GA4 Bounce Rate: How it's calculated and where to find it

If you’re using Google Analytics 4 (GA4), you might have noticed that bounce rate isn’t included in the standard reports by default. But there's good news – you can report on bounce rate in Google Analytics, you just need to add it to your reports.

Once you've included the bounce rate metric, you can quickly identify which landing pages are keeping visitors engaged on your site and which ones are causing users to exit early. Understanding your website bounce rate helps you make data-driven decisions to improve user experience and boost conversions.

What is Bounce Rate?

Traditionally, bounce rate referred to the percentage of sessions where a user visited a single page on your site and then left without taking further action (such as clicking a link, filling out a form, or navigating to another page).

For example – if two users landed on your website and each viewed just one page, and two other users each visited two pages, your average bounce rate would be 50%.

2 Single Page Sessions / 4 Total Sessions = 50% Bounce Rate

In essence, bounce rate reflected how well your site encouraged user interaction beyond the initial landing page. A high bounce rate might have suggested that visitors weren’t finding what they wanted, or that the page failed to engage them enough to continue exploring.

How is Bounce Rate Calculated in GA4?

In Google Analytics 4 (GA4), bounce rate is calculated differently – it is the percentage of sessions that are not considered engaged.

A session is considered engaged if it:

• Lasts 10 seconds or longer
• Includes two or more page views
• Triggers at least one key event (previously called a conversion)

If a visitor doesn’t meet any of these conditions, the session is classified as a bounce.

GA4 Bounce Rate Formula

In Google Analytics 4 (GA4), the bounce rate calculation formula is based on engagement, not just single-page sessions like in Universal Analytics. Here's the exact formula to calculate bounce rate in GA4:

Bounce Rate = (Unengaged Sessions ÷ Total Sessions) × 100

This formula for calculating bounce rate shows the percentage of sessions where users didn’t meet any of the engagement criteria. A session is considered unengaged if it lasts less than 10 seconds, includes only one page view, and doesn’t trigger any key events.

Understanding the how to calculate bounce rate formula in GA4 helps you accurately assess user interaction and improve your website’s performance.

How to Find Bounce Rate in GA4

Bounce rate in Google Analytics is not shown by default in GA4’s standard reports, but you can add it manually. Here’s how:

1. Make sure you have editor or administrator access to the property.
2. Open the report you want to update.
3. Click the pencil icon in the top right to edit the report.

4. Click 'Metrics' on the right, then click 'Add Metric'.

5. Search for and select 'Bounce Rate', then click 'Apply'.

6. Click 'Save' and save the change to the current report or create a new one.

That’s it – your report will now include bounce rate.

Want help with the steps? Watch this bounce rate tutorial:

If you would prefer to build a custom report or if you don't have permission to edit the standard reports, you can also add bounce rate to an Exploration report. Here are the steps:

1. Navigate to 'Explore' using the main menu.
2. Click 'Blank' to create a new report.

3. Name your Exploration report. For example, something like 'Bounce Rate Report'.
4. Click the plus sign next to 'Dimensions' and enable the dimension you would like to use, like Landing Page or Session Default Channel Group.
5. Click the plus sign next to 'Metrics' and add Bounce Rate along with any other metrics you would like in the report.

6. Double click or drag your dimensions and metrics to add them to the report.

You now have a custom report showing bounce rate for the dimension you've added to the Exploration report.

Understanding Bounce Rate in GA4

Bounce rate in Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is calculated differently than it was in Universal Analytics. Instead of simply measuring single-page sessions, GA4 bounce rate focuses on whether someone actually engaged with your website.

In GA4, a bounce is recorded when a session lasts less than 10 seconds, includes only one page view, and doesn’t trigger a key event. So the bounce rate definition in GA4 reflects unengaged visits – not just people viewing a single page.

This makes the Google Analytics 4 bounce rate more meaningful – especially when you look at it alongside other engagement metrics like engagement rate, average engagement time, and key event rate.

Let’s say someone lands on a page, scrolls briefly, and leaves after 8 seconds – that counts toward your GA4 bounce rate. But if they stay longer, click a button, or visit another page, the session is considered engaged and doesn’t increase your bounce rate.

Overall, this updated approach to bounce rate in GA4 helps you better understand how people are interacting with your content.

Why Bounce Rate Still Matters in Google Analytics 4

Even though GA4 introduces new ways to measure engagement, tracking bounce rate in GA4 is still incredibly useful. It’s one of the quickest ways to spot pages that aren’t connecting with your visitors.

A high GA4 bounce rate might suggest your content isn’t meeting people’s expectations – or that something on the page is causing them to leave. Maybe the headline isn’t clear, the page takes too long to load, or the call-to-action is missing.

Understanding Google Analytics bounce rate helps you make informed decisions. You can test different headlines, adjust the layout, or refine your messaging to improve the experience for your audience.

So while it’s just one metric, bounce rate in Google Analytics 4 can give you actionable insights to improve your content, drive deeper engagement, and help attract the right visitors to your site.

GA4 Engagement Rate vs Bounce Rate

You don’t have to choose between GA4 bounce rate and engagement rate – the two work best together. Bounce rate GA4 tells you how often people leave without engaging, while GA4 engagement rate shows the percentage of sessions where people did interact with your site.

They’re also inversely related. For example, if your GA4 bounce rate is 30%, then your engagement rate will be 70%.

Looking at bounce rate and engagement rate in GA4 together gives you a more complete view of how people are using your site. Bounce rate helps you see where people drop off – engagement rate shows what’s working and where people are getting value.

Both metrics can help you refine your content and improve the overall experience – and when used together, they give you a stronger understanding of what’s resonating with your audience.

Related GA4 Metrics to Consider

Along with bounce rate and engagement rate, here are other useful metrics to include in your reports:

• Average engagement time measures how long users actively engage with your content
• Page views per session shows how many pages people view on average
• Key event rate helps you understand how often important actions occur (like sign-ups or purchases)
• Unique user scrolls indicates how far users scroll on a page
• Exits and exit rate shows where users are leaving your site

Bounce Rate vs Engagement Rate vs Exit Rate

It can sometimes be tricky to know which metric to focus on. Here's a quick table comparing bounce rate, engagement rate, and exit rate to make things easier:

A Quick Note on Universal Analytics

If you've transitioned from Universal Analytics (UA) to GA4, it's important to understand that metrics like bounce rate have changed significantly. In Universal Analytics, bounce rate was calculated as the percentage of single-page sessions with no interaction. However, GA4 takes a more engagement-focused approach, redefining how user activity is measured.

While Universal Analytics relied heavily on page views and session-based metrics, GA4 emphasizes user-based metrics, engaged sessions, key events, and user interaction time.

So, if you're comparing data between the two platforms, be cautious – bounce rate in GA4 is not the same as bounce rate was in Universal Analytics.

Bounce Rate: GA4 vs Universal Analytics

Final Thoughts

Bounce rate in GA4 may look different from what you were used to in Universal Analytics, but it’s still a powerful tool for understanding user behavior. When used alongside engagement rate, average engagement time, and key event metrics, it gives you a better picture of how people interact with your content.

Whether you're optimizing landing pages, analyzing traffic quality, or refining your marketing strategies, tracking bounce rate in GA4 helps you make smarter, data-driven decisions. By understanding how bounce rate is calculated, where to find it, and how to interpret it in context, you’ll be better equipped to improve your website’s performance and user experience.