Free tool · Google Tag Manager audit

Free GTM container audit

A GTM container audit reviews every tag, trigger and variable in a Google Tag Manager container for problems that break or clutter your tracking. Drop in your container export file and this free GTM audit lists tags that never fire, paused and duplicate tags, unused triggers and variables, and leftover Universal Analytics tags, with the steps to fix each one in GTM. The file never leaves your browser.

By the Dolphin Analytics team · Last updated · Export steps from Google's Tag Manager help

How to export your container
  1. Open Google Tag Manager and click Admin.
  2. In the Container column, click Export Container.
  3. Click Choose a version or workspace, and pick the live version.
  4. Click Download. A small .json file downloads.

Example container with made-up data. Drop your own file to audit it.

Container GTM-XXXXXXXVersion 48
14
tags
5
triggers
3
variables
3
problems
2
worth a look
  • PROBLEM

    2 Universal Analytics tags still running

    Universal Analytics stopped processing data on 1 July 2023 (July 2024 for paid 360 accounts), so these tags still load and send hits nowhere.

    UA - Pageview · UA - Event - Form Submit

    How to fix in GTM

    First check GA4 already records the same page views, events and sales. Then in Tags, tick these tags, click the bin icon to delete them, and publish.

  • PROBLEM

    1 tag has no firing trigger

    Nothing fires this tag and no live tag runs it in a tag sequence, so it never runs.

    GA4 - Event - Add to cart

    How to fix in GTM

    Open the tag, click Triggering, and pick the trigger it should fire on. If the tag is no longer needed, delete it instead. Test in Preview, then publish.

  • PROBLEM

    2 Google tags send page views for G-ABC123XYZ

    These tags use the same ID, send page views as far as the file shows, and fire on the same trigger or on every page with no exceptions, so GA4 can count each page view twice.

    Google Tag - G-ABC123XYZ · GA4 Config (old)

    How to fix in GTM

    Open Preview, load a page, and count the page_view hits sent to G-ABC123XYZ. If there is more than one, turn page views off (set send_page_view to false) in every tag but one, instead of deleting them, since they may carry other settings. Check Preview again until one page_view hit remains, then publish.

Every finding and fix step, with your container ID and version. Made in your browser.

Runs in your browser. Your container file is never uploaded to Dolphin Analytics.

What does a GTM container audit check?

A GTM container audit checks that every tag can fire, fires once, and still sends data somewhere that exists. This tool reads the same export file Tag Manager uses for backups, so it sees each tag's type, triggers, tag sequence, consent settings and pause state.

The rules come from Google's own help: Universal Analytics stopped processing data on 1 July 2023, tags without built-in consent checks need consent settings added, and a container with a Google tag on every page doesn't need a separate Conversion Linker.

CheckWhy it matters
Universal Analytics tagsThey send hits to a product that no longer processes data
Tags with no firing trigger that no other tag runs in a sequenceThe tag never runs
Two Google tags sending page views to one measurement IDPage views can be counted twice
Exact duplicate tagsThe same data is sent more than once
Tags with no additional consent settings (other than Google tags with built-in checks)Unless a tag checks consent itself, Tag Manager can't hold it back until a visitor agrees
Google Ads conversions with no Conversion Linker and no Google tag on every pageAd clicks may not be matched to conversions
Paused tags, unreferenced triggers and variables, untitled itemsClutter that makes the container harder to change safely

What can't a container audit see?

A container audit can't see what happens on your live site. A tag can be set up correctly and still fail because the page never sends the event it waits for, or a consent banner blocks it. To record what actually fires on your pages, run a free Sonar tracking scan.

Frequently asked questions

Is the GTM container audit free?

Yes. It is free, needs no sign-up, and the whole audit runs in your browser. Your container file is never uploaded.

Is it safe to export my GTM container?

Yes. Exporting only downloads a copy of the container. It changes nothing in Tag Manager, and the file holds tag settings, not visitor data.

Can it check a server-side container?

Not yet. It reads web container exports. Server-side containers use different tag types.

What if I export only some items?

Tag Manager can export chosen items instead of the whole container. A trigger or variable can then look unused when the tag that uses it was left out, and the file can't show that. So the audit only lists unused triggers and variables after you confirm the file is the whole container version.

How is this different from Sonar?

The container audit reads your Tag Manager settings. Sonar visits your live site and records what actually fires. Use both to find a tag that is set up right but never runs.

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