What is the wp-settings-time- cookie?
wp-settings-time- is a cookie automatically generated by the WordPress content management system, paired with the wp-settings- cookie. The full name includes, after the hyphen, a unique numeric identifier of the WordPress user account, so each logged-in person gets their own version of the cookie.
It only appears when a user logs into the admin area (wp-admin) of a WordPress site, whether as administrator, editor, or another role with backend access. It is not set for regular visitors of the public-facing part of the site, only for accounts that access the control panel.
What data it stores
The cookie stores a timestamp value (Unix time) indicating when the user's interface preferences in wp-admin were last saved (for example, the shown/hidden state of certain panels or other display settings). It does not contain personal data on its own, aside from the implicit link to the user ID included in the cookie name.
The value is sent only to the WordPress site's own domain, to the admin area, and is read exclusively by WordPress core, not by third-party services.
What it is used for
The cookie's purpose is purely functional: WordPress uses it, together with wp-settings-, to determine when saved interface settings for a given admin user need to be refreshed. Essentially, it helps keep the editing experience consistent across sessions.
It has nothing to do with analyzing traffic, advertising, or profiling visitors of the public site — it is only relevant to those who administer or edit content.
Does it require consent?
In CookieFix's classification, wp-settings-time- is categorized as strictly necessary, since it is essential for the WordPress admin panel to function correctly and is not used for statistics, marketing, or user-facing preference purposes.
- Under GDPR and the ePrivacy rules (in Romania, Law 506/2004), strictly necessary cookies do not require prior user consent.
- The site owner should still list it in the cookie policy, along with its purpose and duration.
- It does not need to be blocked by a consent banner, since it only concerns users logged into the backend, not public visitors.
How to block or delete wp-settings-time-
A logged-in user can manually delete or block this cookie via browser settings (history/cookies), but doing so will only reset some wp-admin display preferences, without affecting the public site.
Because it is strictly necessary and limited to the admin area, it is neither advisable nor necessary to block it via a consent banner. A CMP like CookieFix is useful for automatically blocking scripts in the statistics and marketing categories until consent is given, but technical cookies like wp-settings-time- remain active, as they are essential for site administration.
Frequently asked questions
It's a technical cookie set by WordPress in the admin area that records when a logged-in user's interface preferences were last updated.
No, since it's classified as strictly necessary, it does not require visitor consent under GDPR and ePrivacy, but it should be listed in the cookie policy.
Its typical duration is one year, though WordPress may reset or update the value each time the user logs in or changes preferences.
The number is the unique WordPress user account ID, so each logged-in person has their own separate cookie.