Understanding User Operating Systems in Google Analytics 4
Analyzing users by operating system and version is crucial for optimizing website performance and user experience. This data helps developers ensure compatibility across different platforms, prioritize testing efforts, and make informed decisions about technical requirements. We'll show you how to create this insightful report in Google Analytics 4 to better understand your audience's technical environment.Basic Report Structure
- Report Type: Free Form Exploration
- Visualization: Table format
- Primary Dimension: Operating System
- Secondary Dimension: Operating System Version
- Key Metrics: Users, New Users, Sessions
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 both and click Confirm
- Under the Metrics click the + button and search for Total Users, New Users, and Sessions, check the checkbox beside them and click Confirm
- Drag Operating System to the Rows section
- Drag Operating System Version as a secondary dimension to the Rows section
- Drag Total Users, New Users, and Sessions to the Values section
- Set your desired date range in the report settings
- Optional: Add a filter to focus on specific operating systems
Important Dimensions and Metrics
- Operating System: Shows the main operating system (iOS, Android, Windows, etc.)
- Operating System Version: Displays specific versions of each OS
- Total Users: Number of unique users per OS and version
- New Users: First-time visitors using each OS version
- Sessions: Total number of visits from each OS version
Actionable Insights
- Identify outdated OS versions still in use to determine minimum supported versions
- Prioritize testing efforts based on most common OS versions
- Compare conversion rates across different OS versions to spot technical issues
- Use data to make decisions about deprecating support for older versions
- Optimize website features based on OS capabilities of your main user base
Answers Similar Questions
- GA4 operating system analysis report
- Track user OS versions Google Analytics
- How to see device OS distribution in GA4
- Google Analytics 4 operating system breakdown
- GA4 user technical environment report
