GCLID Decoder & Validator
Paste a GCLID to validate its format, detect issues, and check expiration status.
What is a GCLID?
A GCLID (Google Click Identifier) is a unique tracking parameter that Google Ads appends to your landing page URLs when someone clicks your ad. It's the key that connects an ad click to a downstream conversion — whether that conversion happens online, over the phone, or weeks later in your CRM.
For a deep dive, see What is a GCLID? Google Click Identifier Explained.
Common GCLID Problems
| Problem | Symptom | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Truncated GCLID | UNPARSEABLE_GCLID error | Increase CRM field length to 255+ characters |
| URL-encoded GCLID | Extra %3D or %2B characters | Decode URL encoding before storing |
| GBRAID/WBRAID confusion | CLICK_NOT_FOUND error | Use the correct field for each click ID type |
| Expired GCLID | EXPIRED_GCLID error | Google keeps a GCLID for 90 days after the click, so a job closed on day 75 can still be uploaded and the same job closed on day 91 cannot. A hashed email or phone matches for 63 days after the click, and from day 64 through day 90 only the GCLID still matches. |
| Auto-tagging disabled | No GCLID in URLs at all | Enable auto-tagging in Google Ads settings |
How Auto-Tagging Works
When auto-tagging is enabled (it is by default), Google Ads appends a gclid parameter to every ad click URL:
https://yoursite.com/landing-page?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI...Your website, CRM, or call tracking tool must capture this GCLID and associate it with the lead record. When the lead converts (books a job, signs a contract), you upload the GCLID + conversion value back to Google Ads. Learn how →
Frequently Asked Questions
Google keeps a GCLID for 90 days after the click, so a job closed on day 75 can still be uploaded and the same job closed on day 91 cannot. A hashed email or phone matches for 63 days after the click, and from day 64 through day 90 only the GCLID still matches. After day 90, upload an earlier milestone, such as a qualified lead, that still falls inside one of those windows.
A valid GCLID is a Base64-encoded string typically 50-100 characters long. It starts with 'EAIaIQob' or similar patterns and contains only letters (a-z, A-Z), numbers (0-9), hyphens (-), and underscores (_). Example: EAIaIQobChMI8dml_ePi9gIVhf7jBx0RowBIEAAYASAAEgKFBfD_BwE
Common reasons: (1) The GCLID was truncated by a CRM field that's too short, (2) URL encoding added extra characters like %3D, (3) You're sending a GBRAID or WBRAID instead of a GCLID, (4) The GCLID expired (>90 days old), or (5) Auto-tagging is disabled in Google Ads. Use this decoder to diagnose the issue.
GCLID is the original Google Click Identifier for cross-site tracking. GBRAID is for app campaigns and WBRAID is for web campaigns where cross-site cookies are restricted (post-iOS 14.5). All three can be used for offline conversion uploads, but they must be sent in the correct field — don't put a GBRAID in the GCLID field.