How to identify if the users is new or returning user?
How to identify if the users is new or returning user?
How to identify if the users is new or returning user?
Mixpanel distinguishes users based on their distinct_id (or the underlying $user_id / $device_id in Simplified ID Merge). Whether a user is “new” or “returning” depends on when they first appear in your analysis window, not on a special flag you send.From the docs: - New user = “A user who is recorded for the first time within a specific time window—such as a signup week or first session—tracked to measure acquisition success and onboarding efficacy.” [New user]
- Returning users are simply users who have events both before and within the time window you’re analyzing (for example, in Retention or Lifecycle templates). [Key metrics]To analyze new vs returning users: 1. Use reports like Retention or the Lifecycle / User Base templates:
- “New users” = first time they do your chosen “value moment” event in the current period.
- “Retained / Resurrected users” = users who have done that event in previous periods and again in the current one. [Key metrics; Track retention]2. You can also use Mixpanel’s first-time filters / first_seen (shown in the “Tracking First Time Users” video) to isolate first-time users vs users who have been seen before. [Tracking first-time users]If you need implementation guidance (how to send IDs so Mixpanel can tell users apart), that’s handled via distinct_id, $device_id, $user_id, and calls to .identify() / .reset() in your SDK, but the “new vs returning” classification itself is computed in the reports based on first-seen time, not a property you must send. [Identifying users (Simplified); Identifying users (Original)]
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