🔬 Technical Breakdown
What Is the _gl Parameter in GA4 and Why Does It Keep Disappearing?
By Dimsquid Engineering • Published Aug 4, 2026 • 5 min read
If you've been inspecting outbound URL links between your WordPress site and your Shopify checkout, you might have noticed a string appended to the URL that looks like _gl=1*1a2b3c...*ga*MTIzNDU2Nzg5....
Anatomy of a _gl Token
The _gl parameter stands for Google Linker. It is designed to safely transmit user session state across different domain names:
// Example _gl parameter structure:
_gl = 1 * [checksum] * [container_id] * [encoded_client_id_and_timestamp]
Why the _gl Parameter Keeps Disappearing
Many store owners report that _gl shows up on static text links, but disappears when users click buy buttons or slide-out carts. Here are the top 3 technical causes:
- Form Redirect Stripping: Standard HTML forms submit via POST or GET redirect, stripping URL query parameters unless explicitly injected into hidden form fields.
- AJAX Dynamic Elements: Carts injected after initial page load bypass static DOM event listeners.
- HTTP 301/302 Redirect Cleaners: Server-side redirect rules clean off unrecognized query parameters before landing on checkout.
Learn More in This Cluster:
Ensure 100% _gl Parameter Persistence
GA4 Linker monitors dynamic DOM elements and forms to prevent _gl tokens from disappearing.
Download GA4 Linker Plugin →