From May 5, 2025, Microsoft Advertising will require all advertisers to send explicit user consent signals when using its Universal Event Tracking (UET) tag by implementing “UET Consent Mode”. If your website collects data for advertising purposes—and you use Microsoft Ads—this is a must-read.

Let’s break down what’s changing, why it matters, and what you should be doing now to stay compliant and ensure your campaigns keep performing at their best.

What’s changing?

Microsoft is aligning with broader data privacy expectations by making consent mode signals mandatory for advertisers using UET tags. This means that if your website doesn’t pass users' consent status back to Microsoft (e.g. whether they’ve agreed to be tracked), your ad measurement, conversion tracking, and audience targeting may be impacted — or even disabled.

This update closely mirrors what we’ve already seen with Google’s Consent Mode V2.

Side note: While this guide focuses on websites using Microsoft Ads and UET tracking, Microsoft’s Consent Mode also applies to pixels within Microsoft’s programmatic products (Invest, Curate, and Monetize). If you use these platforms alongside UET, ensure consent signals are also correctly passed there.

Why this matters

Non-compliance with Microsoft’s Consent Mode means that the UET tool may stop working. Launched mid-2023, the UET tool tracks user activity on your website after they’ve clicked through on one of your ads.

Insights gathered can help you refine your approach to user engagement and, ultimately, boost conversions.

Without proper consent signals:

• Conversion tracking may stop working
• Remarketing audiences won’t build correctly
• Campaign optimisation will suffer
• You could risk non-compliance with data protection regulations

Is UET Consent Mode mandatory? - How to know if you’re affected

Microsoft’s UET Consent Mode isn’t "mandatory" in a legal sense, the reason being — whether you opt in or not, Microsoft will ensure privacy standards are met by adjusting the way their UET tool works for you.

But if you don’t implement it UET Consent Mode, your ad campaigns will suffer.

If any of the following apply to you, then you’re affected:

• You use Microsoft Ads for search, display, or shopping campaigns
• You have the UET tag installed for conversion tracking or remarketing
• You collect user data from EEA, UK, or other regions covered by privacy laws
• You haven’t configured your consent platform to communicate with Microsoft Ads

A quick note on consent:

You only need to seek consent for non-essential cookies — such as analytics and advertising cookies that collect personal information or track user behaviour. Essential cookies (those necessary for your site to function securely) aren't affected. To comply with GDPR and EU Cookie Law, consent must be freely given, informed, specific, unambiguous, and easy to withdraw.

If you're using Microsoft Ads to collect performance data, track conversions, or build remarketing audiences, and you operate (or target users) in any regulated region, then this change is mandatory for you.

How Consent Mode works with UET

When a user lands on your website, your Consent Management Platform (CMP) captures whether they’ve given permission to be tracked.

 

If they opt in, UET tags can work as normal, capturing valuable information about their activity on your site.

 

If they opt out, tracking must be limited accordingly. Until now, however, there’s been a gap.

 

Even if a user declined tracking through a cookie banner, Microsoft’s UET tag would still typically fire by default — unless advertisers had manually set up complex tag suppression rules. This meant that some data collection could still occur without true consent, creating risks for both compliance and user trust.

That’s where Microsoft's Consent Mode comes in.

 

It’s not just about whether consent is collected — it’s about ensuring that UET receives an explicit, machine-readable consent signal before it activates.

 

Without a valid consent signal, Microsoft will now automatically prevent the UET tag from setting cookies, recording conversions, or building remarketing audiences.

Microsoft’s Universal Event Tracking (UET) tag now expects one of two things before it starts collecting data:

• A consent signal via the IAB TCF string
  If you're using a CMP that supports the IAB’s Transparency and Consent Framework (TCF v2.2), the CMP automatically generates a consent “string” that tells Microsoft what the user agreed (or didn’t agree) to.
• Or, a direct consent signal via JavaScript
  If you're not using the TCF framework, you can manually pass a simple consent value to Microsoft via the uetq.push JavaScript function.

This is also a good time to update Tag Manager. Check how tags are firing. Are they delayed until after consent? If they’re firing on page load—before consent is granted—you’re at risk of non-compliance and data loss.

Also, if you’re using a Tag Manager template for your Consent Management Platform (CMP), check whether it needs an update. Some CMP templates (like CookieYes or OneTrust) have recently released updates to properly support Microsoft’s Consent Mode.

 

Keeping these templates up to date helps ensure consent signals are correctly passed before any tracking occurs.

What you need to do

For the technical implementation process, we recommend Microsoft’s own Consent Mode documentation. As a general guide, see below:

1. Implement a consent management platform

If you haven’t already, get a CMP in place that supports Microsoft’s Consent Mode. Look for platforms that are IAB TCF v2.2 compatible, as Microsoft has joined the IAB Europe’s Transparency and Consent Framework.

Top tip: Platforms like Cookiebot, CookieYes, and OneTrust already support this. Make sure yours is correctly configured to send signals to both Google and Microsoft.

2. Update your UET tag implementation

Make sure your UET tag is passing consent signals. Microsoft will expect these signals via the new uetq commands or through the automatic integration via supported CMPs.

3. Audit and test

Use browser tools and Microsoft’s UET Tag Helper to check if your consent signals are being sent properly. The sooner you test, the more time you have to fix any gaps.

How is this different from Google’s Consent Mode?

While both Microsoft and Google now require consent signals for advertising features to function:

• Google mandates Consent Mode V2 and specific signals (ad_storage, analytics_storage, etc.).
• Microsoft requires similar functionality but uses its UET-specific format and supports both IAB TCF and non-TCF implementations.

So even if you’re compliant with Google, you still need to implement Microsoft’s specific setup. One does not automatically cover the other.

Compare Microsoft and Google Ads in our guide: Microsoft Advertising vs Google Ads: Which is best for your brand?

Final thoughts

This change signals another step toward a privacy-first digital ecosystem, and it’s not just about staying compliant — it’s about future-proofing your marketing efforts.

If you rely on Microsoft Ads to drive leads, sales, or traffic, take the time now to ensure proper consent mode integration.

Need help auditing or implementing your consent setup? Contact TDMP today.