Refuse Button
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Applies to: WordPress Plugin Where: WP Admin > Compliance (top-level menu) > Settings tab > Consent Behavior (Basic users) or Compliance Behavior cards (Connected users) |
Overview
The refuse button gives visitors an explicit way to decline cookie consent. When enabled, a "Refuse" (or custom-labeled) button appears alongside the accept button in your consent banner. Visitors who click it are treated as having selected the most restrictive consent level (Private / Basic Operations only).
This setting is available in the WordPress admin to both Basic (unconnected) users and Connected (Free/Pro) users, but the location differs:
- Basic users: Settings tab → Consent Behavior accordion (toggle + text field).
- Connected users: Settings tab → Compliance Behavior section → Refuse button card.
The refuse button is a WP-side setting in both surfaces — it is not portal-only.
Enabling the Refuse Button
- In your WordPress dashboard, go to
Compliance(top-level menu). - Click the Settings tab.
- Open the Consent Behavior section.
- Check the Enable refuse button toggle. The description reads: "Allow visitors to refuse cookie consent."
- Click Save Settings.
Customizing the Refuse Button Text
When the refuse button is enabled, an additional text field appears:
- In the Consent Behavior section, locate the Refuse button text field (appears below the toggle).
- Enter your preferred button label. The default placeholder text is "No".
- Click Save Settings.
The button text can be customized to match your site's tone, for example: "Decline," "No thanks," or "Reject all."
How the Refuse Button Works
- When a visitor clicks the refuse button, the plugin records a "refused" consent state.
- Non-essential cookies and scripts blocked by autoblocking remain blocked.
- A consent cookie is set to remember the visitor's refusal. The cookie duration follows the Rejected expiry setting. Basic users configure it in
Settings tab → Cookie Expiry; connected users see this on the Consent expiry card in Compliance Behavior (managed in the portal). - After the rejection cookie expires, the banner reappears to prompt the visitor again.
Refuse Button vs. Revoke Consent
These are two different features:
| Feature | When It Appears | What It Does |
|---|---|---|
| Refuse button | In the initial consent banner, before the visitor makes any choice | Lets the visitor decline consent upfront |
| Revoke consent | After the visitor has already accepted consent | Lets the visitor withdraw consent they previously gave |
Both features can be enabled independently. To enable revoke consent, check the Enable revoke consent toggle in the same Consent Behavior section.
GDPR Considerations
Under GDPR Article 7(3), it must be as easy to withdraw consent as it is to give it. Providing a visible refuse button in the initial banner is one way to meet this requirement. For full GDPR compliance, consider enabling both the refuse button and revoke consent.
Related Articles
- Duration — Configure how long accepted and rejected consent cookies persist.
- Consent on Click — Automatically accept consent on any page click.
- Consent on Scroll — Automatically accept consent when the visitor scrolls.