Introducing Version 1.8.0
We just shipped the most substantial update to the Pressidium Cookie Consent plugin since its launch. The 1.8.0 release brings major changes under the hood and on the surface: AI-assisted translations, full support for the WordPress Consent API, a native Block Editor integration, and new tools for developers who want more control.
It’s built for teams that care about privacy compliance, but don’t want to compromise performance or flexibility in the process. Whether you’re managing multilingual sites or rolling out policies across dozens of clients, this update is designed to make things easier, faster, and more reliable.
But before we get into the new features, let’s set the stage.
What’s Already Built In
Before this release, our Cookie Consent plugin had already solved many of the hardest problems in cookie compliance, without adding bloat or complexity, and it earned strong feedback from developers and site owners alike for being fast, reliable, and easy to customize.
It offered:
- A lightweight, dependency-free build that keeps your site fast
- A fully customizable banner and modal, including layouts, fonts, and colors
- Built-in support for Google Consent Mode v2 (gtag.js and GTM)
- Conditional script loading based on user consent
- Full accessibility (WAI-ARIA compliant) and mobile responsiveness
- Consent logging with CSV export for audits
- Manual cookie categorization, including regex-based matching
- Floating settings button for changing consent at any time
- Translation support with auto-detection (browser or HTML markup)
Under the hood, the plugin was already engineered with developers in mind. Its modular, object-oriented architecture makes it easy to extend and maintain. The admin and front end are cleanly separated, while the settings interface is built using modern WordPress components and React.
This update builds directly on that foundation, with smarter tools, better integrations, and powerful new ways to manage compliance at scale.
Let’s look at what’s new and why it matters.
Major New Features
Smarter tools for smarter compliance. Let’s see what they do, why they matter, and how to use them.
✓ AI-Powered Translations
The plugin now integrates with GPT and Gemini to automatically generate translations and cookie descriptions.
Translating cookie notices and category descriptions manually can be tedious, especially for multilingual sites. This feature saves time, reduces errors, and ensures your consent interface is consistent across languages.
It’s especially useful for global websites or agencies managing multiple clients with international audiences.
How to use it:
Go to Settings → Translations in your WordPress dashboard. Choose your auto-detection method (browser or HTML markup), then add a new language.
Use the AI Settings button to choose between OpenAI and Gemini as your provider, and select the model that best fits your account and use case. Only models available to your API key will be shown.
Then click the AI Translation button at the top -or the one next to any translation field- to instantly generate content using GPT or Gemini.
⚠️ Keep in mind that AI-generated translations and descriptions may be inaccurate. Always review the output before publishing.
You can do the same for cookie descriptions: go to wp-admin → Cookie Consent → Cookies, select a cookie, and click the “AI Generate” button in the toolbar.
You can fine-tune or override the AI-generated content as needed, so you’re always in control of what gets shown.
🔗 For more details and troubleshooting tips, feel free to visit the AI integration guide on our GitHub wiki →
✓ Block Editor Support
The plugin now includes a native block for the WordPress Block Editor (Gutenberg).
This new block makes it easy for you to display an always up-to-date table of cookies by category, right where visitors expect to find it.
This is especially helpful for compliance documentation and transparency, and it makes the plugin feel truly integrated with modern WordPress workflows.
How to Use It
You can insert a cookie table directly into any page or post using the new “Pressidium Cookie Table” block without the need for shortcodes or custom code.
Once added, you can:
- Select which cookie category to display (e.g., Analytics or Targeting)
- Toggle column visibility to show or hide Name, Domain, Expiration, Path, and Description
- Style the block using built-in options for fonts, spacing, colors, borders, and layout
- Use the block toolbar to align the table, header row, or individual columns for better visual balance
Any updates you make to your cookies list under Settings → Cookies will automatically appear wherever the block is used.
For more customization options and workarounds, read the full Cookies Table block guide on GitHub →
✓ WP Consent API Integration
WordPress is moving toward a standardized way of handling consent, and the Pressidium Cookie Consent plugin already supports it.
With this release, the plugin integrates directly with the WordPress Consent API. That means a user’s cookie choices are now stored in a consistent format that other plugins and themes can access.
No setup required. When a visitor makes a choice in the banner, their preferences are automatically shared with the Consent API. This improves compatibility and reduces the need for custom code to sync cookie logic between plugins.
If you’re a developer, you can retrieve consent values using functions like wp_get_consent() to control which scripts load based on user preferences.
It’s cleaner, safer, and built to last.
Additional Enhancements
Alongside the headline features, version 1.8.0 includes several quick wins & developer features. We are confident you will appreciate these enhancements as they improve performance, flexibility, and developer experience.
✓ Google Tag Manager Event Support
The Pressidium Cookie Consent plugin now supports custom event tracking for Google Tag Manager (GTM), giving you precise control over how and when your tags fire.
When a user interacts with the cookie banner, the plugin pushes two events to the GTM data layer:
pressidium-cookie-consent-acceptedis fired when a user gives consentpressidium-cookie-consent-changedis fired when a user updates their preferences
These events let you configure your GTM setup to load analytics, advertising, or tracking scripts only after the appropriate consent has been given.
✓ New Shortcode and Global Function
The [pressidium_cookie_consent_cookies] shortcode lets you display a table of cookies on any WordPress page or post without using the Block Editor.
This is especially useful if you’re using the Classic Editor or a page builder like Elementor, or need to embed cookie info dynamically in your privacy or cookie policy page.
✓ Access Cookie Data Programmatically
The Pressidium Cookie Consent plugin allows developers to retrieve the full cookie list in PHP using the pressidium_cookie_consent_get_cookies() function. This returns all defined cookies, grouped by category.
It’s perfect for building custom cookie tables, integrating with external systems, or conditionally loading features based on user consent.
For details on usage and output structure, see the Pressidium Cookie Consent developer guide for programmatic control.
✓ Improved Translation UI
Text fields for cookie descriptions are now textareas, making long translations easier to manage. The domain column in the settings modal has also been adjusted for better readability.
✓ Updated Requirements
The minimum PHP version has been bumped to 8.1, ensuring compatibility with modern WordPress environments and keeping the codebase future-proof.
✓ Dependency Updates
Version 1.8.0 of the Pressidium Cookie Consent plugin includes refreshed Composer and npm packages. These updates improve stability, reduce the risk of version conflicts, and ensure compatibility with modern WordPress and JavaScript environments.
Ready to Upgrade?
This update makes the Pressidium Cookie Consent plugin smarter, faster, and more capable while staying true to its core values: simplicity, performance, and full control.
If you’re already using the plugin, update to the latest version today to start using the new features. For new users, it’s available for free on the WordPress Plugin Directory.
Need help getting started or want to contribute?
We welcome feedback, bug reports, and feature suggestions on GitHub.
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