GA4 Data Retention and Privacy Settings
Understand GA4's data retention policies and privacy features. Configure settings to balance insights with user privacy.
Data Retention in GA4
GA4 handles data retention differently than Universal Analytics. Understanding these policies is crucial for compliance and analysis.
Event Data Retention
By default, GA4 retains event-level data for 2 months. You can extend this to 14 months in property settings.
User Data Retention
User-level data follows the same retention period. After expiration, data is aggregated but individual user details are removed.
Aggregated Data
Standard reports use aggregated data that's retained indefinitely. Only Explore reports are affected by retention settings.
Privacy Controls
GA4 includes several privacy features: IP anonymization (automatic), data deletion requests, and consent mode.
Consent Mode
Implement consent mode to adjust tracking based on user cookie preferences. GA4 can model conversions for users who decline cookies.
Data Deletion
Request deletion of specific user data to comply with privacy regulations like GDPR and CCPA.
Best Practices
- Set retention to maximum if you need historical analysis
- Implement consent mode for privacy compliance
- Document your data retention policies
- Regularly review privacy settings