What is the yt-player-headers-readable cookie?
yt-player-headers-readable is a value stored by the YouTube video player (owned by Google) in the browser's localStorage, not a traditional HTTP cookie. It is created automatically by YouTube's embed script, without the host website's involvement.
It appears as soon as a visitor loads a page containing an embedded YouTube video (iframe) or interacts with it, whether playback starts automatically or only on click.
What data it stores
According to Google's public documentation, this entry stores technical information related to the headers used by the player when making requests to YouTube's servers, in order to optimize video content delivery. The exact format of the value is not publicly documented by Google.
The data stays stored locally in localStorage and is read by YouTube/Google scripts on subsequent requests made to Google's infrastructure.
What it is used for
The main purpose is functional: the YouTube player uses it to efficiently manage the technical requests needed for video playback (adaptive streaming, quality, network headers). Based on public information, it does not serve cross-site advertising tracking.
For the site owner, the presence of this entry means a more stable, faster-loading YouTube player, but also an obligation to declare it correctly in the cookie policy.
Does it require consent?
CookieFix classifies it under the preferences (functional) category. Although closely tied to player functionality, it originates from YouTube/Google, a third party, and is treated by ePrivacy the same as a cookie – so we recommend obtaining prior consent rather than relying on the "strictly necessary" exemption.
The site owner should: (1) declare this element in the cookie policy, (2) avoid loading the YouTube iframe before consent (or use the "no cookie" mode via youtube-nocookie.com as a partial alternative), (3) inform users that refusing may prevent videos from playing.
How to block or delete yt-player-headers-readable
Visitors can delete this entry via browser Settings > Privacy > Site data (Chrome/Edge/Firefox) by searching for youtube.com or google.com, or by using incognito/private browsing.
- On the site side, a CMP like CookieFix automatically blocks the YouTube iframe from loading (replacing it with a placeholder) until the visitor accepts the preferences category.
- Alternatively, developers can use the youtube-nocookie.com domain, which reduces but does not fully eliminate data storage.
Frequently asked questions
It's a localStorage entry, not a classic HTTP cookie, but under ePrivacy and GDPR it is treated the same as a cookie.
It's set automatically by the YouTube video player (Google) whenever a YouTube video is embedded on a page.
Yes, since it's a functional element from a third party, CookieFix recommends prior consent under the preferences category.
The YouTube player may run less efficiently or the video may fail to load, depending on the site's configuration.