How to Enable GDPR Functionality in Hubspot

Implementing GDPR tools in Hubspot helps you collect, manage, and document user consent in a compliant way across forms, emails, and cookies. This step-by-step guide explains how to turn on GDPR functionality in your account, what each option means, and how to configure the related privacy settings correctly.

Before You Turn On GDPR in Hubspot

GDPR features in Hubspot are designed to support compliance, but they do not guarantee it on their own. Your legal team should define how you use data, what consent you need, and how long you retain information.

Review these points before you change any settings:

Confirm where your contacts are located and whether GDPR applies.
Decide which subscription types and legal bases your organization will use.
Prepare clear privacy and cookies documentation on your website.
Align Hubspot settings with your existing consent and data retention policies.

Accessing GDPR Settings in Hubspot

All GDPR configuration is managed in your account settings. Follow these steps in the main Hubspot navigation:

Sign in to your Hubspot account.
Click the settings icon (usually in the top navigation bar).
In the left sidebar, open the Privacy & Consent section under the relevant settings area (for example, Account Defaults or similar, depending on your interface).
Locate the option to enable GDPR functionality.

The exact wording can vary slightly by interface updates, but the main GDPR setting is grouped with privacy and consent tools in Hubspot.

Enabling GDPR Functionality in Hubspot

Once you are in the correct settings area, you can activate the core GDPR tools in Hubspot. The setting typically appears as a master toggle, checkbox, or similar control.

Find the GDPR or GDPR functionality option.
Turn the toggle on or check the box to enable GDPR features.
Review the on-screen description explaining how GDPR tools affect contacts, forms, and tracking.
Click Save or Apply to confirm the change.

After you enable this feature, additional GDPR-related options will appear in other areas of Hubspot, including cookies, forms, and email subscriptions.

Configuring Cookie Tracking and Banners in Hubspot

With GDPR enabled, Hubspot can show a cookie consent banner and manage tracking based on visitor choices. Configure these options to match your legal guidance.

Set Up the Hubspot Cookie Banner

In settings, open the cookies or tracking section for your domains.
Select the domain on which you want to display the cookie banner.
Turn on the option to display a cookie consent banner.
Customize banner text to clearly explain how your site uses cookies and link to your cookie policy.

Choose Hubspot Cookie Consent Behavior

Depending on your region and policy, you may adjust how Hubspot handles tracking:

Require opt-in before tracking: Tracking cookies are only set after the visitor accepts.
Soft consent / implied consent: Tracking begins unless the visitor declines (if available and approved by your legal team).
Cookie categories (where supported): Separate essential and non-essential cookies and inform visitors accordingly.

Align these choices with your legal requirements and ensure your banner language accurately describes what Hubspot and any other tools are doing.

Managing Consent on Forms in Hubspot

GDPR functionality also enhances form options in Hubspot so you can capture explicit consent and legal bases when collecting data.

Enable GDPR Options on Individual Hubspot Forms

Go to Marketing > Forms (or the forms tool in Hubspot).
Edit the form where you want to collect GDPR consent.
Open the Options or GDPR tab in the form editor.
Turn on GDPR options for that form.

After enabling this, you can configure the consent and communication fields that will appear to your visitors.

Customize Consent Text and Communication Types in Hubspot

When GDPR is turned on for a form, Hubspot lets you add consent checkboxes and communication options. Typical configurations include:

Legal basis explanation: Text that describes why you are collecting data (for example, performance of a contract or legitimate interest, as advised by your legal team).
Subscription checkboxes: One or more consent boxes linked to specific subscription types, such as newsletter, product updates, or sales outreach.
Required vs optional consent: Decide which checkboxes must be selected to submit a form and which are optional subscriptions.

Each submission will log how and when the contact gave consent in Hubspot, helping you document your GDPR compliance posture.

Setting Email Subscription Types in Hubspot

GDPR functionality works closely with subscription types in Hubspot so you can track exactly what contacts agreed to receive.

Review and Create Subscription Types

In settings, navigate to the Email or Subscriptions area in Hubspot.
Review existing subscription types (for example, Marketing Information, Product Updates, or Sales Contacts).
Create new subscription types to match your specific communication categories if needed.
Write clear descriptions so contacts understand what each subscription means.

Once configured, tie these subscription types to your forms and email campaigns in Hubspot so consent is always recorded against the correct category.

Updating Email Templates and Footers in Hubspot

After enabling GDPR, review your email templates in Hubspot to ensure they support compliant communication and easy preference management.

Confirm every email includes a link to manage preferences or unsubscribe.
Check that the footer displays accurate company and contact information.
Map each email to the correct subscription type in Hubspot.
Avoid sending marketing to contacts who have not granted the appropriate consent.

Monitoring GDPR Activity in Hubspot

With GDPR functionality active, Hubspot records consent details and subscription changes for each contact. You can use this to respond to data subject requests and audits.

View the Subscriptions tab on individual contact records.
Confirm the date and time when consent was granted or withdrawn.
Check which forms in Hubspot were used to capture consent.
Export relevant records when your legal team needs evidence of consent.

Best Practices When Using GDPR Tools in Hubspot

To make the most of GDPR functionality in Hubspot, keep these best practices in mind:

Audit forms regularly to ensure the correct consent language and subscription types are applied.
Coordinate with your legal and compliance stakeholders before changing any GDPR settings in Hubspot.
Ensure your website privacy and cookie policy match the behavior of your cookie banner and tracking configuration.
Train team members who build forms or send campaigns in Hubspot so they understand how consent works.

Additional Resources and Professional Help

For the most accurate, up-to-date configuration steps, always reference the official Hubspot knowledge base article on GDPR functionality: How do I turn on GDPR functionality in my Hubspot account?

If you need strategic help aligning your compliance strategy, marketing operations, and Hubspot configuration, a specialist consultancy can be valuable. You can explore expert implementation and optimization services at Consultevo.

By carefully enabling GDPR functionality in Hubspot, configuring cookie banners, and standardizing consent on forms and subscriptions, your organization can build a transparent, consent-driven marketing system that respects user privacy and regulatory requirements.

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Enable GDPR in Hupspot Settings