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CLS by cookies on/off

CLS by cookies on/off without noise

Vasil Dachev avatar
Written by Vasil Dachev
Updated over a month ago


What is CLS by cookies on/off

CLS by cookies on/off shows Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) grouped by whether the user’s browser had cookies enabled or disabled during their visit.

This breakdown helps you see if layout stability depends on cookie access — which is increasingly relevant as more users browse in incognito mode, use privacy tools, or block tracking by default.

Browsers with cookies disabled often block related features like localStorage or personalization scripts, which can change how content is rendered.

Layout shifts may increase when cookies are off due to:

  • Personalization or A/B testing scripts failing to run, leading to delayed content insertion

  • Consent banners appearing late or taking up space unexpectedly

  • Page layout reacting differently without user-specific settings

  • Fallback experiences loading in an unstable or less-optimized way

Healthy CLS by cookies on/off sample

If CLS is low for both states (cookies on and off), your site handles privacy-conscious users well and ensures layout stability for all.

Unhealthy CLS by cookies on/off sample

High CLS when cookies are disabled often indicates:

  • Consent banners pushing content after load

  • Personalization logic breaking layout without a cookie fallback

  • Critical UI loading too late when fallback mode is triggered

High CLS when cookies are enabled may point to:

  • Heavy personalization elements loading late (e.g. chat widgets, ads)

  • Delayed A/B content that shifts the layout

  • Extra scripts or third-party tools altering layout post-load

Either case creates visual instability and hurts user experience.

Resolving unhealthy CLS by cookies on/off

Go-to action plan to resolve an unhealthy CLS by cookies on/off:

  1. Ask Uxi to analyze your CLS by cookies on/off values and suggest improvements

  2. Use Filters to isolate the segments and analyze affected components.

  3. Simulate CLS of the suspected breakdown to see if fixing it will resolve the CLS by cookies on/off. If yes, this is where the resolution focus should be.

  4. Use an automated CLS optimization tool like Navigation AI to improve your CLS by cookies on/off values

  5. Once you’ve improved CLS, set an alert to be the first to know if it starts worsening again.

Try it yourself

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