In this guide · 7 sections
Short answer
From 15 June 2026, the Google Signals setting in GA4 only controls signed-in data for GA reports. Whether the Analytics tag collects Google Ads cookies and IDs is now governed by Consent Mode (ad_storage). Check that your banner and tags send consent signals correctly.
What Google changed on 15 June 2026
The source is Google's Analytics help article Updates to Google Analytics Data Controls. Until now, data flowing from a linked GA4 property into Google Ads was governed by two layers: settings in GA4 (Google Signals, ads personalisation switches) and settings in Ads. Google is consolidating this so that, for linked properties, Google Ads settings exclusively control Ads data and GA4 settings exclusively control data used for GA reporting.
| Control | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Google Ads cookies and IDs from the GA tag | Google Signals in GA4 plus Consent Mode | Consent Mode ad_storage only (from 15 Jun 2026) |
| Google Signals switch in GA4 | Also affected Ads cookies and IDs | Only links GA data to signed-in users for behavioural reporting |
| Ads personalisation of GA data | Account, property, Ads link and event settings in GA4 | Consent Mode ad_personalization (later in 2026, date not yet announced) |
| IP addresses from the Google tag | Used by GA | Encrypted and flow to the linked Ads account, used per Ads settings (date to be announced) |
Google says the remaining dates for ads personalisation and IP address controls will be shared later this year. Re-check the help article before relying on the last two rows.
Why your linked conversions or audiences can change
Many small advertisers import GA4 key events as Google Ads conversions, or use GA4 audiences for remarketing. Under the new rule, the Analytics tag collects Ads cookies and IDs only when Consent Mode's ad_storage allows it. Google's consent mode help page notes that if you set the default for ad_storage to denied, Google Ads will not use these cookies and IDs.
- Banner defaults to denied and many visitors ignore it: fewer Ads identifiers reach Google Ads, so fewer conversions can be tied to clicks and remarketing lists grow more slowly. Advanced consent mode sends cookieless pings that Google uses for modelling; basic mode sends nothing until consent.
- You turned off Google Signals to limit ad use: that switch no longer does this job. If you need to stop Ads cookies from the GA tag, set ad_storage to denied.
- No Consent Mode at all: Google's documentation says advanced consent mode defaults to a consented state unless a choice has been made, with regional differences for the EEA, Switzerland and the UK. Check what your own tags actually send rather than assuming.
None of this means conversions must drop. It means the consent setup on your site, not a GA4 toggle, now decides what Ads receives, so a mistake there shows up in your ad results.
Does this matter for a Singapore website?
Yes, even though most visitors are outside the EEA. Singapore's PDPA has no cookie-specific rule, but the PDPC treats personal data collected through cookies under the general consent and notification obligations; our cookie banner and Consent Mode guide covers when a Singapore site needs consent and how to set it up. This guide is not legal advice.
The June change adds a practical reason to get it right: your consent signals now steer Ads data directly. If you serve visitors from the EU or UK as well, Google already requires Consent Mode signals for them.
Consent checks to run now
Set aside an hour with access to Google Tag Manager (or your site's tag set-up), GA4 Admin and Google Ads.
Confirm which properties are linked to Google Ads
In GA4 Admin, open Product links, Google Ads links. Note every linked Ads account; the new rules apply to linked properties.
Check your consent defaults
In Tag Manager, open the consent tag that fires on Consent Initialization and read the defaults for ad_storage, ad_user_data, ad_personalization and analytics_storage. Decide deliberately whether each starts as granted or denied for Singapore visitors.
Check that the banner updates consent
Accept and reject on the live site, then use Tag Assistant to confirm the consent state changes and that Google tags respect it. Google's Tag Manager consent page explains the Consent Overview view that lists tags with no consent settings.
Stop relying on Google Signals for ad controls
Leave Google Signals on only if you want signed-in demographics and cross-device reports in GA4. Use Consent Mode for anything about Ads cookies.
Compare conversions before and after
In Google Ads, compare imported GA4 conversions for the weeks before and after 15 June 2026, and after any consent change you make. A sudden gap usually points to a consent default or a tag that stopped firing.
Common set-up mistakes we see in audits
These are typical issues on small business sites, not statistics:
Fix these first
Our GA4 set-up checklist covers the GA side, such as key events, data retention and internal traffic filters.
Do it yourself or get help?
If you set up Tag Manager yourself, the checks above take an afternoon. If an agency or plugin installed your tags years ago and nobody knows what fires, it is quicker to have the account and tracking reviewed.
Our Ad Account Audit (S$290) checks up to two ad accounts, including whether Pixel, Conversions API, GA4 and conversion tags fire once and correctly, with a prioritised fix list. If you are starting Google Ads from scratch, Google Ads Setup (S$690) creates the account in your name, links GA4, and sets up and tests conversions. IT Sorted is a Singapore-based team of developers with over 10 years of experience; you pay upfront, send the brief in writing and follow progress on your order page.
Frequently asked questions
Google Analytics switched to using Consent Mode in Google Ads as the single control for whether Google Ads cookies and IDs are collected through the Analytics tag and SDK. From that date the Google Signals setting only controls linking Analytics data with signed-in user information for behavioural reporting such as demographics.
Only if you do not want signed-in demographic and cross-device data in your GA4 reports. Turning it off no longer stops Google Ads cookies and IDs from being collected by the Analytics tag. To control that, set the Consent Mode ad_storage default and make sure your consent banner updates it correctly.
Not necessarily. If your consent setup already sends correct signals, little changes. If ad_storage defaults to denied and many visitors never accept, fewer Ads identifiers flow from GA4, which can reduce attributed conversions and remarketing audience size. Compare imported conversions before and after the change to see.
Google says it will update how Analytics data is managed for ads personalisation later in 2026, so that the Consent Mode ad_personalization signal alone controls whether linked data is used for personalised ads. As of October 2026 the help article says exact dates will be shared later.
The PDPA has no cookie-specific rule, but personal data collected through cookies, such as ad-targeting identifiers, falls under its consent and notification obligations. Many Singapore sites use a banner with Consent Mode for this reason and for overseas visitors. This is general information, not legal advice.