Onboarding step events
Onboarding step events model a multi-step first-run flow as a funnel. While GA4 offers tutorial_begin and tutorial_complete, the steps in between are yours to define: send a custom event per onboarding step with a step index or name. This reveals where new users stall before they finish setup. It complements the begin/complete pair with the granular middle, all keyed to step identity rather than the user.
Begin, steps, complete
GA4's recommended events include tutorial_begin and tutorial_complete to bracket an onboarding flow (GA4 developer docs, recommended events). The steps between are not predefined: you emit a custom event for each stage, parameterised with a step number or name. Together they form a begin → step 1 → step 2 → … → complete funnel that exposes interior drop-off the bracket alone hides.
Modelling the funnel
Define a stable step taxonomy and fire one event when each step is reached, once per attempt, so the funnel is clean. Analysing the sequence shows exactly where new users stall — the step before the steepest fall is your fix target. Keep parameters to step identity and progress; never include the credentials, profile data, or content users supply during onboarding. This is the safe way to optimise activation.
- tutorial_begin and tutorial_complete bracket the flow
- Custom per-step events fill in the middle
- Parameters are step index/name, never entered data
How it appears in analytics and logs
A cliff at one onboarding step means that stage blocks users — too much friction, a confusing UI, or a required action they avoid — not a discovery issue.
Diagnostic use case
Find where new users abandon onboarding by sending a custom step event per stage between tutorial_begin and tutorial_complete, forming a setup funnel.
What WebmasterID can help detect
WebmasterID can record onboarding step signals as first-party custom events keyed to step identity, mapping the setup funnel without capturing entered data.
Common mistakes
- Only tracking begin and complete, missing interior drop-off.
- Capturing onboarding input data in the events.
- Using an unstable step taxonomy that breaks the funnel.
Privacy and accuracy notes
Onboarding events should carry a step index or name only, never the data users enter during setup. Keep the funnel non-identifying.
Related pages
- The tutorial_begin and tutorial_complete events
tutorial_begin and tutorial_complete are a paired set of GA4 recommended gaming events that bracket onboarding. You fire tutorial_begin when a player starts the tutorial and tutorial_complete when they finish. The ratio between them is a direct onboarding-completion metric — one of the strongest early predictors of whether new players stick around, making this pair central to retention analysis.
- Custom events: tracking what matters to you
Custom events capture meaningful actions a pageview cannot — a CTA click, a signup, a video play, a form submit. The value is in a consistent naming taxonomy and well-chosen properties. The risk is putting personal data into event names or properties, which turns analytics into surveillance. This page covers both.
- Funnel analysis: finding the leak
Funnel analysis follows visitors through an ordered set of steps (view → add to cart → checkout → purchase) and shows where they fall out. It turns a single conversion rate into a map of where the loss happens. The pitfalls are step definition, small-sample noise, and assuming a strict order where users actually skip around.
- Event Explorer
Map the onboarding funnel by step.
Sources and verification notes
Last reviewed 2026-06-24. Facts are checked against primary/official sources where available; uncertain specifics are marked “Data not yet verified” rather than guessed.