Troubleshooting

Common issues and solutions for CookieFast implementation.

Banner Not Showing

Issue: Banner doesn't appear on page load

Possible Causes:

1. Property is inactive

   • Check dashboard → Properties → Status
   • Ensure property is marked as "Active"

2. Incorrect API key

   • Verify API key matches dashboard
   • Check for typos or extra spaces
   • Ensure data-api-key attribute is set correctly

3. Domain mismatch

   • Banner only works on registered domain
   • Check property settings for correct domain
   • Subdomains are automatically supported

4. User is outside EEA

   • Non-EAA visitors don't see the banner (auto-accept)
   • Test with VPN or EU location
   • Check console for auto_accept_us event

5. Consent already given

   • User may have already consented
   • Clear cookies: cookiefast_consent
   • Try incognito/private browsing

6. JavaScript errors

   • Open DevTools → Console
   • Look for errors blocking execution
   • Check network tab for failed script load

Scripts Not Executing

Issue: Analytics or marketing scripts don't run after consent

Possible Causes:

1. User rejected category

   • Check which categories user accepted
   • Analytics scripts need "Analytics" consent
   • Marketing scripts need "Marketing" consent

2. Invalid JavaScript syntax

   • Check dashboard script configuration
   • Test scripts in browser console first
   • Look for syntax errors

3. Script URLs blocked

   • Check DevTools → Network tab
   • Verify third-party scripts load
   • Check for CORS issues or ad blockers

4. Order of execution

   • Some scripts depend on others loading first
   • Reorder scripts in dashboard if needed

Consent Not Persisting

Issue: Banner reappears on every page load

Possible Causes:

1. Cookies disabled

   • User browser blocks cookies
   • Private/incognito mode
   • Third-party cookie restrictions

2. Domain issues

   • Cookie set for wrong domain
   • Subdomain mismatch
   • HTTPS/HTTP mismatch

3. localStorage cleared

   • Browser extensions clearing data
   • User clearing site data
   • Browser in private mode

You can run this test:

// Check if cookies work
document.cookie = "test=1; path=/";
console.log('Cookies enabled:', document.cookie.includes('test=1'));

// Check localStorage
try {
  localStorage.setItem('test', '1');
  console.log('localStorage works');
} catch (e) {
  console.error('localStorage blocked:', e);
}

Performance Issues

Issue: Banner slows down page load

Possible Causes:

1. Synchronous loading

   • Missing async attribute on script tag
   • Blocking page rendering

2. Large analytics scripts

   • Too many third-party scripts
   • Heavy marketing tools loading

3. Network latency

   • CDN not responding quickly
   • Geo-detection API slow

Possible Solution: Preconnect to CookieFast CDN as follows

<!-- Always use async -->
<script
  async
  src="https://cdn.cookiefa.st/cookiefast.js"
  data-api-key="your-api-key"
></script>

<!-- Preconnect to CDN for faster loading -->
<link rel="preconnect" href="https://cdn.cookiefa.st">

Cookie Settings Button Not Working

Issue: Clicking "Cookie Settings" link doesn't reopen banner

Possible Causes:

1. Wrong element ID

   • HTML element ID must be exactly cookiefast-banner-trigger
   • Case-sensitive
   • No typos

2. Element not clickable

   • Your CSS hiding element
   • Z-index issue
   • JavaScript error preventing click handler

3. Script not loaded

   • CookieFast script failed to load
   • Script loaded after element rendered

Correct implementation examples:

<!-- Correct installation -->
<span id="cookiefast-banner-trigger" style="cursor: pointer;">
  Cookie Settings
</span>

<!-- Works with any element -->
<button id="cookiefast-banner-trigger">
  Manage Cookies
</button>

<!-- Can be styled -->
<a href="#" id="cookiefast-banner-trigger" class="footer-link">
  Cookie Preferences
</a>

Geo-Detection Not Working

Example Issue: US visitors see banner (should be auto-accepted for non-EEA)

Possible Causes:

1. VPN or proxy

   • User appears to be in different location
   • Corporate proxy masking location

2. API failure

   • ipapi.co request failed
   • Rate limit exceeded (free tier)
   • Network error

3. Cache issue

   • sessionStorage has wrong location
   • Old cached location data

Analytics Not Tracking

Issue: Events not appearing in CookieFast dashboard

Possible Causes:

1. Incorrect API key

   • Using wrong property API key
   • API key belongs to different property

2. Network blocked

   • Firewall blocking requests
   • Ad blocker preventing tracking
   • CORS issues

3. Property deleted

   • Property was deleted from dashboard
   • API key no longer valid

Multiple Banners Appearing

Issue: More than one banner shows on the page

Possible Causes:

1. Duplicate script tags

   • Script included multiple times
   • In both head and body
   • In layout and page templates

2. Multiple properties

   • Different API keys on same page
   • Testing with wrong configuration

Solution:

# Search for duplicate scripts in your code
grep -r "cookiefast.js" your-project-folder/

Known Issues

• Internet Explorer: Not supported (use modern browser)
• Opera Mini: Limited support (proxied browsing)