Understanding User Operating Systems in Google Analytics 4
Analyzing users by operating system is crucial for optimizing your website's performance and user experience. This data helps ensure compatibility across different platforms, guides development priorities, and informs technical decisions. We'll show you how to create this insightful report in Google Analytics 4 to better understand your audience's technical preferences.Basic Report Structure
- Primary dimension: Operating System
- Secondary breakdown: Operating System Version
- Key metrics: Users, New Users, Engaged Sessions
- Visualization: Table format with optional bar chart
- Time comparison: Month-over-month analysis
Steps to Create the Report
- Open GA4 and navigate to Explore section
- Click the Blank template to start a new exploration
- Under the Dimensions click the + button and search for Operating System and Operating System Version, check the checkbox beside them and click Confirm
- Under the Metrics click the + button and search for Total Users, New Users, and Engaged Sessions, check the checkboxes and click Confirm
- Drag Operating System to the Rows section
- Drag Total Users, New Users, and Engaged Sessions to the Values section
- Add a Breakdown dimension by dragging Operating System Version to the rows
- Set your desired date range in the report settings
- Optional: Add a comparison date range to see trends
Important Dimensions and Metrics
- Operating System: Primary dimension showing the main OS categories (iOS, Android, Windows, etc.)
- Operating System Version: Detailed breakdown of specific OS versions
- Total Users: Number of unique users per operating system
- New Users: First-time visitors from each OS
- Engaged Sessions: Quality of interaction by OS users
Actionable Insights
- Prioritize testing for operating systems that represent >10% of your user base
- Identify underperforming operating systems by comparing engagement metrics
- Plan deprecation of support for older OS versions with minimal user base
- Optimize website features for the most common OS versions
- Allocate development resources based on OS usage patterns
Answers Similar Questions
- GA4 operating system breakdown
- Track users by device OS Google Analytics
- Google Analytics 4 OS distribution
- How to see mobile vs desktop OS in GA4
- GA4 platform analysis by operating system
