How-to · Updated October 11, 2026
Keep GA4 data for 14 months instead of 2
Updated October 11, 2026
5 minutes
In GA4, open Admin, then Data collection and modification, then Data retention, and set event data retention to 14 months. On 2 months, explorations and funnel reports stop at two months while standard reports still look complete. Raising it deletes nothing, keeps data not yet removed, and builds history from now on.
Before you start
- Editor access to the GA4 property. Google requires the Editor role to change data retention.
- A standard GA4 property. 14 months is the longest choice outside Analytics 360, and Google limits Large properties to 2 months.
Raise event data retention
This part changes one setting so explorations and funnel reports can reach back 14 months.
- In Google Analytics, click Admin and make sure the property name at the top is the one you mean to change.
- Under Data collection and modification, click Data retention. Older Google instructions call this Data Settings > Data Retention; it is the same setting.
- In Event data retention, choose 14 months. If the screen also offers a retention choice for user data, set that to 14 months too; Google says user-level and key event data can be kept for 2 or 14 months.
- Turn Reset user data on new activity on, or leave it on, unless you have a reason not to. With it on, a returning visitor's identifier is kept for another full period each time they come back.
- Click Save.
Google waits 24 hours before applying any retention change, and during that day you can change it back with nothing affected.
Check it worked
After 24 hours, open Admin > Data collection and modification > Data retention again and confirm Event data retention reads 14 months.
In Explore, build a free-form exploration with a date range starting more than two months ago. Data appears only from the dates Google had not yet deleted; Google deletes expired data once a month, so expect history to begin around two to three months back and grow from there until it reaches 14 months.
Why standard reports looked fine on 2 months
Google says the retention setting does not affect standard aggregated reports, including comparisons in them. It only limits explorations and funnel reports. That is why a property on 2 months can show a full year in Reports while an exploration of the same period comes back nearly empty.
What 14 months still does not keep
Google always applies 2 months to age, gender and interest data, whatever the setting. Data already deleted under the shorter setting does not come back. If the property grows into Google's Large size, Google cuts event data retention back to 2 months and permanently deletes event data older than that. Google emails property administrators a warning when the property is on pace to reach that size, and again when the cut happens.
Lowering the setting later works the other way: Google deletes the affected data at its next monthly run.