January 3, 2022
How to Downgrade from Google Analytics 4 to Universal Analytics
Note: In July 2023, Universal Analytics stops working. It is no longer recommended to create new Universal Analytics properties. Use Google Analytics 4 instead.
When Google Analytics 4 was officially announced, it became the default type of property in GA. Thus many people got confused. Can they still create Universal Analytics property?
As a result, I noticed an increased volume of forum threads, messages, etc. asking how can they downgrade to Universal Analytics, or in other words, how can they create new UA properties.
Don’t worry, that option is still there (just a little hidden). In this blog post, I will show you how to downgrade from Google Analytics 4 to Universal Analytics.
IMPORTANT: This applies only to newly created properties. If you already have a GA4 property created and you want to migrate it (together with its data), that is IMPOSSIBLE. If that’s your case, you will still have to create the Universal Analytics property and start collecting data there. Currently, there is no data transfer mechanism between two GA versions (and I doubt there will ever be one).
Video tutorial
If you prefer video format, here’s a tutorial from my Youtube channel that will show you how to create a Universal Analytics property (when Google Analytics 4 is the default).
Why downgrade?
Don’t get me wrong. Google Analytics 4 shows some potential and I believe that in the future it will be far more superior than Universal Analytics. But as of the beginning of 2021, there are still many features missing in it. Right now, the Universal Analytics interface is still more user-friendly and most of you will be able to get the answers faster than with GA4.
As a result, right now, it still makes sense to have Universal Analytics as your main reporting tool. Or even better, run them both on the same site.
How to create Universal Analytics property (when GA4 is the default)
Go to Admin of your Google Analytics (of any property) and then click Create Property in the Property section.
Enter the property name, select your reporting timezone, currency. Then click Show advanced options.
By default, only a Google Analytics 4 property will be created. But you can click the Toggle next to Create a Universal Analytics property.
Then additional settings will be displayed:
- Enter the URL of the website
- And then select whether you want to create both GA4 and UA properties or if you want to create just a UA property.
The choice is up to you. Keep in mind that eventually, GA4 will be more capable (reporting-and-feature-wise) than Universal Analytics. So it might be a good decision to create both properties at the same time. Obviously, you will then have to have to configure both setups to run in parallel. Also, if you want to learn more about how to run both GA versions in parallel, enroll in my GTM course where I’ll teach you how to do that).
If you want to learn how to install GA4 with GTM, take a look at this tutorial.
Regardless of which option you choose, click Next. Then you can answer several additional questions or you can skip them (this step is optional).
Finally, click Create.
That’s it! You have now created a Universal Analytics property.
Downgrade from Google Analytics 4: Final words
Remember, there is no data migration mechanism between Google Analytics 4 and Universal Analytics. If you created a GA4 property some time ago and now you want to migrate to Universal Analytics, you will have to create a new property from scratch.
GA4 and UA are completely different tools with different data schema, features, etc.
If you are starting a new project, which GA version should you choose? That’s tough to answer. In the future, the answer will be “definitely GA4”. But right now, the new version is lacking some reporting and tracking features. So personally, I create both properties. But this is the opinion of early 2022. In the future, it is very likely to change.
40 COMMENTS
thanks you so much !! I've spent quite some time to find out how to downgrade to UA3 (much more familiar with on the past 10 years). It will take time to master GA4, so in parallel it's ok but it will be way easier for me to deal with the data now. Thanks again !!!
They're not explaining how to downgrade they say it's impossible
"Downgrade" in this context means creating a separate UA property.
Thank you for the background. If I want to use both (in parallel) and create a code snippet for GA4 and another for UA, THEN can I simply add both to my website's code (next to each other if you will) and be done. Or is there something to be aware of?
Specifically, I am looking to add the code via the Borlabs-Cookie Plugin for WordPress, and I have already added GA4-code as 'Google Analytics'. Want to make sure I don't break anything :-)
In most cases, that's enough. But I cannot guarantee that 100% because websites are coded differently thus something "unknown" might happen. This would require digging deeper.
Thank you, Julius - I thought I saw a 'how-to' on using the two side-by-side before, but am unable to find it again. I'll give it a whirl :-)
I don't have that (as free content) on my blog but my GTM course for beginners has bonus content that explains how to run in parallel GA4 and UA, how to migrate, and other things you need to know about this topic
This here appears to confirm that both can be used in parallel https://developers.google.com/analytics/devguides/collection/ga4/basic-tag?technology=gtagjs
I am not saying it cannot be used together. It can. I am saying that every website is different and there is always a chance that something else is broken in your setup that can cause problems. Hence "I cannot guarantee 100% accuracy without knowing the full context and digging deeper"
Is this guide complete? If so, this implies that the tags added for GA4 will automatically allow simultaneous tracking using the new GA4 and UA properties. I've gone through your steps but no data is coming through. Did I do something wrong?
This guide does not imply that one tag will send data to both properties.
1. Create two properties
2. Create two different types of tags in GTM
3. Get data in both properties
Hello Julius
thk's a lot very useful
my situation is a bit different : An agency has created a new version of my site (with a UA on it) an on the new version after migration they have installed GA4
I now have UA property with data until December (still available) AND GA4 property with new site data from January
What is the best way to have UA data back on the new site ?
1) just put back the old UA code on the new site aside the GA4 code ?
2) modify current GA4 property to have UA data too ?
3) Create another property ?
something else ?
the idea is to have GA4 on new site, but still UA until we get more familiar to GA4
any help will be great
FX
Hi, it's 1
thk's
I have been told i could have some conflicts...this is why I asked
Hi Julius, thanks for the article. I started to use GA4 in order to get to use it but, some basics features are missing such as Custom URL / UTM. So I decided to downgrade but first, trying to use BOTH: Universal Analytics + Data Stream from GA4.
Even after changing, I still can't see the UTM Data in my Analytics. There is some way to "switch" the Analytics in order to show this data?
I'm wondering because UTM Parameters are essential for my campaigns. Thanks in advance.
If you cannot see UTMs, you have misconfigured something in general, not because of GA4. There is no such switch "to show UTMs" or something like that. Both GA versions show UTMs, so the problem is somewhere with your UTMs, not GA
Hi Julius, thanks for the reply. I'm actually using Google's campaign-url-builder / (as I always have), but I can't see my Data in the GA4. All parameters such as media and campaign e etc are missing in the Real-time screen. In the UA it is possible to see it in Real-time and in Acquisition as well.
Can you specify where I can find my UTM data on GA4? Should it be displayed in real time as well?
You said that uA also does not show umts for you. Or did I misunderstand that part?
UA is showing off perfectly as usual. Only in GA4 can I receive data for any parameter. I'm not sure, but if I could guess, it looks like GA4 has something new coming up on the conversions screen (network settings). But, so far, I can't use the UTM parameter in GA4. I wonder if I'm missing anything.
Thank you!
This was so helpful thank you!
Hi Julius,
Thanks for your tutorial.
I knew this solution but I can't see the advanced properties drop down since a few days.
Do you know if google has removed this option?
Thanks again!
I just tried to create a new property and the "Show advanced options" is still there. Try incognito window, clear cache, etc.
Hi Julius,
I configured G4 analytics without checking the advance option for both. Now could you please suggest how can I set both analytics (G4 & Universal) in the admin section?
Looking forward to your feedback.
Just create a new property where you create only Universal property. There is not connection between GA4 and UA whatsoever (regardless of which option do you choose)
Hi Julius,
i have some problem with Google Analytics. In my Google Tag Manager I have two Pages, which I cannot separate anymore in Google Analytics 4. I do not see my url anymore. I need to switch back to Universal. But do you maybe know if I can still find it in GA4?
Looking forward to your feedback.
Sorry, I don't understand your question. Please elaborate.
Thank you - that was very useful. I'm glad to be able to set up both for my clients as I find the old analytics more useful (for now anyway). I followed your directions and I was able to set up both.
Great article yet again - fast becoming my go-to resource! Saved me a huge amount of time. GA4 is so unfriendly for new or inexperienced users on both day to day utilisation of features and reporting views; I don't understand then why the account & property set-up process makes it so easy to set up something (GA4 only) that there is no way back from! It would surely be a lot better if the 'best of both worlds' (GA4 and UA together) was the default if you didn't express a preference. Your article totally clarified the issue, thankfully before more time and potentially data was wasted for both myself and the site owner that I'm trying to assist! Thanks!
I like your tutorials! but I have few questions.
The site that I am working still uses analytics.js and for this reason, I cant tick "Enable data collection using your existing tags". Would it be fine if I don't tick this option? Is it possible to upgrade from analytics.js to gtag.js?
I would really appreciate if you can point me to a helpful resource on how to change/upgrade/migrate from analytics.js to gtag.js. The article from google is hard for me to understand.
I would not reuse the existing analytics.js
Instead, I would switch to GA via GTM
1. How can I switch to GA via GTM? why switch?
2. and by switching, what do you mean?
Thank you for your reply, please enlighten me
1. Why switch https://www.analyticsmania.com/post/reasons-why-you-should-use-google-tag-manager/
How - to install GA4 via GTM https://www.analyticsmania.com/post/how-to-install-google-analytics-4-with-google-tag-manager/
2. By switching, I mean that you install GA4 with GTM rather than adding gtag directly to the source code of the website
Julius, thanks so much for your guidance. I am now a new follower of this blog.
Great article. You say "But as of the beginning of 2021... it still makes sense to have Universal Analytics as your main reporting tool."
At the start of 2022 do you feel this is still the case?
The reason I ask is that I'm just taking on a client that has set up with GA4 (probably by accident not knowing the options) and I am minded to recommend that they set up a Universal Property and use that as their main reporting tool.
Yes, still use both
Thanks for the response Julius. A quick question if I may.... Based on your advice to have both a GA4 and Universal Analytics, for the client who already has a GA4 property, I've gone through the steps to create a new universal analytics property. However, it's created a Global Site Tag (gtag.js) that's different from the one that's already on the website and is telling me to add the code to the website. Do I need to add this separate tracking code on the site or is there a way of using the existing gtag.js?
I would recommend using GTM and installing UA with it. The GA4 (ideally) should also be migrated to GTM. This means that you will have two sets of tags in GTM (one for GA4, one for UA).
i am having a hard time try to get my site pageviews on google analytics but i really dont know if mine is GA or UA
Login to GA. If you see an "Explore" option in the left sidebar, that's GA4. If not, you're on UA