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A GA4 live dashboard can use the Google Analytics Data API’s runRealtimeReport method to show recent activity, but it is not an unlimited live event feed: Google documents a lookback of up to 30 minutes for standard properties and up to 60 minutes for Analytics 360. OAuth review is a separate question. Whether verification is required depends on the scopes the app requests and its use case, so start by checking the actual scope classification in Google Cloud Console rather than assuming every Analytics connection follows the same review path.
What a real-time GA4 dashboard can—and cannot—show
The Data API’s v1beta properties.runRealtimeReport method returns a customized report of recent event data for a GA4 property. Google says events appear in Realtime reports within seconds of being sent, making the API suitable for counters and other views of current activity. That recency does not make it a full historical stream: the endpoint’s reporting window extends from the present back through the prior 30 minutes for standard properties, or through the prior 60 minutes for Analytics 360. Google’s endpoint reference documents the method and interval.
Realtime is also narrower than Core Reporting. Google documents a limited subset of dimensions and metrics for Realtime reports; examples of supported metrics include activeUsers, eventCount, keyEvents, and screenPageViews. Event-scoped custom dimensions and event-scoped custom metrics are not supported in these reports. A dashboard should therefore be designed around the fields the Realtime API actually exposes, not assumed to reproduce every GA4 report. See Google’s Realtime reporting guide and the Data API schema.
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Choose the report type for the question
| Choice | What it provides | Best fit |
|---|---|---|
| Realtime reporting | Recent activity within the property’s documented Realtime lookback; a smaller set of dimensions and metrics than Core Reporting. | Current-activity counters and recent event monitoring. |
| Core Reporting | Broader dimensions and metrics; it is not the same bounded Realtime view. | More extensive reporting and analysis rather than a narrow live-activity display. |
| Standard GA4 property | Realtime lookback of the present through the prior 30 minutes. | Most standard-property dashboards that need recent activity. |
| Analytics 360 property | Realtime lookback of the present through the prior 60 minutes. | 360 properties that need the longer documented Realtime interval. |
Build around the documented API contract
The endpoint is a POST request whose path includes the GA4 property identifier. It accepts either the read-only Analytics scope, https://www.googleapis.com/auth/analytics.readonly, or the broader https://www.googleapis.com/auth/analytics scope. Google’s reference is the authority for the request shape and accepted scopes: runRealtimeReport.
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For a dashboard, first decide which Realtime metrics and dimensions answer the user’s question, then keep the report request within the supported schema. Treat the response as a time-bounded report, not a durable event log or a promise of arbitrary report parity. The official API documentation establishes the endpoint and its capabilities, but it does not establish a particular dashboard’s refresh cadence, caching policy, backend, frontend, token-storage approach, or deployment design. Those choices need to be made and documented for the application itself.
Which OAuth review applies?
OAuth verification is determined by the app’s requested scopes and use case, not merely by the fact that it connects to GA4. Google says sensitive or restricted scopes generally require OAuth app verification before the corresponding access is granted, subject to exceptions. Apps that use only non-sensitive scopes do not have to complete app verification, although a lighter brand-verification process may be needed if the app wants its name and logo displayed on the consent screen. Check the classification shown for the actual scopes in Google Cloud Console; do not assume a generic tutorial’s classification applies to your project.
Google’s sensitive-scope guidance states: “Sensitive scopes require review by Google before any Google Account can grant access.” Exceptions may apply to particular use cases. Google’s general policy likewise says sensitive or restricted scopes cannot be used in production without review unless an exception applies. See Google’s sensitive-scope verification guidance and OAuth app verification and production-readiness guidance.
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For runRealtimeReport, Google documents both the read-only Analytics scope and the broader Analytics scope. If the dashboard only needs to read reports, evaluate whether analytics.readonly meets its actual requirements. Request no broader access than the app’s features need, and verify how each requested scope is categorized in the Cloud Console. Scope choice affects the review path; it should not be expanded pre-emptively for hypothetical future features.
Prepare the app and disclosures for review
Google’s guidance ties verification to a coherent match between the requested scopes, API use, app identity, and privacy disclosures. Before submitting a sensitive- or restricted-scope verification request, make the public-facing app information accurately describe what the product does and how it handles Google data.
- Map features to scopes. Identify the actual API endpoints and app features, declare the necessary scopes in Cloud Console, and remove scopes that no feature requires.
- Verify domains and branding. Complete ownership verification for authorized domains and ensure the app name, logo, and other branding information are accurate. Google says published branding status must precede a sensitive- or restricted-data-access verification request.
- Make the homepage reviewable. The app’s public homepage should be accessible without signing in and clearly relevant to the app being reviewed.
- Publish a matching privacy policy. Host it on the same domain as the homepage, link it from the consent screen, and explain access to Google user data, its use, storage, and sharing.
- Check the complete data-use story. Ensure the app’s actual handling of Google API data aligns with applicable policy and with what the homepage, consent screen, and privacy policy say.
These are preparation requirements and guidance, not a guarantee of approval. Google’s documentation does not establish a standard review duration or approval rate, so avoid planning around an assumed number of days or treating a checklist as a promise of a particular outcome.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Keep Google Play app linking separate from OAuth verification
Connecting a GA4 app data stream to a Play app is a distinct account-linking task, not an OAuth scope-review step. Google Analytics Help says the match is one-to-one and uses the app package name. The person creating the link needs the Editor role on the GA4 property and Admin permission on the Play developer account. Those prerequisites are specific to linking the Play listing and GA4 stream; they do not determine whether OAuth verification is required. See Google Analytics Help on linking Google Play and Analytics.
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A practical decision sequence
- Confirm whether the property is standard GA4 or Analytics 360, then design the dashboard around the documented 30- or 60-minute Realtime lookback.
- Select supported Realtime dimensions and metrics; use Core Reporting when the dashboard needs broader reporting fields.
- Inspect the app’s actual OAuth scopes and their Cloud Console classifications. Prefer the narrowest scope that supports the requested features.
- If sensitive or restricted scopes trigger verification, align the declared scopes, public branding, authorized domains, homepage, and privacy policy with the product’s real behavior.
- If a Play app link is also needed, separately confirm package-name matching and the required GA4 Editor and Play developer Admin permissions.
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