# Tracking pixel

A tracking pixel is a snippet of code from an ad platform, such as the Meta Pixel, that reports to the platform what visitors do on your website.

Source: https://ibenta.no/en/glossary/tracking-pixel
Publisher: Ibenta (https://ibenta.no)
Updated: 2026-09-27

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The name comes from the days when tracking was an invisible image one pixel by one pixel in size. Today it is usually a piece of JavaScript. [Meta describes](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/meta-pixel/) its pixel as code that tracks visitor activity on your website. Google Ads, LinkedIn and TikTok have similar code. It reports when someone views a page, adds something to the basket or submits a form.

## What you get, and what it costs

With the pixel in place, the ad platform can count [conversions](/en/glossary/conversion) from your ads, show ads to people who have already visited, which is [retargeting](/en/glossary/retargeting), and find more people who resemble your customers. Without it, Meta ads become much harder to measure.

The price is privacy. The pixel shares data about your visitors with the ad platform, so it must be mentioned in your privacy policy, and the consent rules we explain under [cookies](/en/glossary/cookies) apply.

## See whether your site has one

Open your website in Chrome, press F12 and choose the Network tab. Reload the page and type "facebook" in the filter box. If results appear before you have answered the cookie banner, the pixel is probably loading too early. If you see nothing, you may have no pixel, but an ad blocker could also be stopping it, or it could be waiting for consent. Click "Accept" and look again, ideally in a private window without extensions.