🎉 AgentWP is now in Public Beta Testing.
Encountering a "Cookie Check Failed" error while browsing can be both surprising and frustrating. Suddenly, you can't log in, make purchases, or even access personalized content - and you're left wondering what went wrong.
If you're looking for solutions, you're on the right page. In this quick guide, we'll share tips and troubleshooting steps to help you resolve this error. Read on!
What Are Cookies?
Cookies, or browser cookies, are small data files containing some of your information like login details and browsing preferences. They are temporarily stored on your web browser to help websites recognize you when you return.
While they might seem like a minor detail, cookies play an important role in providing you with a smooth and personalized online experience.
For example, e-commerce sites use cookies to keep track of the items in your shopping cart, even if you leave the site and come back later. Cookies also help websites remember your login credentials so you don't have to enter them every time you visit.
There are different types of cookies, and these are:
- Session cookies: Temporary cookies that exist only as long as the web browser session is active. They are removed from the device once the browser is closed or the session becomes inactive.
- Persistent cookies: Cookies that have an expiration date set by the website, typically not exceeding 6 months. These cookies are often used to remember information like login credentials, settings, or user preferences across multiple browsing sessions.
- First-party cookies: Cookies set by the website being visited and are used to enhance the user experience, such as remembering language preferences and login information.
- Third-party cookies: Created by websites other than the one the user is currently visiting, usually by advertisers. They track user browsing habits across different sites to serve targeted ads.
How Do Cookies Work?
When you log in to a website, it creates a unique session for you on the server. This session is assigned an ID number, called a session ID. The website then stores this session ID in a cookie and sends it to your web browser.
On subsequent requests to that website, your browser automatically includes the cookie containing the session ID. The website can then check this session ID against its database of active sessions. If the ID matches an active session, the website knows it's you and grants you access accordingly.
This cookie-based authentication process happens behind the scenes and allows websites to securely recognize you and maintain your login status. The session ID is just a random string of characters, not any sensitive personal information.
The session is terminated when you log out, with the website removing the session from its database and instructing your browser to delete the corresponding cookie.
If your website uses plugins that make asynchronous requests (AJAX), cookie-based authentication is still required to verify the user's identity and prevent unauthorized access.
WordPress has a security feature called "nonce" that generates these authentication cookies for the REST API to protect against cross-site request forgery (CSRF) attacks. A nonce, or "number used once," is assigned to each request and expires after a set time.
However, if this nonce value gets saved in the cache for too long, it could potentially be used for malicious requests. That is why website owners need to set up rules to automatically get rid of these cached nonce values after a certain amount of time. Doing so will not only reduce security risks but also prevent failed authentication when a legitimate user visits the web.
What Does a ‘Cookie Check Failed’ Mean?
A "Cookie Check Failed" error essentially means that the website is having trouble reading or accessing the cookies on your browser. This can lead to problems like failed login attempts or the inability to display personalized content based on your preferences.
In the case of WordPress, this error indicates that the platform is struggling to verify or set cookies, which are important for user authentication and session management. Without properly functioning cookies, WordPress can't reliably identify users or maintain their active sessions.
There could be various reasons behind this issue:
1) Browser Cookies Disabled
This error often occurs when the user's browser doesn't accept or has disabled cookies. If cookies are blocked or turned off, WordPress can't operate correctly.
2) Corrupted Cookies
Like any other data file, cookies can sometimes get corrupted or garbled, making them unreadable. As a result, the site can't properly authenticate you or retrieve your user data stored in those cookies.
3) Expired Cookies
In some cases, cookies can also get deleted prematurely before reaching their expiration date. This might happen if you manually clear your browsing data or if your browser is set to automatically remove cookies periodically.
4) Security Plugin Interference
Sometimes, security plugins can block or interfere with the proper generation and validation of cookies. This leads to the website not being able to read or verify those cookies correctly.
5) Plugin or Theme Conflict
In some cases, a plugin or theme could start interfering with how WordPress handles cookies, leading to a "Cookie Check Failed" error. Maybe it's a caching plugin overriding cookie settings, or a theme function clashing with WordPress's built-in authentication system. Whatever the reason, the end result is that WordPress can't verify or set those all-important cookies properly.
6) Server Configuration Issues
While most cookie issues happen on the browser side of things, sometimes the real culprit lies with the server itself. Servers have their own set of configurations and settings that control how they handle things like SSL/TLS certificates (for secure connections) and caching (for faster load times). If these configurations aren't quite right, it can cause issues in how the server deals with cookies.
For example, let's say the SSL certificate on your server is misconfigured or expired. This could lead to errors when trying to set or read secure cookies, which are essential for things like user authentication.
7) Incorrect Site URL Settings
WordPress relies on accurate site URL settings to create and verify cookies. If the site address details don't match the actual URL people are using to access your website, it won’t be able to authenticate users properly.
How to Troubleshoot Cookie Check Failed Errors
Encountering a "Cookie Check Failed" error can be frustrating. Thankfully, there are several troubleshooting steps you can take to resolve this issue. Follow one of our suggestions below to get your WordPress site's cookie authentication back on track.
1) Enable Cookies
First off, make sure your browser isn't blocking cookies altogether.
To check your cookie settings, head into your browser's preferences or settings area. Every browser is a bit different, but you're generally looking for an option related to privacy, security, or site data management.
For example, in Chrome, click on the three-dot menu icon found at the top-right corner of the browser window. Go to "Settings" and then click on "Privacy and security" in the left-hand menu.
Under the "Privacy and security" section, click on "Cookies and other site data." Toggle the switch next to "Allow sites to save and read cookie data (recommended)" to turn it on. The switch will change to blue when cookies are enabled.
Note: If you’re part of the Chrome experiment "Tracking Protection," you might not be able to see the "Cookies and other site data" option. As of April 2024, the experiment is still in the testing phase, and it’s possible that the way you manage cookies will change before the full rollout.
If the "Cookies and other site data" option is hidden from your browser settings, what you can do is go to the “Site Settings” to manage cookies on a per-site basis. This means you’ll need to manually enable cookies for the specific WordPress site to resolve the issue.
2) Clear Browser Cache and Cookies
If enabling cookies in your browser settings didn't do the trick, it's time to give your browser's cookies a refreshing reset. By doing so, you’ll remove old, corrupted, or expired cookies that are causing the authentication issues.
Every browser is a bit different, but generally, you'll want to look for a "Clear browsing data" or similar option in the settings area.
In Chrome, for example, you'd go to Settings > Privacy and security > Delete browsing data. Make sure to select a time range (e.g., "All time") and check the boxes for "Cookies and other site data" and "Cached images and files."
For Firefox users, it's Settings > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data > Clear Data. Again, check Cookies and Cached Web Content before clearing.
Once you hit that "Clear" button, you should be able to resolve the issue. With a fresh start, your browser can store new, updated cookies from WordPress without any corrupted old ones getting in the way.
3) Disable Browser Extensions
Browser extensions can sometimes interfere with cookie functionality. Open the browser settings on your computer.
If you’re using Chrome, click on the three-dot menu icon in the top-right corner of the browser window. Select "Extensions" and then ‘Manage Extensions.’ from the submenu.
Toggle the switch within each extension to turn it off. The switch will change to gray when an extension is disabled.
After disabling an extension, refresh the page where the "Cookie Check Failed" error occurred to see if the issue persists. Once you've put your extensions on pause, go back and try refreshing the page where you were getting an error message.
Repeat the steps for each extension until you identify the extension causing the error. If it's cleared up, you know an extension was likely the culprit.
The process should be similar for other browsers - look for add-ons, extensions, or plugins in the settings, and disable anything installed from third parties.
4) Disable Caching Plugins
Caching plugins can cause authentication issues if they store outdated or incorrect cookies. The solution is to clear or temporarily disable caching so users can receive up-to-date content and authentication cookies from the server. However, you must also consider alternative caching strategies or optimize caching settings to balance performance and prevent the error.
From your WordPress admin dashboard, go to "Plugins" and locate the caching plugin you want to disable from the list. Click the "Deactivate" link below the caching plugin's name.
Don't forget to also clear out any cached files or data that the plugin might have lying around. Most caching plugins have a "Delete Cache" or "Empty Cache" option you can use.
Finally, check your website to ensure that caching is indeed disabled and that the "Cookie Check Failed" error no longer occurs.
5) Update Browser
Browsers get periodic updates to keep up with the latest web technologies and standards. But if your browser is running an older version, it might start having compatibility issues with certain websites and features, such as properly handling authentication cookies.
Most modern browsers will actually notify you when an update is available. You might see a message prompting you to update, or an option in the settings menu to check for new versions.
6) Verify Site URL Settings
Remember how we mentioned that WordPress uses your site's address (to properly set up and verify authentication cookies? Well, if those address details are incorrect in your WordPress settings, it will likely cause cookie-related errors.
To avoid these kinds of mix-ups, it's a good idea to verify that your WordPress site URL settings are accurate, especially if you've recently migrated to a new domain or server.
From your WordPress admin area, go to Settings > General. You should see fields for both the "WordPress Address (URL)" and the "Site Address (URL)". These are the critical address details WordPress uses for things like cookies.
Double-check that the URLs listed match up with your actual live website address. If they're outdated or incorrect, simply update them with the proper URLs and hit "Save Changes".
7) Review Server Configuration
Incorrect SSL/TLS settings can disrupt how your site handles secure cookies. F
So, first and foremost, make sure that your SSL/TLS certificate is valid and hasn't expired. Otherwise, this can trigger security warnings in browsers or even block access to your site altogether.
Secondly, check that the certificate is issued by a reputable and trusted Certificate Authority (CA). Well-known CAs are trusted by browsers, whereas using an untrusted CA could result in security alerts for your visitors.
Lastly, use online SSL/TLS checker tools to validate the status and configuration of your certificate. Tools like Qualys SSL Labs and Wormly offer comprehensive reports on your server's SSL/TLS setup to help you identify and address any potential issues.
In Summary
Resolving a "Cookie Check Failed" error often comes down to ensuring your browser, plugins, and server settings are properly configured to handle cookies.
Enable cookies in your browser, clear cached data, disable conflicting extensions or plugins, and verify your site's URL settings. Review your server's SSL/TLS configuration and use online tools to validate your certificates.
If the error persists after methodically troubleshooting these common culprits, reach out to the website's support team for assistance. Provide details about the error and the steps you've taken to try and resolve it.
Hopefully, by following these steps, you can address cookie-related issues and ensure a smooth, secure browsing experience on your website.