Universal Analytics stops processing data on 1/7/2023: how to move to GA4

Only a few days remain until 1/7/2023, the date Google said standard Universal Analytics (UA) properties stop processing new data. If your website still relies on UA, new traffic data will no longer be recorded there. This article summarizes what to do to move to Google Analytics 4 (GA4) without losing too much continuity in your numbers.

Key dates to remember

• March 2023: Google began automatically creating GA4 properties for UA users who hadn't migrated and hadn't opted out.
• 1/7/2023: standard UA properties stop processing new data (there may be a short delay during the wind-down).
• UA 360 properties with an active order were given a one-time extension of processing until 1/7/2024.

According to Google, after UA stops recording, you can still view old data for a limited time. So export your reports early.

How GA4 differs from UA

According to Google's guidance pages, GA4 uses an event-based data model instead of UA's session-based model. A few differences to get used to:

• Every interaction, such as page views, scrolls, clicks and form submissions, is recorded as an event.
• GA4 collects both website and mobile app data in the same property, helping you track customer journeys across multiple devices.
• It offers privacy-oriented measurement (such as operating without cookies, and behavior modeling) and predictive features.
• The interface, metric names and reports differ from UA, so figures from the two platforms don't match exactly. Don't expect a one-to-one comparison.

Checklist before 1/7

1. Create or check your GA4 property. If Google already created one for you, review its configuration instead of leaving the defaults.
2. Add the GA4 measurement tag to your website through Google Tag Manager or the plugin of the web platform you use (for example WordPress). Verify using Realtime or DebugView.
3. Set up key events (conversions): form submissions, phone calls, clicks on the order button, email sign-ups. Mark the important events as "key event/conversion" following GA4's current interface.
4. Link Google Ads and Search Console to GA4 to keep campaign and search data. Google notes that UA data linked to Google Ads also stops flowing from 1/7/2023, so you need to move the links and update conversions, audiences and bidding strategies if you used UA data.
5. Check the data retention period in the property settings and choose a suitable level, because the default may be shorter than you want.
6. Export important UA data (yearly reports, traffic sources, landing pages, conversions) to CSV, Excel, Google Sheets or PDF. Google recommends exporting before you lose access, and data that isn't exported can't be recovered.
7. Update your privacy policy and cookie notice if how you collect data changes.

Common mistakes

• Installing GA4 without setting up conversion events, so you only see page views.
• Forgetting the old UA tags, causing duplicates or tag clutter.
• Waiting until the last moment to export old data.
• Assuming GA4 will automatically carry over the entire UA history. In reality, new data only flows into GA4, and old data is not imported automatically.

For small businesses

If you don't have someone in charge yet, start with three goals: how many people visit your website, where they come from, and how many leave their contact details. Just 3 reports and 2–3 conversion events are enough for the early stage, and you can expand gradually.

2026 update: These milestones are complete. According to Google, from the first week of July 2024 users could no longer access UA properties, and old data that hadn't been exported was deleted. If you haven't exported it, it can no longer be recovered from Google Analytics, and only data saved elsewhere (such as BigQuery or downloaded files) remains.

FAQ

What if I do nothing before 1/7/2023?

Standard UA will stop recording new data. You lose traffic figures from that point until GA4 is configured correctly, so set up GA4 as early as possible.

Can old UA data be moved into GA4?

Not automatically. The usual approach is to export old reports to files for safekeeping and use GA4 for new data.

Is GA4 hard to use?

The interface is different so it takes some getting used to, but basics such as viewing visits, sources and conversions are fairly clear. If you need help with setup, you can contact HVSC's Technology team.

Reference sources

• Google Analytics Help, GA4 has replaced Universal Analytics — https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/9973999
• Google Analytics Help, Universal Analytics sunset schedule — https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/11583528
• Google Analytics Help, GA4 and Universal Analytics — https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/10089681