Microsoft Clarity UTM Filtering Not Showing the Expected Sessions: What to Check
When Microsoft Clarity UTM filtering does not show the sessions you expect, the cause is usually in how the UTM parameters reach the page. Redirects that strip parameters, landing pages that do not carry the UTMs, filters that do not match the parameter values and campaign links that point to the wrong page can all produce empty filtered views. The UTM data lives in the landing page URL. Trace it from the campaign link to the Clarity session.
Table of Contents
- 01.How UTM parameters reach Clarity
- 02.What to check first
- 03.Redirects and landing page URLs
- 04.Filter values and case sensitivity
- 05.How to test the fix
- 06.How to validate the final result
How UTM parameters reach Clarity
Clarity reads UTM parameters from the landing page URL. A visitor clicks a campaign link with UTMs, lands on the page and Clarity records the session with those parameters. If a redirect strips the parameters before the visitor reaches the page, Clarity never sees them. If the landing page does not carry the UTMs in its URL, the filter finds nothing. The data flow is campaign link to landing page to UTM parameters to Clarity session to filtered analysis.
| Cause | What happens | How to check |
|---|---|---|
| Redirect strips UTMs | Parameters lost before landing | Trace the redirect chain |
| Wrong landing page | Campaign links to a page without UTMs | Confirm the campaign URL |
| Filter mismatch | Filter value does not match parameter | Compare filter with actual UTM values |
| Parameter case | Case sensitivity mismatch | Compare exact casing |
| No campaign traffic | No sessions match the campaign | Confirm the campaign ran |
What to check first
- Open the campaign link and confirm the UTMs are present.
- Follow the link and confirm the UTMs survive any redirects.
- Open a recording from the campaign and confirm the UTMs appear in the URL.
- Compare the filter values with the exact UTM parameter values.
Redirects and landing page URLs
Redirects are a common cause of lost UTMs. A campaign link points to one URL, a redirect sends the visitor to another, and the parameters may or may not survive depending on the redirect setup. Confirm the final landing page URL still contains the UTMs. If it does not, the redirect is stripping them and the campaign data never reaches Clarity.
Filter values and case sensitivity
A filter that does not match the exact UTM value returns no sessions. Parameter values can be case sensitive and a small difference in casing or spacing produces an empty result. Compare the filter value with the actual UTM value recorded in a session URL character by character.
How to test the fix
- 1.Click the campaign link and read the final landing page URL.
- 2.Confirm the UTMs survive any redirects.
- 3.Open a recorded session from that visit and confirm the UTMs appear.
- 4.Apply the filter and confirm matching sessions appear.
How to validate the final result
Once the UTMs reach the landing page and the filter matches the exact values, the filtered view should show the campaign sessions. If sessions exist but the filter still returns nothing, the filter value does not match the recorded UTM exactly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Clarity not show my campaign sessions?
The UTMs may be stripped by a redirect, the campaign may link to the wrong page or the filter may not match the exact parameter values. Trace the UTM from the campaign link to the recorded session URL.
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