[UA→GA4] Migration guide for beginners [Legacy]

You are viewing a legacy article about Universal Analytics. Learn more about Google Analytics 4 replacing Universal Analytics.

If you have already completed migrating and are confused about why you are still seeing migration notices, follow these steps.

Follow these steps in a desktop browser, not the Analytics mobile app. It's easiest if you complete migration in one session.

If you prefer video format to learn, watch the migration basics video:

Not yet migrated to the new Google Analytics? Simple steps to get started.

Find your Analytics account and check which properties you need to migrate

If you aren't sure whether you have a Universal Analytics property that you need to migrate or which properties you need to migrate, follow these steps.

OR, If you are ready to migrate, skip to the next section, Run the GA4 Setup Assistant wizard.

Find your Google Analytics account

1. Go to https://analytics.google.com/
2. If you're already signed in to Google, you'll be taken directly to Analytics. Otherwise, you will be prompted to enter your Google Account and password.

If you can't sign in to your account, go to Unable to sign in to account.

Check if you have a Universal Analytics property

1. Sign in to Google Analytics.
2. In the upper left, to the right of the Analytics logo, click the down arrow next to the name of your property.

   

3. Under Properties & Apps, find your property.
4. Universal Analytics property IDs start with UA and end with a number (UA-XXXXXXXXX-1)

   

Check if you need to migrate your Universal Analytics property

1. Sign in to Google Analytics.
2. In Google Analytics, click Admin (lower left).
3. In the Account column, make sure that your desired account is selected. (If you only have one Google Analytics account, it's already selected.)

   

4. In the Property column, select the Universal Analytics property you want to check.

   

5. In the Property column, click GA4 Setup Assistant. It's the first option in the Property column.

   

   Don't see GA4 Setup Assistant? If you see a grayed out Property Settings in the Property column, you only have permissions in the View but not in the property or account. Contact the person in your organization with the Administrator role for your Google Analytics account and ask them to check if you need to migrate.
6. In the Google Analytics 4 Property Setup Assistant, find a red or green notice that says "Not Connected" or "Connected."
   • If the notice is red and says "Not Connected," you need to migrate.

     

   • If the notice is red and says "Not Connected" and you also see "You do not have editor permissions. Contact your account admin," you need to migrate, but don't have the required permissions. Your account admin is someone at your organization with the Administrator role for your Google Analytics account. Let that person know that your property needs to be migrated.

     

   • If the notice is green and says "Connected," you have already started to migrate. Skip to next steps.

     

Create a GA4 property

To use the GA4 Setup Assistant, you need the Editor or Administrator role for the account. You can use the tool regardless of whether your website pages have a Google Analytics tag (gtag.js or analytics.js), a Google Ads tag (gtag.js), or a Google Tag Manager container.

1. In Google Analytics, click Admin (lower left).
2. In the Account column, make sure that your desired account is selected. (If you only have one Google Analytics account, it's already selected.)
3. In the Property column, select the UA property that currently collects data for your website.
   
4. In the Property column, click GA4 Setup Assistant. It's the first option in the Property column.
   Don't see GA4 Setup Assistant? If you only see a grayed out Property Settings in the Property column, you have permissions in the View but not in the property or account. You need the Editor or Administrator role for the account to use the tool.
5. Choose how you want to migrate your Universal Analytics property. Note that the available options may vary:
   • I want to create a new Google Analytics 4 property:
     Migrate your basic settings, which includes migrating your tags, Google signals activation, and remarketing settings. This option does not migrate goals, audiences, links, and bidding in Google Ads.
     
     To use this option, click Get Started. (Skip to step 6.)
      
   • I want a new Google Analytics 4 property set up for me aligned as much as possible with this property's settings:
     Migrate your basic settings, plus additional configurations, which include goals, audiences, links, and bidding in Google Ads. This option follows the same process as automatically created GA4 properties. Learn how it works
     Note: If your Universal Analytics property doesn't have any views, this option is unavailable.
     To use this option, click Create and configure a new property. On the Create a new Google Analytics 4 property page, you have the option to check Enable data collection using existing tags to include your existing tags in the migration. Then, click Create property.
     Note: The full migration takes up to five business days to complete. We send email notifications to inform users of new GA4 property creation.
6. (If you chose I want to create a new Google Analytics 4 property in step 5) On the Create a new Google Analytics 4 property page, you'll have one of the following options, depending on how your site is currently tagged:
   • Create and continue. Choose this option to continue to the Set up a Google tag page (step 7).
   • Create property. If you see this option, this means that Analytics can reuse your existing Universal Analytics tagging for your GA4 property. Analytics will create a connected site tag between your Universal Analytics and GA4 properties. Select this option and skip to the Next steps with your new GA4 property section (below).
     Note for advanced users: This option implements standard data collection for your GA4 property. If you've implemented any custom tags for your UA property, review these considerations for additional steps.
7. (If you chose Create and continue in step 6) On the Set up a Google tag page, install the Google tag manually (the first option below) or select the option that best describes your situation and follow the instructions to finish creating your new GA4 property.
   
   You will see some of the following options, depending on how the site is configured.
    

   Install manually

   Choose this option if one of the following is true:

   • Your website builder/CMS does not yet support the Google tag (gtag.js)
   • You or your web developer are manually tagging your website
   • Your website is tagged with analytics.js
   • You use Google Tag Manager

   How to manually install the Google tag

   When you select "Install manually," you will see the JavaScript snippet for the Google tag.

   To establish a connection between your website and Google Analytics, copy and paste the entire Google tag in the code of every page of your website, immediately after the <head> element. Don’t add more than one Google tag to each page.

   Your Google tag is the entire section of code that appears, beginning with:
   
   <!-- Google tag (gtag.js) -->
   
   and ending with
   
   </script>

   If you're using a website builder or Content Management System (CMS) that doesn't yet support the Google tag, copy the entire Google tag and paste it into the platform's custom HTML field.

   Then, click Done to finish creating your new GA4 property.

   When you've set up your tag, you need to configure your Google tag settings

   If your website is tagged with analytics.js, either manually or with a CMS

   If your website is manually tagged with analytics.js, don't remove the old analytics.js tag when you add the Google tag (above). The analytics.js tag will continue to collect data for your UA property. The Google tag (gtag.js) that you're adding will collect data for your new GA4 property.

   If you're using a website builder/CMS that tags your pages with analytics.js, you can use the custom HTML feature to add the Google tag to your pages. Leave the analytics.js tag in place so that Analytics still sends data to your UA property.

   The following table lists website builders and CMSs that use analytics.js and require that you add your Google tag as custom HTML in order to have both tags on your site.

   Copy and paste your Google tag to your website using your CMS's custom HTML feature.

   Use the Realtime report to verify that you're receiving data.

   Website builder / CMS	Options to add custom HTML
   Blogger	Instructions
   Cart.com	Contact Cart.com support for instructions
   Salesforce (Demandware)	Contact Salesforce support for instructions
   VTEX	Contact VTEX support for instructions
   Weebly	Instructions

   If you add your tag using Google Tag Manager

   For basic data collection, follow the Google Tag Manager help center instructions to add the Google Analytics: GA4 Configuration tag using your Google Tag Manager account.

   After you're finished, make sure to click Done in the GA4 Setup Assistant to finish creating your connected GA4 property.

   Install with a CMS or website builder

   If you manage your site using certain website builders or Content Management System (CMS) platforms, like Wix or Duda, you can finish setting up your Google tag without making changes to your code.

   If you manage your site using one of the platforms listed on the Installation instructions page, select your platform and follow the instructions to finish setting up your Google tag without making changes to your code.

   Then, click Done to finish creating your new GA4 property.

   If your platform doesn't yet support the Google tag, use the previous "Install manually" option.

   We're continually updating the CMS instructions to make it as easy as possible to set up your Google tag. If you don't see your platform on the Installation instructions page, you might still be able to paste your Google tag ID into your website builder or CMS. Before installing manually, check for your platform on this list.

   Learn more about installing your Google tag with a website builder.

   Install with {CMS}

   You are seeing this option because Google has identified an integration between your site and a specific Content Management System (CMS). This option lets you finish setting up your Google tag without making changes to your code using the existing CMS integration.

   Follow the instructions to finish setting up your Google tag without making changes to your code. Then, click Confirm to finish creating your new GA4 property.

   If your platform doesn't yet support the Google tag, use the previous "Install manually" option.

   We're continually updating the CMS instructions to make it as easy as possible to set up your Google tag. If you don't see your platform on the Installation instructions page, you might still be able to paste your Google tag ID into your website builder or CMS. Before installing manually, check for your platform on this list.

   Learn more about installing your Google tag with a website builder.

   Use a Google tag you already have

   Select this option to reuse an existing Google tag that you have admin access to.

   Click Choose a tag. You'll see:

   • A list of tags you have admin access to. (If you don't see the tag you are looking for, you might not have the appropriate user permissions to make changes to that Google tag.)
   • Tag IDs
   • Whether or not the tag was detected on your website. Choose a tag labeled "On site" to complete setup without making changes to your site's code. If you choose a tag labeled "Not detected", you might need to install it. (Note that if your site has low traffic volume, your tag may be shown as "Not detected".)
   • The destinations that are associated with the tag

   Select the Google tag you want to use, then click Confirm to finish creating your new GA4 property.

   Users on your property will be added as users on the tag. Learn more about managing your Google tag

   Use the Google tag found on your website

   Use the tag detected on your site to complete setup without making any additional changes to your site's code. Google will add the Google Analytics property to the tag found on your site.

   Use a different Google tag

   Choose this option if Google detected a tag on your website, but you want to use a different tag from the one Google detected.

   Create a new Google tag

   Choose this option if Google detected a tag on your website, but you want to install a new Google tag on your website manually instead.

   How to manually install the Google tag

   When you select this option, you will see the JavaScript snippet for the Google tag.

   To establish a connection between your website and Google Analytics, copy and paste the entire Google tag in the code of every page of your website, immediately after the <head> element. Don’t add more than one Google tag to each page.

   Your Google tag is the entire section of code that appears, beginning with:
   
   <!-- Google tag (gtag.js) -->
   
   and ending with
   
   </script>

   If you're using a website builder or Content Management System (CMS) that doesn't yet support the Google tag, copy the entire Google tag and paste it into the platform's custom HTML field.

   Then, click Done to finish creating your new GA4 property.

   When you've set up your tag, you need to configure your Google tag settings

Finish setting up your new GA4 property

When you're done, you'll see "You have successfully connected your properties" at the top of your Google Analytics 4 Property Setup Assistant page.

Make a note of your GA4 property's name so you can find it later. If your Universal Analytics property name is "Example property", your GA4 property name will be "Example property - GA4".

Click See your GA4 property to open Setup Assistant in your new GA4 property. Setup Assistant in Google Analytics 4 properties guides you through recommended features and settings to help you finish setting up your GA4 property.

It can take up to 30 minutes for data to begin appearing in your new GA4 property.

To verify that data is being collected, browse your website, then select Realtime from the report navigation. You should see activity in the Realtime report. You can also refer to [UA→GA4] Compare reports between Google Analytics 4 and Universal Analytics to compare the reports you're familiar with in Universal Analytics and their counterparts in your new Google Analytics 4 property.

If you have an existing Firebase project, you can link this GA4 property to it. However, you have to do this from Firebase. Learn how.

Congratulations! You've now completed the most important part of the migration to GA4. There are two additional steps we recommend for advertisers, however they are not necessary for everyone.

1. Turn on Google signals: This is very quick and easy. Follow the steps below.
2. Migrate your Universal Analytics goals to GA4: This is more complicated, but isn't necessary unless you want to reuse the goals that you had in Universal Analytics as key events in GA4. This may be important to you, particularly if you bid on your UA goals in Google Ads. Follow the steps below. (If you don't understand what Universal Analytics goals are, you can consider your GA4 migration complete.)

How to remove GA4 migration notices

If you have completed your GA4 migration, but you see one or both the following notices, follow the instructions below to stop seeing them.

• "This property’s setup is not complete. Settings may be completed for you based on your original Universal Analytics (UA) property, unless you opt out in the connected UA property."
• "Some settings from your original Universal Analytics (UA) property may be automatically added to this Google Analytics 4 property. To opt out from adding these settings automatically, go to the Setup Assistant in the connected UA property.

1. In Admin, click Setup Assistant in the left side of the screen.
2. If you see the message: “This is your GA4 property. Your connected Universal Analytics property remains unchanged", click Open connected property.
3. A countdown timer appears with the message "Almost there - finish migrating to Google Analytics 4 (GA4)". Click No thanks.
4. Switch off the “Automatically set up a basic Google Analytics 4 property” toggle.
   
5. Click Go to your GA4 property to go back to your GA4 property.
6. Mark all the tasks completed to stop seeing “This property is not fully set up. You can complete the recommended setup checklist in the Setup Assistant.”
   1. For each task, click the arrow at far right.
      
   2. Select Mark as complete.
      

The next time you access this GA4 property, the notices will no longer appear. (The notices will not immediately disappear once you complete these steps.)

Since your GA4 migration is now complete, you can ignore the rest of this article.

Turn on Google Signals

By turning on Google signals, you can collect additional data about users who have turned on ads personalization and who have signed in to their Google Accounts.

1. In Setup Assistant, look for "Turn on Google signals" and click the Actions menu to the right of the row.
2. Click Manage Google signals.
3. On the Google signals data collection page, click Get started.
4. On the Activate Google signals page, click Continue.
5. Click Activate.

Migrate your goals

1. Return to the Setup Assistant page. 
2. Look for "Set up key events" and click the Actions menu to the right of the row.
3. Click Import from Universal Analytics.
4. Select which goals you'd like to recreate as key events in your new Google Analytics 4 property. (You'll see a checkmark next to all of your goals, by default. Unselect any goals that you don't want to recreate in your GA4 property.)
5. Click Import selected key events in the top right.

A confirmation message will show in the bottom left of your screen when your selected goals have been successfully recreated as key events in your Google Analytics 4 property.