Cookie Policy
Last updated: October 28, 2026
1. What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files that websites store on your device (computer, phone, or tablet) when you visit. They help the site remember your preferences, keep you safe, and show you relevant content. Some cookies are set by us (first-party), and some are set by other services we use (third-party).
2. How We Use Cookies — Consent by Location
We use Google's certified Consent Management Platform (CMP) (Google AdSense — Privacy & messaging) to collect your choices, and Google Consent Mode v2 to apply them:
🌍 Outside EU/EEA/UK/Switzerland
Your region does not require consent by law, so ads and analytics are granted automatically and you see personalized ads. No consent dialog is shown.
🇪🇺 Inside EU/EEA/UK/Switzerland
Google shows a consent message and waits for your choice. Only essential functionality runs before you choose. Consent = personalized ads + analytics. Do not consent = non-personalized (or no) ads. Manage options = your granular choice, applied instantly.
🇺🇸 Regulated US states
Google automatically shows a "Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information" link so you can opt out of the sale or sharing of your personal data.
3. Types of Cookies We Use
Essential Cookies (Always Active)
These are required for the site to work. You cannot turn them off.
| Cookie | Purpose | Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| qrendless-country | Caches your general region (country code) so consent behavior matches your location | 30 days | First-party |
| FCCDCF, FCNEC (Google) | Google's Consent Management Platform stores your consent choices | Up to 13 months | Third-party (Google) |
| Local Storage keys | Theme choice, QR settings, app mode, legacy consent cache | Until cleared | First-party |
| __cf_bm | Cloudflare bot protection — keeps the site safe from attacks | 30 minutes | Third-party (Cloudflare) |
| Service Worker (sw.js) | PWA cache — stores static assets for offline use and faster loading | Until updated | First-party |
Performance Cookies (Optional)
These help us understand how the site is used so we can improve it. They are off by default for EU/EEA/UK/CH visitors until you allow them in Google's consent message.
| Cookie | Purpose | Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| _ga | Google Analytics 4 — distinguishes unique visitors for traffic analytics | 2 years | Third-party (Google) |
| _ga_* | Google Analytics 4 — maintains session state and collects engagement metrics (page views, scrolls, downloads, etc.) | 2 years | Third-party (Google) |
Advertising Cookies (Optional)
These are used by Google AdSense to show ads. Their use depends on your consent choice (EU/EEA/UK/CH) or your region's default (elsewhere) — see Section 2.
| Cookie | Purpose | Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| __gads | Google AdSense — identifies your browser for ad delivery | 13 months | Third-party (Google) |
| __gpi | Google AdSense — stores ad personalization info | 13 months | Third-party (Google) |
| __eoi | Google AdSense — cookie opt-in status for EU consent | 13 months | Third-party (Google) |
| IDE, DSID | Google DoubleClick — used for ad targeting and measurement | 1–2 years | Third-party (Google) |
| NID | Google — stores user preferences for ad serving | 6 months | Third-party (Google) |
| 1P_JAR | Google — rolls cookies into monthly buckets for analytics | 1 month | Third-party (Google) |
For a full list of Google ad cookies, see How Google Uses Cookies →.
4. Non-Personalized Ads (NPA)
If you are in the EU/EEA/UK/CH and you reject advertising cookies, we serve non-personalized ads instead. These ads are based on the content of the page you are viewing, not on your browsing history or personal profile. No tracking cookies are used for NPA ads. Learn more about Google NPA →
5. How to Control Cookies
You have several options to control or delete cookies:
- Google's consent message: Visitors from the EU/EEA/UK/CH can Consent, Do not consent, or Manage options when the message appears
- Privacy Options link: Click "Privacy Options" in the footer anytime to reopen Google's consent message and change your preferences (EU/EEA/UK/CH)
- US state opt-out: Visitors in regulated US states can use the "Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information" link shown automatically by Google
- Browser settings: Most browsers let you block or delete cookies in their settings
- Google Ads Settings: Control your ad personalization
- Network Advertising Initiative: Opt out of interest-based ads
- Digital Advertising Alliance: Another opt-out option
Note: Blocking all cookies may affect how some parts of the site work.
6. Consent Withdrawal
Under GDPR, you can withdraw your consent at any time — it should be as easy as giving it. To change your cookie preferences after your initial choice:
- Click the Privacy Options link in the page footer — Google's consent message reopens so you can change or withdraw your choice
- Or clear your browser's cookies and storage for this site and reload the page — the consent message will appear again
When you withdraw consent, Google Consent Mode applies it immediately: no new advertising or analytics cookies are set, and non-personalized ads (or no ads) apply.
7. Do Not Track
If your browser sends a Do Not Track (DNT) or Global Privacy Control (GPC) signal, we honor it: GPC keeps ad and analytics signals denied regardless of region (see Section 2). Third-party services like Google AdSense may not recognize DNT — you should use their opt-out tools listed above for full control.
8. Chrome Extension & WordPress Plugin — No Cookies
The QREndless Chrome extension and WordPress plugin do not set any cookies and do not include analytics or advertising. The extension saves your settings in your browser's local storage; the plugin saves settings in your own WordPress database. Neither product sends data to us.
9. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time. We will always show the latest date at the top. If we add new cookies, we will ask for your consent again (if you are in the EU).
10. Questions?
Email us at [email protected] or visit our Privacy Policy for more details.
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