Regaining admin access in Google Analytics 4 can feel daunting if no one on your team still has admin rights. Whether you’ve inherited a site with existing analytics or you’ve simply lost access (happens to all), Google has an option - as long as you can prove you actually own the site or app that’s sending data to GA4.
Here’s a practical breakdown of how it works:
It all starts with ownership. Google wants to see that you’re the real owner - or at least an authorized administrator of the websites or apps associated with the Analytics property. If there are also linked Google Ads or AdSense accounts, you need to prove ownership of those, too. Once that’s resolved, you can submit a form and (hopefully) regain admin privileges.
Proving you own a website involves uploading a text file named “analytics.txt” at the top level of your domain. That file needs to contain a specific snippet, exactly matching Google’s wording, including the measurement ID (or IDs) that you want control over. It usually looks something like:
You can list each measurement ID on a new line, put them all on one line separated by commas, or just provide the overall account ID - whatever covers all your GA4 properties. Once you’ve done this, you’ll have a file at something like “yoursite.com/analytics.txt” or “sales.yoursite.com/analytics.txt,” which Google can scan. If your site doesn’t let you upload files, you can use the same snippet to place a matching meta tag in the HTML header instead.
When dealing with apps, the method is similar. You need to add that same text snippet to the Google Play Store’s public description if it’s an Android app, or to the Apple App Store’s public description if it’s iOS. Again, the vital part is including all your measurement IDs or the overall account ID in the snippet so it’s absolutely clear which properties you’re trying to recover.
If you also need to prove ownership of linked Google Ads or AdSense accounts, you’ll have to show billing details from your payment history, like the date and amount of your last charge, the last four digits of your bank account number or credit card, and so on. Providing extra verification helps confirm that the Ads or AdSense accounts really belong to you.
Once you’ve placed the analytics.txt file or updated your app descriptions (and confirmed ownership of any linked Ads or AdSense accounts), you can head over to Google’s official form to request account recovery. In that form, you’ll detail all the steps you followed, including the direct link to your analytics.txt file, references to the updated Google Play or Apple App Store descriptions if applicable, and any payment information needed for Ads or AdSense.
That’s it in a nutshell. If you can prove you own the sites and apps sending data to Google Analytics, Google should restore your administrative access. It’s a bit of a hassle, but it’s designed to protect everyone’s data and ensure only rightful owners can manage their analytics. If you run into trouble - maybe you can’t verify all your properties, or you’ve got a complicated setup with multiple subdomains - Google’s support team might be able to guide you through additional steps. Otherwise, uploading the right text, showing payment info, and hitting “submit” on their recovery form is the main route back into your GA4 account. Good luck getting your analytics back on track!
