Google Analytics 4 · Dimension
What is New vs returning users?
New vs returning users is the Google Analytics 4 dimension that splits visitors by whether their first visit fell inside the selected period (new) or before it (returning). New users are counted by the first_visit event; returning users are active users who were not new.
- New72%
- Returning28%
First visit or a known device: two audiences in one number.
- Data source
- Google Analytics 4
- Type
- Dimension
Why it matters
It is the simplest loyalty measure a report can carry: a site that sells once lives on new users, a site that sells again lives on returning ones. The split also explains conversion rates, because returning visitors convert several times more often than first-time ones on almost every site.
How to read it
The classification depends on the GA4 cookie or client ID, so a visitor who clears cookies, switches browsers or opens a private window is new again. Expect the returning share to be undercounted, and never compare it across sites with different consent setups.
In a Data Studio report
In a Data Studio (formerly Looker Studio) report the split appears as a donut on the user interaction page and as a filter that reruns the whole report for one group. Returning users by landing page is the fastest way to see which pages bring people back.
Where to find it in Google Analytics 4
Google Analytics 4: Reports, then Retention (the New users vs Returning users chart); as a dimension, in Explorations under User, then New / established.
