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Google Ads auto-tagging vs manual UTM tagging: what gclid does in GA4 and when to add UTMs

What Google Ads auto-tagging (gclid) gives GA4 that UTM parameters cannot, what happens when a link has both, and how tracking templates add parameters.

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On this page
  1. What auto-tagging does
  2. Auto-tagging vs manual tagging in GA4 reports
  3. When a URL has both gclid and UTMs
  4. How to tell which one you are using
  5. Add parameters to Google Ads URLs without breaking auto-tagging
  6. Use UTMs for everything else
  7. Sources

Google Ads auto-tagging (opens in a new tab) adds a parameter called GCLID, short for Google Click Identifier, to the URL people click through from your ad, and lets you import Google Ads campaign and cost data into Google Analytics. Google Analytics' auto-tagging page (opens in a new tab) recommends auto-tagging whenever possible: manual tagging provides a basic set of traffic-source dimensions, auto-tagging adds Google Ads dimensions on top, and when a link carries both, GA4 uses the auto-tagged values for source and medium. Keep auto-tagging on for Google Ads, add any extra parameters through a tracking template, and tag links that Google Ads does not generate with UTM parameters yourself.

What auto-tagging does

After someone clicks your ad, Google Ads' auto-tagging article (opens in a new tab) explains, auto-tagging adds a parameter called GCLID to the URL, so a click on an ad for www.example.com lands on www.example.com/?gclid=123xyz. With a Google Analytics tag on the site, the GCLID is stored in a Google Analytics cookie on your domain. Auto-tagging is on by default for new accounts. Google lists what it enables: tracking conversions on all browsers, importing key event data into Google Ads, importing Google Ads campaign and cost data into Google Analytics reports, and importing Analytics engagement metrics such as bounce rate into Google Ads.

Two caveats from the same article: a small share of websites refuse unknown URL parameters and show an error page when auto-tagging is on, and if your site redirects, the GCLID has to reach the final landing page for conversions to track. App campaigns do not respect auto-tagging.

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Auto-tagging vs manual tagging in GA4 reports

Google Analytics' auto-tagging page (opens in a new tab) says manual tagging provides data for a basic set of traffic-source dimensions, while auto-tagging adds Google Ads dimensions that manual tags cannot fill, including:

  • Google Ads account name and customer ID
  • Google Ads ad group ID and ad group name
  • Google Ads ad network type
  • Google Ads keyword text and query

These appear across reports and explorations and in a dedicated Google Ads report from the Acquisition overview. Google also lists benefits beyond reporting: importing Analytics key events into Google Ads, building audiences on Google Ads dimensions such as ad group, no manual tagging of every final URL, and no case errors such as utm_source=Google versus utm_source=google. Google adds that future reporting features will only be available with auto-tagging.

When a URL has both gclid and UTMs

GA4 has no setting to change which wins. On Google Analytics' auto-tagging page (opens in a new tab), when manual tagging and auto-tagging are used together, source, medium and the other traffic-classification dimensions use the auto-tagged values; the manually tagged utm_content and utm_term values go to the Manual Ad Content and Manual Term dimensions. Google Ads' auto-tagging article (opens in a new tab) puts it the same way: in GA4, auto-tagging is prioritized over manual tagging because there is no override option. So on an auto-tagged Google Ads click, GA4 reports the auto-tagged source, not a utm_source you added to the final URL.

How to tell which one you are using

In Google Ads, open the Admin icon, then Account settings, then the Auto-tagging section. Google Ads' auto-tagging article (opens in a new tab) explains that this shows the current status: if the box next to "Tag the URL that people click through from my ad" is checked, auto-tagging is on. Checking or unchecking the same box turns it on or off. If you cannot use auto-tagging, Google says you can tag destination URLs manually with UTM parameters instead.

Add parameters to Google Ads URLs without breaking auto-tagging

If you need parameters of your own on Google Ads clicks, add them through Google Ads' URL options rather than by editing every final URL. Google Ads' tracking article (opens in a new tab) explains that a tracking template created at the account, campaign or ad group level applies to all of the ads at that level, and that tracking information is added to the final URL when an ad is clicked to create the landing page URL. You can set URL options at the account, campaign, ad group, keyword or sitelink level, and when several levels have a template, the most specific one wins, from keyword down to account. Setting them at the ad group, campaign or account level lets you change tracking without resubmitting ads for approval. A final URL suffix appends parameters to the end of the landing page URL.

Google's ValueTrack article (opens in a new tab) lists the parameters Google fills in at click time and the rule for templates: a template at the account, campaign or ad group level must include a parameter that inserts the final URL, such as {lpurl}, or the landing page URL breaks. Add parameters after a question mark, separated by ampersands:

{lpurl}?matchtype={matchtype}&device={device}

Useful values include {campaignid} for the campaign ID, {adgroupid} for the ad group ID, {keyword} for the matching keyword on the Search Network (blank for keywordless matches such as Performance Max), {matchtype} and {device}. Avoid spaces in the template; they break the URL.

Use UTMs for everything else

For links in newsletters, social posts and partner sites, add UTM parameters yourself. The UTM builder runs in the browser without signup and fills utm_source, utm_medium and utm_campaign, the three Google recommends, with presets for Meta ads, LinkedIn and newsletters. The UTM parameters reference explains each field, and the GA4 default channel group guide shows which utm_medium values land in which channel. Once links are live, how to track UTM in Google Analytics shows where to find them, and the campaign link preflight checklist catches mistakes before you share. On channel assignment for Google Ads itself, Google's channel definitions (opens in a new tab) use source platform, ad network type and campaign type, and put Performance Max, Demand Gen and Smart Shopping in the Cross-network channel.

Sources

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Frequently asked questions

Can I use auto-tagging and UTM parameters on the same Google Ads link?

Yes, but GA4 uses the auto-tagged values for source, medium and the other traffic-classification dimensions. The manually tagged utm_content and utm_term values go to the Manual Ad Content and Manual Term dimensions.

Why do my Performance Max clicks show Cross-network instead of a channel I tagged?

GA4 assigns Google Ads traffic to channels from source platform, ad network type and campaign type, and its Cross-network channel includes Performance Max, Demand Gen and Smart Shopping. With auto-tagging on, those values take priority over your manual tags.

Does turning off auto-tagging affect conversion tracking?

It can. Google says some browsers require auto-tagging to track conversions, that it is required for offline conversion tracking, and that importing Analytics key events into Google Ads is one of its benefits.

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