The June 2026 Google Data Control Changes: What You Need to Know 

Google recently announced a significant update to how user data is handled between Google Analytics 4 (GA4) and Google Ads. This change will come into effect on June 15, 2026. 

Google is simplifying its infrastructure to comply with global privacy laws. Instead of having two different settings (Signals and Consent Mode) doing the same job, they are moving to a “Single Point of Truth.” Data controls will now be destination specific and live exactly where the data is used. In short: Google Signals will only be used in GA4, and Google Ads will solely rely on Google Ads Consent Mode V2. 

The below outlines in more detail what will change and how you can prepare ahead of time. Should you have any questions, our expert PPC Team will be on hand to guide you. 

What is the current situation?

If you have linked your GA4 property and your Google Ads accounts, both Google Signals and Consent Mode Ads settings govern the collection of Google Ads cookies/IDs and the use of signed-in user data for behavioural reporting. Essentially, these two distinct settings perform the same function. 

While it may seem useful to be able to fall back on Google Signals to capture Google Ads cookies/IDs, if your Consent Mode isn’t perfectly configured it causes a lot of friction and occasionally conflicting settings that could result in a user’s privacy choices not being fully respected. 

What will change in June?

To simplify settings, adding more transparency and avoiding the previously mentioned possible conflict, Google is streamlining data controls, which means data is controlled by the platform that uses the data. 

As of June 15, 2026, Google Signals will only be used for behavioural reporting of signed-in users in GA4 and Google Ads will ignore this setting. From then on, Google Ads will entirely be controlled by Consent Mode V2. 

What is Google saying?

If you received an email from Google titled “Upcoming changes to Google Analytics data controls”, you may have noticed that it states that no action is required if you currently have Google Signals turned on. 

While this statement is correct, it is based on the assumption that your Consent Mode V2 is configured correctly.  

If you’re currently relying on Google Signals as a safety net for your Google Ads cookies/IDs collection, you may not be aware of any potential Consent Mode V2 misconfiguration, so now would be a good time to check to ensure that there are no surprises in June. 

What should you do?

Now is the time to validate that you’re passing the correct values for Consent Mode V2’s four main parameters:  

• analytics_storage (Analytics tracking) 

• ad_storage (Basic Cookies) 

• ad_user_data (required for sending user data to Google) 

• ad_personalisation.( required for remarketing and audiences) 

To respect privacy, they should all be set to “denied” by default before a user interacts with your cookie banner. Once a user has agreed to Google Ads cookies, the status of those four parameters needs to be updated to “granted”. 

The easiest way to check this is by installing a browser extension like InfoTrust’s Consent Mode Inspector. This will show you whether Consent Mode is active or not and what values are passed for each parameter in the default and updated state. 

What else should you be aware of?

In a similar effort to simplify controls and add more transparency, Google also announced that later this year there will be changes to Ad Personalisation controls by moving away from the current layered set-up within GA4 to ensure that the Google Ads data is only controlled by the ad personalisation parameter via Consent Mode V2 in Ads settings. 

Furthermore, IP addresses collected by the Google Tag and SDK are automatically encrypted and sent to your linked Google Ads accounts. From there, Google Ads manages and uses this data based on your specific settings and terms of service. 

Final Thoughts

As Google continues to streamline its infrastructure to meet global privacy standards, the message for advertisers is clear: transparency and precision are no longer optional. While the “no action required” notice from Google might offer temporary peace of mind, the truly prepared will use this window before June 15 to audit their setups.  

By ensuring your Consent Mode V2 is firing correctly today, you aren’t just avoiding a “data cliff” in June, you’re building a more resilient, privacy-first foundation for your digital marketing’s future. 

For more information on how we can help you when it comes to all things data, get in touch with the team today.