A session in Google Analytics times out after how many minutes by default?

In Google Analytics, a session is defined as a group of user interactions with a website that take place within a given time frame. By default, a session will time out after 30 minutes of inactivity. This means that if a user does not interact with a site (for example, by clicking a link, viewing a page, or completing an event) for 30 minutes, the session will automatically end.

Understanding the concept of session timeout is critical for accurately interpreting data in Google Analytics. If sessions are timed out too quickly, it may result in underreporting of the number of sessions, as users who take longer breaks between their interactions may be counted as new sessions upon returning. Conversely, a longer session timeout could lead to inaccurate session counts if users accidentally leave the site open without interacting.

In analyzing website performance and user behavior, recognizing the default session timeout setting helps in making informed decisions about user engagement strategies and data reporting practices.