Export GA4 Data: Reports, BigQuery and the API
Here is how to export ga4 data for the whole company. GA4 report downloads are summaries. Raw event data needs BigQuery, and it only starts on the day you link it.
For summaries, open any GA4 report and use Share this report, then Download File. For raw event data, link GA4 to BigQuery from Admin, Product links, BigQuery links. The BigQuery export doesn't backfill, so it only holds data from the day you turn it on. Explorations are limited by your data retention setting, 14 months at most on standard GA4.
Before you export GA4 data
| Method | What you get | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Report download | The report as shown, in CSV or PDF | Aggregated, sometimes sampled |
| Explorations | Custom analysis on event data | Limited by data retention, up to 14 months on standard GA4 |
| BigQuery link | Raw event-level data, daily or streaming | Starts the day you link it. No backfill. |
Step by step
01Download key reports now
Open each report you care about, click Share this report, then Download File. Set the widest date range available.
02Raise data retention
In Admin, Data collection and modification, Data retention, set event data to the longest option. It isn't retroactive.
03Create a BigQuery project
Set up a Google Cloud project with BigQuery. The free tier covers small sites.
04Link GA4 to BigQuery
In Admin, Product links, BigQuery links, click Link, pick your project and turn on the daily export.
05Let it run
From here on, every event lands in BigQuery as raw data you own.
How to find the size of your Google Analytics data
In GA4, set reports to the longest date range to see total users and events. If BigQuery is linked, the dataset size shows exactly how much raw data you hold.
What a full Google Analytics export is worth
AI companies license company records like this to train software agents on real work. Event data shows how people use a product or site over time. It adds context to a company's records, but buyers weight it below conversations, tickets and CRM history.
Buyers price on depth: years of continuous history with real discussion in it. A partial export or a single report is worth far less than the complete record.
How much is your Google Analytics data worth? · Run the value calculator
Common problems
- Explorations only go back 14 months. That's the retention limit on standard GA4.
- BigQuery has no older data. The export starts the day you link it. There's no backfill.
- Downloads look sampled. Report downloads are aggregated. Use BigQuery for raw data.
- Old Universal Analytics data. Universal Analytics was shut down, so that history can't be exported now.
Common questions
How do I export all data from Google Analytics 4?
Download reports for summaries and link BigQuery for raw event data going forward.
Can I export historical GA4 data to BigQuery?
No. The BigQuery export starts on the day you link it.
How long does GA4 keep data?
Explorations are limited to your retention setting, up to 14 months on standard GA4.
Is Google Analytics data worth anything to data buyers?
It adds context but is weighted lower than chat, email, CRM and ticket history.