General Settings Configuration
Introduction
The General Settings tab is your control center for PureDevs GDPR Compliance. These core settings determine how the cookie consent system behaves, appears, and interacts with your visitors. Proper configuration ensures your site meets GDPR requirements while providing a good user experience.
This guide covers all available general settings and best practices for configuring each option.
Accessing General Settings
- Log in to your WordPress admin dashboard
- Navigate to Settings → PureDevs GDPR compliance
- You’ll land on the General Settings tab by default
- Make changes and click Save Changes at the bottom
Always click “Save Changes” after modifying settings. Your changes won’t take effect until you save.
Revoke Consent Options
Setting: Allow Users to Withdraw Consent
Description:
- Enables mechanism for users to change their cookie preferences
- GDPR requires easy consent withdrawal
- Typically implemented via floating button
Options:
- Floating Button: Persistent button on screen edge
- Footer Link: Link in site footer
- Shortcode: Add link anywhere with shortcode
- Menu Item: Add to navigation menu
Best Practice:
- Enable at least one method (floating button recommended)
- Make it always accessible from any page
- Don’t hide it or make it difficult to find
- Label it clearly (“Cookie Settings”, “Privacy Preferences”)
GDPR mandates that withdrawing consent must be as easy as giving it. Provide a clear, accessible way for users to change their cookie preferences at any time.
Display and Appearance Options
Banner Animation
Description: How banner enters the screen
- Slide In: Smooth sliding animation
- Fade In: Gradual opacity change
- None: Instant appearance
Recommendation: Slide In for professional appearance
Banner Overlay
Description: Dim background when banner appears
- Enabled: Background darkened, banner emphasized
- Disabled: No background change
Recommendation: Enable for popup, disable for top/bottom banners
Close Button
Description: Show X button to dismiss banner
- Enabled: Users can close without choosing
- Disabled: Must click Accept or Decline
Recommendation: Disabled for strict compliance (requires explicit choice)
Auto-Hide After Time
Description: Automatically hide banner after X seconds
- Enabled: Banner disappears if no interaction
- Disabled: Stays visible until user chooses
Recommendation: Disabled (auto-hide may violate GDPR consent requirements)
Consent Logging
Setting: Record Consent to Database
Description:
- Stores consent records in WordPress database
- Creates audit trail of user consent
- Useful for demonstrating compliance
Logged Information:
- User IP address (hashed for privacy)
- Timestamp of consent
- Consent choice (accept/decline/customize)
- Cookie categories accepted
- Browser and device information
Benefits:
- Proof of compliance in case of audit
- Analytics on consent rates
- Identify patterns in user preferences
- Legal protection
Privacy Considerations:
- Consent logs contain personal data (IP addresses)
- Must be mentioned in privacy policy
- Subject to same GDPR protections as other data
- Should implement data retention limits
Multi-Language Support
Setting: Language Configuration
Description:
- Display banner in different languages
- Auto-detect browser language
- Compatible with WPML, Polylang, etc.
Implementation Options:
- Translation Plugins: Use WPML or Polylang to translate banner text
- Manual Entry: Enter text for each language separately
- Auto-Detection: Show appropriate language based on browser setting
Best Practice:
- Provide banner in all languages your site supports
- Ensure legal accuracy of translations
- Consider hiring professional translators for legal text
Recommended General Settings
For Most Websites
| Enable Cookie Consent: | ✅ Enabled |
| Banner Position: | Bottom Banner |
| Cookie Expiration: | 365 days |
| Reload on Consent: | ✅ Enabled |
| Revoke Consent Method: | Floating Button |
| Banner Animation: | Slide In |
| Banner Overlay: | ❌ Disabled |
| Close Button: | ❌ Disabled |
| Auto-Hide: | ❌ Disabled |
| Consent Logging: | ✅ Enabled |
For High-Compliance Sites
- Use Popup/Modal position for maximum visibility
- Enable Banner Overlay to ensure attention
- Definitely enable Consent Logging for audit trail
- Consider shorter Cookie Expiration (180 days)
- Disable Close Button to require explicit choice
Testing Your Configuration
After Changing Settings
- Clear Cookies: Delete your site’s cookies in browser
- Open in Private Mode: Test in incognito/private window
- Verify Banner Appears: Check position and styling
- Test Functionality: Click Accept, Decline, Settings buttons
- Check Persistence: Verify consent is saved correctly
- Test Expiration: Confirm banner reappears after expiry
Multi-Device Testing
- Test on desktop, tablet, and mobile
- Try different browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)
- Verify responsive design works properly
- Check floating button accessibility on mobile
Common Configuration Issues
Banner not appearing after enabling
- Clear site cache and browser cookies
- Check in private/incognito mode
- Verify no JavaScript errors in console
- Ensure no caching plugin is blocking it
Banner appears on every page load
- Check if cookies are being blocked
- Verify cookie expiration is set correctly
- Test with browser extensions disabled
Settings not saving
- Check file permissions
- Look for PHP errors in debug log
- Disable other plugins temporarily
- Increase PHP max_input_vars if needed
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