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

Now that Google Analytics 4 has replaced Universal Analytics (UA), if you have an existing GA4 property migrated from a UA property, GA4 will still collect data, but you won’t have access to any current or historical UA data.

You can create additional properties to an existing GA4 account. It’s up to you to manage the relationships between your accounts and properties, but each GA4 account can contain up to 2,000 properties. Learn more about the Google Analytics hierarchy.

On this page

Create a GA4 property

Before you begin, make sure you are in the correct account where you want to add a new property. You must also be an Editor or above at the account level.

To create a property:

  1. In Admin, click Create, then select Property.
  2. Enter a name for the property (e.g. "My Business, Inc website") and select the reporting time zone and currency. If a visitor comes to your website on a Tuesday in their time zone, but it's Monday in your time zone, the visit is recorded as having occurred on Monday.
    • If you choose a time zone that honors Daylight Savings Time, Analytics automatically adjusts for time changes. Use Greenwich Mean Time if you don't want to adjust for Daylight Savings Time.
    • Changing the time zone only affects data going forward. If you change the time zone for an existing property, you may see a flat spot or a spike in your data, caused by the time shift forwards or backwards, respectively. Report data may refer to the old time zone for a short period after you update your settings, until Analytics servers have processed the change.
    • We recommend that you change the time zone for a property no more than once per day so Analytics can process the change.
  3. Click Next. Select your industry category and business size.
  4. Click Next. Select how you intend to use Google Analytics.
    • Google Analytics tailors the set of default reports based on the information you provide about how you intend to use Analytics. For example, if you choose "Leads," you will see a collection of reports to help you measure lead generation. Learn more about Business objectives collection.
  5. Click Create.
  6. If you want to start collecting data, you can continue to Add a data stream.

Set up data collection for websites

After adding a web stream, you’ll be prompted to set up a Google tag. You’ll have different options to select from, depending on how the site is configured. Click Show more options to see the full list of options.

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
  • 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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Finish setting up your new GA4 property

To ensure that your new property is fully set up, in Admin, click Setup Assistant on the left side of the screen. Setup Assistant in Google Analytics 4 properties guides you through recommended features and settings to help you finish setting up your GA4 property. Learn how to Configure your GA4 property using Setup Assistant.

In Setup Assistant, you can configure:

  • Data collection
  • Property settings
  • Google Ads
  • (Optional) Advanced setup
    • Manage users
    • Import data
    • Link to BigQuery
    • Set up user IDs
    • Use measurement protocol

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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