# How to manage visitor identity

The [Visitor Identity Management](https://app2.abtasty.com/settings/tracking/visitor-id-management) page allows you to choose how you want to manage the visitor ID. The options are:

* Use AB Tasty’s visitor ID management system
* Manage the visitor ID on your side (BYOID)

## Bring your own ID (BYOID) settings <a href="#h_01j0jvhkcxg9893a2p9e44dj5d" id="h_01j0jvhkcxg9893a2p9e44dj5d"></a>

The Bring your own ID (BYOID) option allows you to manage the visitor ID yourself instead of using AB Tasty visitors ID management system.

When you activate BYOID, you will be responsible for generating the visitor ID, storing the visitor ID in a first-party cookie, a JavaScript variable, or local storage, and retrieving the visitor ID from the storage location. You will also be responsible for sharing the visitor ID with AB Tasty so that AB Tasty can track the visitor’s behavior on the website and personalize the website for the visitor.

To activate BYOID, select **Manage the visitor ID on your side (BYOID)**

![](/files/6FO2Z1ApyApId2frmf7z)

| **NOTE** | Note that as soon as you have saved this setting and refreshed your tag, you will be responsible for sharing the ID everywhere the tag has been implemented. The failure to provide this ID will make the tag unable to execute, display the campaigns and collect data. |
| -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |

Once activated, you can select the three options to manage the visitor ID: - Cookie - JavaScript variable - Local storage

| **NOTE** | To make sure the visitor IDs we will collect do not include personal information on your visitors, the AB Tasty tag will automatically hash them before using and collecting them. As a result, the visitor IDs you store will be different from the one AB Tasty collects. |
| -------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |

### Cookie <a href="#h_01j0jvhkcxe9aactw5a4fdtgs1" id="h_01j0jvhkcxe9aactw5a4fdtgs1"></a>

You can select this option if you decided to store the visitor IDs in a cookie. In this case, set the cookie name and a pattern to extract the ID from the cookie.\
Note that you must create the cookie beforehand.&#x20;

<figure><img src="/files/kjKVciZpvCjQkmXlXlkf" alt="" width="563"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

### JavaScript variable <a href="#h_01j0jvhkcx2m5ktkrn7kyqtm7g" id="h_01j0jvhkcx2m5ktkrn7kyqtm7g"></a>

You can select this option if you decided to store the visitor IDs in a JavaScript variable. In this case, specify the JavaScript variable name which contains the ID.

![](/files/EUYuRTMSGg1wprsEi24m)

### Local storage <a href="#h_01j0jvhkcxvw791860nrx3xb8x" id="h_01j0jvhkcxvw791860nrx3xb8x"></a>

You can select this option if you decided to store the visitor IDs in the local storage. In this case, specify the local storage variable name and pattern to extract the ID from the local storage.

![](/files/CvGl3mJ1ZjfslOUDwgQN)

## Migration mode <a href="#h_01j0jvhkcxyn0xgmjb5384njy2" id="h_01j0jvhkcxyn0xgmjb5384njy2"></a>

The migration mode allows you to either use the existing visitor ID until AB Tasty’s cookie expires or immediately switch from AB Tasty’s visitor ID management system to your own ID management.

* Select **Toggle ON** to keep the existing visitor ID until AB Tasty’s cookie expire.
* Select **Toggle OFF** to switch to delete all existing visitor ID and switch to BYOID immediately.

| **NOTE** | You can configure your own cookie expiration date from the **Cookie lifespan** section of the [Cookie settings](https://app2.abtasty.com/settings/cookies-privacy/cookies) page. By default, it is set to 13 months. |
| -------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |

![](/files/Y6kIGIvcr8ZvGDWqQKQX)

![](/files/Amf6QPjuHduhD8B4uOLZ)

We recommend using **toggle off** to start a fresh visitor ID tracking.


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