How to find tracking pixels on your website
Spot the Meta, Google Ads, LinkedIn and TikTok pixels on your site with free browser tools, and see exactly which pages send data to whom.
By the Savira teamPublished Last reviewed 6 min read
If you run ads on Facebook, Google, LinkedIn or TikTok, there is a good chance your website has tracking pixels on it, even if you never installed one yourself. To find tracking pixels on your website, open each important page in a private browser window, watch the network requests it makes, and note which ad platforms it talks to. You can do it with tools already built into your browser.
What is a tracking pixel?
A tracking pixel is a small piece of code from an ad or social platform that sends information about what visitors do on your site back to that platform. The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) describes it as code generated by a third party that loads when someone visits a page and passes data to the provider’s servers.
That data can include the page address, the visitor’s IP address, items viewed and, depending on how the pixel is set up, what people type into forms. The platform can then match it with its own users to measure ads and build audiences for retargeting.
Pixels often arrive without anyone deciding to add them. A WordPress plugin, a booking widget, a past agency or a Google Tag Manager container can all load them. So the useful question is not “did we add a pixel?” but “what does each page actually send, and to whom?”
How to find tracking pixels on your website
The most reliable check is to watch what your browser sends while each page loads. Here is the process, using Chrome (Edge and Firefox work almost the same way).
1. List the pages that matter
Start with the pages where people do something or reveal something: your home page, contact and enquiry forms, booking pages, thank-you or confirmation pages, and any service pages. For a health practice, include pages about specific conditions or treatments. Pixels are often set up differently from page to page, so checking only the home page can miss the important ones.
2. Open a fresh private window
Use an incognito or private window so old cookies and logins do not change what loads. If a cookie banner appears, leave it alone for now. You want to see what fires before a visitor makes any choice.
3. Watch the network requests
Right-click the page, choose Inspect, then open the Network tab. Tick Preserve log so requests are not wiped when the page changes, then reload. Type each of the names below into the filter box and see whether anything appears.
Meta (Facebook and Instagram): connect.facebook.net, which loads the fbevents.js script, and facebook.com/tr, which is where events are sent.
Google Ads: googleadservices.com and googleads.g.doubleclick.net. You may also see googletagmanager.com with an ID starting AW-. Note that googletagmanager.com on its own also loads Google Analytics and Tag Manager, so the AW- prefix is the Google Ads clue.
LinkedIn: snap.licdn.com, which loads the Insight Tag script, and px.ads.linkedin.com, which receives the data.
TikTok: analytics.tiktok.com.
If a filter returns results before you have touched the cookie banner, that pixel is loading before consent. Write it down.
4. Walk through your forms
Many pixels send their most detailed events on the thank-you page after a form is submitted, because that is where conversions are counted. Fill in your own enquiry or booking form with test details, keep the Network tab open, and check the filters again on the confirmation page.
5. Look inside your tag manager and plugins
If you use Google Tag Manager, open the container and list every tag and the trigger that fires it. A trigger set to “All Pages” means the pixel runs everywhere. On WordPress, check your plugin list for ad, analytics, marketing and “pixel” plugins, and check your theme settings for code pasted into the header.
6. Use the platforms’ own checkers as a second opinion
Free browser extensions such as Google Tag Assistant and Meta Pixel Helper show which of that platform’s tags fire on a page. They only see their own platform, so treat them as a cross-check, not a replacement for the Network tab.
7. Record what you found
For each pixel, note the platform, its ID, the pages it fires on, whether it fires before consent, and why your business uses it. That list is what you need to tidy things up, and it is the first thing a developer or adviser will ask for.
If you would rather not do it by hand, the Savira website privacy scanner gives you a quick first look at what your site loads.
Why health pages need extra care
Health pages carry more risk because a visit alone can reveal something sensitive about a person. The OAIC’s guidance gives the example of a site offering mental health or counselling services, where simply visiting can reveal sensitive information. Health information is sensitive information under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).
The guidance says sensitive information should generally only be collected through a pixel with express consent, that pixels should generally be set up to avoid sending it, and that where a page visit alone reveals sensitive information, it may be better not to use third-party pixels there at all. In 2026 the OAIC also made its first determinations about tracking pixels, both involving health providers.
If you run a clinic, allied health practice or pharmacy, read our guide to tracking pixels on health websites and the healthcare privacy page before your next ad campaign.
What to do once you know where your pixels are
Knowing where your pixels fire tells you what to fix, starting with the riskiest pages.
Remove what you do not use. Old pixels from finished campaigns or past agencies still send data. Delete them at the source, whether that is the plugin, the theme or the tag manager.
Limit pixels to the pages that need them. The OAIC suggests considering placing a pixel only on certain pages rather than the whole site. A conversion pixel may only need to run on a confirmation page.
Check what fires before consent. If ad pixels load before a visitor has made a choice, look at how your cookie consent is set up so they wait for an answer.
Update your privacy policy. The OAIC expects your privacy policy and collection notices to explain your use of third-party pixels. Our guide to privacy policy requirements in Australia covers what to include.
Repeat the check. The OAIC says pixel use should not be “set and forget”. Check again after site changes, new plugins and new campaigns.
For the wider picture on obligations, read our guide to tracking pixels and your privacy obligations.
Source: Tracking pixels and privacy obligations, Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, published 4 November 2024.
This is general information, not legal advice. Every business handles information a bit differently, so if you’re not sure how this applies to yours, it’s worth checking with a lawyer or privacy adviser.
How do I know if my website has a Facebook pixel?
Do tracking pixels load before someone accepts cookies?
Do tracking pixels load before someone accepts cookies?
They can, and on many sites they do. A pixel only waits for consent if your cookie banner or tag manager is set up to hold it back. To check, open a page in a private window, leave the banner untouched and watch the Network tab. Anything from Meta, Google Ads, LinkedIn or TikTok that appears is firing before consent.
Are tracking pixels illegal in Australia?
No, the Privacy Act 1988 does not ban tracking pixels, according to OAIC guidance. But if a pixel collects or shares personal information, the Australian Privacy Principles apply, including being open about it in your privacy policy and taking extra care with sensitive information such as health details. Whether your setup meets those obligations depends on what each pixel collects and where it runs.
Why does my pixel only show up on some pages?
Pixels are often set to fire only on certain pages, or to send extra events on particular ones. A conversion event might only fire on a thank-you page, and some plugins or tag manager triggers only run on selected pages. That is why it pays to check each important page and walk through your forms, not just the home page.
Should a health practice use tracking pixels on its website?
Take extra care before doing so. OAIC guidance says a visit to some health pages can reveal sensitive information on its own, that sensitive information should generally only be collected with express consent, and that avoiding third-party pixels on those pages may be preferable. Check exactly which pages your pixels run on and get advice if you are unsure.