Cookie Policy
This policy explains what cookies we use, what they do, and how you can control them. You can update your preferences at any time using the consent manager below.
What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files that are placed on your device when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites work more efficiently, to remember your preferences, and to provide information to website owners.
Alongside cookies, we may also use similar technologies such as web beacons (tiny transparent images), pixel tags, and local storage objects. For simplicity, we refer to all of these collectively as "cookies" in this policy.
Cookies can be categorised as:
- Session cookies — temporary, deleted when you close your browser
- Persistent cookies — remain on your device for a set period or until you delete them
- First-party cookies — set by HelpDesk Expert directly
- Third-party cookies — set by external services we use
How We Use Cookies
We use cookies for four distinct purposes, each requiring a different level of consent:
- Essential: Required for the website to function — always active, no consent needed
- Functional: Remember your preferences (language, theme, chat settings)
- Analytics: Understand how visitors use our site — requires consent
- Marketing: Deliver relevant ads and track campaign performance — requires consent
Essential Cookies Always Active
These cookies are strictly necessary for the website to work. They cannot be disabled in our system. They are usually set in response to actions you take, such as logging in or filling in forms.
| Cookie Name | Type | Duration | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
access_token | httpOnly, Secure | 7 days | Stores your JWT access token for authentication. Cannot be read by JavaScript. |
refresh_token | httpOnly, Secure | 30 days | Used to issue new access tokens without requiring you to sign in again. |
hde_session | localStorage | Session | Remembers your login session state across page refreshes. |
hde_cookie_consent | Persistent | 1 year | Stores your cookie consent preferences. |
XSRF-TOKEN | Session | Session | Prevents cross-site request forgery attacks. |
Analytics Cookies Consent Required
These cookies help us understand how visitors interact with our website by collecting anonymous, aggregated information. This helps us improve our content and user experience.
| Cookie Name | Provider | Duration | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
_ga | Google Analytics | 2 years | Distinguishes unique users. Contains a randomly generated ID. |
_ga_* | Google Analytics 4 | 2 years | Maintains session state for Google Analytics 4. |
_gid | Google Analytics | 24 hours | Identifies a user session. |
_gat | Google Analytics | 1 minute | Throttles request rate. |
hde_analytics | HelpDesk Expert | 26 months | Our internal page view and session analytics (anonymised). |
All analytics data we collect is anonymised before processing and is never linked to your personal identity. We have configured Google Analytics with IP anonymisation enabled.
Marketing Cookies Consent Required
These cookies are set by advertising partners to deliver targeted advertisements and measure the effectiveness of our campaigns. They may track your activity across other websites.
| Cookie Name | Provider | Duration | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
_fbp | Meta (Facebook) | 3 months | Identifies browsers for retargeting on Facebook and Instagram. |
li_fat_id | 30 days | Member indirect identifier for LinkedIn ad conversion tracking. | |
_gcl_au | Google Ads | 3 months | Used by Google AdSense for conversion tracking. |
IDE | Google DoubleClick | 1 year | Used for targeting and measuring ads across the web. |
If you decline marketing cookies, you will still see advertisements, but they will not be personalised based on your browsing behaviour.
Third-Party Cookies
Some cookies on our site are set by third-party services that appear on our pages. We do not control these cookies. The following third-party services may set cookies:
- Google Analytics & Ads — analytics and advertising
- Meta Pixel — advertising on Facebook and Instagram
- LinkedIn Insight Tag — B2B advertising
- Stripe — payment processing
Manage Your Cookie Preferences
Use the consent manager below to update your cookie preferences at any time. Essential cookies cannot be disabled as they are required for the website to function.
Browser-Level Cookie Controls
Most browsers allow you to manage cookies through their settings. You can typically:
- View all cookies stored on your device
- Delete cookies individually or all at once
- Block cookies from specific websites
- Block all third-party cookies
- Set up private or incognito browsing
Please note that disabling or deleting certain cookies may affect the functionality of our website, including your ability to stay logged in to your account.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our use of cookies, technology, or applicable law. We will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page when we make changes.
If we make significant changes that affect your rights, we will notify you by email or through a prominent notice on our website. We recommend checking this page periodically to stay informed.
Contact Us
If you have questions about our use of cookies or this policy, please contact us:
You can also learn more about your rights and how to exercise them in our Privacy Policy.