How to Add Returning Users in Google Analytics 4 (GA4) Reports

Q: What's the difference between a new user and a returning user in Google Analytics?

A new user is someone visiting your website for the first time, or after their cookie has expired. A returning user is someone who has visited before and still has an active cookie in their browser.

Q: What's a healthy returning user percentage in Google Analytics?

This varies greatly by industry and website type. News sites typically see 15-25% returning users, e-commerce sites 20-30%, B2B sites 30-50%, and blogs 25-35%. These percentages are considered healthy for their respective industries.

Sotirios Seridis

2 min read

If you want to know how many users who come to your website are users who have visited your website previously, you can do this by adding the "returning users" metric. It is a good way of knowing how well your website is retaining users, and depending on which report you're looking at, you can also find out data such as whether they're returning organically or through ads, what pages they navigate towards, what key actions they take on your website, and more. This quick and easy guide will show you how to add returning users to any of your Google Analytics 4 (GA4) reports. Without further ado, let's get started!

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Navigate to any report in your Google Analytics 4
Click on "Customise report" (pen icon on the top right)
Click on "Metrics"
Under "Add metric" dropdown, add "Returning users"
Apply the changes and Save your report

Frequently Asked Questions on Returning Users in Google Analytics

What is a returning user in Google Analytics?

A returning user is someone who has visited your website before. Google Analytics identifies them through a browser cookie that was set during their first visit. If the same person visits your site from a different device or browser, they'll be counted as a new user since they don't have the cookie from their previous visit.

How long does Google Analytics remember a returning user?

Google Analytics remembers a user for up to 2 years from their last visit. The cookie that identifies them expires after this period, and if they come back after 2 years of inactivity, they'll be counted as a new user again.

What's the difference between a new user and a returning user in Google Analytics?

New User: Someone visiting your website for the first time, or after their cookie has expired
Returning User: Someone who has visited before and still has an active cookie in their browser

What's a healthy returning user percentage in Google Analytics?

This varies greatly by industry and website type:

News sites: 15-25% returning users is common
E-commerce: 20-30% is typical
B2B sites: 30-50% might be expected
Blogs: 25-35% is often considered healthy