How do I analyze user retention in GA4?

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Applies to: Google Analytics 4 (GA4)
Last updated: May 2025

Problem

You want to understand how well your website or app retains users over time—whether users are returning after their first visit, and how retention varies by source, device, or user segment.

Solution

GA4 offers a Retention report as well as custom Explorations to help you track user retention by cohort. These tools let you analyze how long users stay engaged and what brings them back.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Access the Retention Report

  1. Go to https://analytics.google.com
  2. Select your GA4 property
  3. In the left menu, go to Reports > Retention

This report shows:

  • New users vs. returning users
  • User retention by day/week/month
  • Average engagement time per returning user

2. Understand Key Retention Metrics

  • User retention: % of users who return after their first visit
  • Engaged sessions per user: Helps measure quality of retained traffic
  • Retention by cohort: Tracks specific groups over time (e.g., users who first visited on May 1)

3. Create a Retention Cohort Exploration (Optional)

For deeper insight:

  1. Go to Explore > Blank Exploration
  2. Choose Technique: Cohort Exploration
  3. Set the Cohort type:
    • Acquisition date (users grouped by first visit)
  4. Choose the Cohort granularity:
    • Daily, weekly, or monthly
  5. Select a metric like:
    • Active users
    • Revenue
    • Conversions
  6. Filter by user attributes or source (e.g., device, campaign)

This helps you answer questions like:

  • How many users from a particular campaign came back after 7 days?
  • What is the retention difference between mobile and desktop users?

4. Customize the Report for Your Needs

  • Add segments (e.g., paid vs. organic users)
  • Break down by device category, country, or event
  • Export the report to CSV or Sheets for further analysis

Tips to Improve Retention Insights

  • Tag new features or campaigns with custom events to measure their impact
  • Track retention across different user journeys (e.g., onboarding, checkout)
  • Combine retention analysis with user lifetime value (LTV) in BigQuery

Notes

  • Retention reports work best with sufficient user volume
  • Retention drops are common—identify when and why users disengage
  • You can combine retention insights with funnel exploration to troubleshoot drop-off

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