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How GDPRWise Works calendar_today Updated: 7 April 2026 schedule 3 min read

How Does the GDPRWise Scan Work?

Curious what happens when GDPRWise scans your website? This article explains how the scan works, what it detects and what results you get within 2 minutes.

summarize Key Takeaways
  • check_circle The scan automatically checks your website for cookies, forms, fields, trackers, third-party scripts etc.
  • check_circle Within seconds you get an overview of all GDPR relevant assets found
  • check_circle Based on your industry sector, items are incorporated in the appropriate sections in your GDPR dossier
  • check_circle You get full guest access to the GDPRWise app to review, enrich and take your GDPR dossier forward
  • check_circle No account needed - enter your URL and the scan does the rest

Enter your URL and the scan does the rest

The GDPRWise scan is designed to give you a clear picture of your website’s privacy situation within 2 minutes. No complicated installations, no technical knowledge required. You enter your website address, click start, and our scanner gets to work.

The scan simulates a normal website visit and analyses everything happening in the background. Think of the scripts being loaded, the cookies being placed and the data being collected through forms. That is exactly what the GDPR has strict requirements for.

What does the scan detect?

The scanner currently checks six key areas as outlined below, but is constantly being refined and extended.

Cookies and storage Which cookies are being placed? Are they functional cookies or tracking cookies? Are they placed before or after consent? The scan maps every cookie, including its origin and purpose.

Third-party scripts Does your website load scripts from external parties like Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, HubSpot or Hotjar? Every external script that may process personal data is detected and reported.

Forms and data collection Do you have contact forms, newsletter sign-ups or quote requests? The scan checks whether these forms collect data and whether they reference your privacy policy.

Trackers and tracking pixels Many websites contain invisible tracking pixels that monitor visitor behaviour. The scan makes these visible, even if you didn’t know they were there.

Social platform links Does your website link to Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, Pinterest or other social platforms? These links are relevant for your privacy policy and may involve data sharing with those platforms. The scan detects all social platform connections on your site.

Email host detection Where is your email hosted? Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 or another provider? Your email host processes personal data on your behalf, which means it belongs in your processing register. The scan identifies your email hosting provider from your domain’s mail records.

What do you get as a result?

The scan does not just hand you a list of findings. It builds you a complete GDPR dossier.

Your industry sector is detected

Based on your website content, GDPRWise identifies your industry sector. This matters because every sector has specific GDPR requirements - a medical practice handles different data than a web agency or a retail shop. The detected sector is used to load the right sector profile as the foundation for your dossier.

A full GDPR dossier, not just a report

GDPRWise takes the sector profile and enriches it with your scan results. Cookies found on your site are added to the cookie section. Third-party scripts are mapped to the processing register. Forms are linked to data collection purposes. Social platform connections and your email host are incorporated where they belong.

The result is an as-complete-as-possible GDPR dossier tailored to your business, not a generic checklist or a raw list of findings.

Guest access to the GDPRWise app

After the scan, you get full guest access to the GDPRWise app to view your dossier. No email required, no account needed. You can browse through every section, see what has been filled in automatically and what still needs your input.

Items the scan detected with high confidence are marked as “Detected”. Items that need your verification or additional context are marked as “Needs review”, so you always know where to focus.

Share with colleagues or create an account

You can share your guest access URL with colleagues so they can review the dossier too. When you are ready to take things further, you can create an account and enter the free trial period. Everything you have reviewed as a guest carries over, nothing is lost.

auto_awesome See what your website reveals

Enter your URL and get a complete GDPR dossier tailored to your business within seconds. No account needed, no cost, no strings attached.

GW
GDPRWise Editorial

This article was written by the GDPRWise team and reviewed by our privacy experts. We regularly review our content for accuracy and legal correctness.