How to check the version of Google Analytics installed on a website?


Google Analytics is a web analytics service by Google that tracks and reports website traffic and user behavior. It provides valuable insights into visitor demographics, pageviews, bounce rates, and more. Knowing the installed version is crucial as it determines the features and capabilities available to analyze data effectively. Upgrading to the latest version ensures access to the latest enhancements, bug fixes, and security patches, optimizing data analysis and decision-making for improved website performance and user experience.

Check Google Analytics version

To check the version of Google Analytics installed on a website, you can follow these steps:

  1. Open the website in your web browser.
  2. Right-click anywhere on the page and select “View Page Source” or “Inspect” (the exact wording may vary depending on your browser).
  3. This will open the developer tools, showing the HTML source code of the webpage. Alternatively, you can press the keyboard shortcut “Ctrl + U” (Windows/Linux) or “Command + Option + U” (Mac) to view the page source directly.
  4. In the page source, use the search function (usually “Ctrl + F” or “Command + F”) and search for “analytics.js” or “gtag.js”. These are the primary JavaScript files used by Google Analytics.
  5. When you find the script tag that includes “analytics.js” or “gtag.js”, look for the version number specified within the URL. It will look something like this:
    • For analytics.js:
    • <script async src="https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js?v=VERSION_NUMBER"></script>
    • For gtag.js:
    • <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=GA_TRACKING_ID"></script>
  6. In the URLs above, the VERSION_NUMBER will indicate the version of Google Analytics being used.
  7. Take note of the version number to identify the installed version of Google Analytics on the website.

Keep in mind that website owners can use different methods to implement Google Analytics, and the version might not always be explicitly mentioned in the source code. If you can’t find the version number through this method, you can also try using browser extensions or online tools specifically designed to detect the analytics tools used on a website. However, some websites may have their analytics configurations set up in a way that prevents easy detection of the version.

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How to upgrade to the latest version of Google Analytics?

Upgrading to the latest version of Google Analytics typically involves using the latest tracking code provided by Google. Here’s how you can do it:

  1. Find your current tracking code: Log in to your Google Analytics account and navigate to the “Admin” section. Under the “Property” column, click on “Tracking Info” and then “Tracking Code.” Here, you’ll find the current tracking code snippet installed on your website.
  2. Get the latest tracking code: Visit the official Google Analytics website (https://analytics.google.com) and sign in to your account. Navigate to the “Admin” section and select your desired property. Under the “Tracking Info” section, click on “Tracking Code.” You’ll see the latest tracking code snippet available.
  3. Replace the old code with the new one: Copy the latest tracking code snippet provided by Google Analytics. Then, go to your website’s HTML source code or content management system (CMS) and replace the old tracking code with the new one. Ensure that the new tracking code is added to all pages where you want to track user activity.
  4. Test and verify: After updating the tracking code, test it to ensure it’s working correctly. You can use the “Real-Time” reports in Google Analytics to see if data is being tracked in real-time. Additionally, wait for a few hours or a day to check if the data appears in the standard reports as well.

Remember, Google Analytics updates its tracking code from time to time, so it’s essential to keep an eye on any new announcements or changes made by Google to stay up-to-date with the latest version. If you’re using a content management system (CMS) like WordPress, there may be plugins available to simplify the process of updating your tracking code.