This article is about Google Analytics 4 properties. Refer to the Universal Analytics section if you're still using a Universal Analytics property, which will stop processing data on July 1, 2023 (July 1, 2024 for Analytics 360 properties).

[GA4] Add a Google Analytics 4 property (to a site that already has Analytics)

Set up a Google Analytics 4 (GA4) property alongside your existing Universal Analytics property

This article is for website owners who are using Universal Analytics and want to create a GA4 property. Learn more about GA4 properties and the next generation of Analytics

Use the GA4 Setup Assistant to create a new GA4 property that collects data in parallel with your existing Universal Analytics property. There are no changes to your Universal Analytics property, and it continues to collect data as always. You can access both properties via the property selector or Admin screen.

In this article:

How it works

The GA4 Setup Assistant wizard:

  • Creates your new GA4 property.
  • Copies the property name, website URL, timezone, currency, and other settings from your Universal Analytics property.
  • Activates enhanced measurement in your GA4 property.
  • Creates a connection between your Universal Analytics and GA4 properties. This connection makes it possible for you to use Setup Assistant in your Google Analytics 4 property to migrate configurations from your Universal Analytics property to your GA4 property.
  • Sets the GA4 property to receive data from your existing Google tag, if you choose to reuse an existing site tag.

The GA4 Setup Assistant wizard does not backfill your new GA4 property with historical data. Your GA4 property only collects data going forward. To see historical data, use the reports in your Universal Analytics property.

Get started

To use the GA4 Setup Assistant, you need the Editor role for the account. Follow the instructions below to create your GA4 property. You can use this wizard regardless of if 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 Settings 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 Universal Analytics 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.
  5. Click Get started under I want to create a new Google Analytics 4 property.
  6. In the Create a new Google Analytics 4 property pop-up screen, you'll have one of the following options, depending on how your site is currently tagged:
  7. On the Set up a Google tag page, select the option that best describes your situation and follow the instructions to finish creating your new GA4 property:
     

    Use the Google tag found on your website (Recommended)

    Select this option to use the Google tag detected on your website to complete setup without making changes to your site's code.

    If desired, click Details to view your tag details.

    Click Confirm to finish creating your new GA4 property.

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

    Use a Google tag you already have

    Select this option to reuse a Google tag that you already 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

    Install a Google tag

    Select this option if you don't have the Google tag installed on your website.

    1. Click Next to install a new Google tag on your website.
    2. On the Installation instructions page, you have 2 options:
      • Install with a website builder: If you manage your site using certain website builders (or "CMS platforms," like Wix or Duda), you can finish setting up your Google tag without making changes to your code.
      • 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

    Option 1: Install with a website builder or CMS

    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.

    When you've finished installing your Google tag, click Done to finish creating your new GA4 property.

    If your platform doesn't yet support the Google tag, you can use the manual installation option (below).

    We're continually updating our CMS instructions to make it as easy as possible for you 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.

    Option 2: Install manually

    Choose this option if one of the following is true:

    How to manually install the Google tag

    On the Install manually tab, you'll see the JavaScript snippet for your Google tag. To establish a connection between your website and Google Analytics, copy and paste your 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.

    If you're using a website builder/CMS that doesn't yet support the Google tag, copy and paste your entire Google tag  using your platform's custom HTML field.

    Your Google tag is the entire section of code that appears, beginning with:

    <!-- Google tag (gtag.js) -->

    and ending with

    </script>

    When you've finished installing your Google tag on your website, 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 Universal Analytics 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 Universal Analytics 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.

Next steps with your new GA4 property

After you're done with the wizard, 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 (UA-nnnnnnn)", your GA4 property name will be "Example property - GA4 (xxxxxxx)", without a "UA-" prefix, and where xxxxxxx is a new property number.

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

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.

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