Anthony McGrath

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How to set up Microsoft Clarity (free heatmaps and recordings)

Live guide · Checked 26 October 2026 · Updated 26 October 2026 · Checked every week against Microsoft Clarity's own help pages

Install Microsoft Clarity to see heatmaps and session recordings of how real visitors use your website, free of charge.

Time
10 minutes
You will need
  • A Microsoft, Google or Facebook account
  • Access to your website code, Google Tag Manager or your platform's settings
  • A cookie banner, as recordings use cookies
Stuck?
Troubleshooting or ask me a question

Step by step

  1. Sign up

    Go to https://clarity.microsoft.com and sign in. Clarity is free with no traffic limits.

  2. Create a project

    Click + New project, enter your website name and address and choose your site category.

  3. Install the tracking code

    Choose how to install: Google Tag Manager (pick the Clarity integration), a platform integration such as Shopify or WordPress, or copy the code into the head of every page.

  4. Respect consent

    In the UK, Clarity should only run after a visitor accepts cookies. Load it through your cookie banner or Tag Manager consent settings, and turn on Consent mode in Clarity settings if you use Google Consent Mode.

  5. Check it is working

    Visit your site in a new browser window, accept cookies, then return to Clarity. Within about 2 hours you will see your session under Recordings.

  6. Mask sensitive information

    In Settings > Masking, keep Balanced or choose Strict so form fields, emails and payment details are never recorded.

  7. Connect Google Analytics

    In Settings > Setup, connect your GA4 property so you can jump from Clarity sessions to Analytics data and back.

  8. Start reading the data

    Open Heatmaps to see where people click and how far they scroll. Filter Recordings by Rage clicks and Dead clicks to find things that frustrate visitors.

Tips from 22 years of doing this

  • Watch 10 recordings of people who left your checkout or form: it is the fastest way to find problems.
  • Add Clarity to your privacy policy.

Troubleshooting: questions and answers

No recordings are showing.

Wait up to 2 hours after installing. Make sure you accepted cookies when testing, as Clarity should only load after consent. Check the code is on the live site with your browser's developer tools (search the page source for clarity).

Recordings are missing pages or look broken.

This usually happens with pages behind a login or heavy animations. Check Settings > Setup and make sure your domain is listed correctly.

Is Clarity allowed under UK GDPR?

Yes, if visitors consent first and you mention it in your privacy policy. Keep masking on so personal details are never recorded.

Official help pages

Want this done for you?

I have set these up for over 500 businesses in 22 years. If you would rather spend your time on the business, I can set it up properly, check your tracking and get it working for you.

Get a free consultation

Still stuck, or have a question?

Tell me where you got to and what you see. I read every message and reply by email, usually the same working day.