion channels; it is not used to serve targeted advertising.
Does it require consent?
In CookieFix's classification, tk_lr falls under the statistics (analytics) category. Since it is not strictly necessary for the site's technical operation, under the ePrivacy Directive (transposed in Romania via Law 506/2004) and GDPR it requires the visitor's prior consent before being set.
- Site owners must list it explicitly in their cookie policy.
- The Jetpack Stats script must be blocked until consent for the statistics category is given.
- Consent must be as easy to withdraw as it was to give.
How to block or delete tk_lr
Visitors can delete or block tk_lr from their browser settings (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari) — usually under "Privacy" / "Cookies and site data," where the cookie can be searched by domain or cleared entirely.
For site owners, blocking it automatically before consent is essential: CookieFix, as a CMP, can block the Jetpack Stats script (and by extension the tk_lr cookie) until the visitor accepts the statistics category, preventing non-consented placement of analytics cookies.
Frequently asked questions
It's a statistics cookie set by Jetpack Stats on WordPress sites, used to store the referrer page the visitor arrived from.
It's set by the Jetpack plugin (Automattic), specifically the WordPress.com/Jetpack Stats module, when enabled on a site.
Yes. As an analytics cookie, it's not strictly necessary, so under GDPR and ePrivacy it requires prior consent before being placed.
Its typical duration is 1 year, after which it expires automatically if the visitor doesn't return to the site.