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GA4-Tableau connector - unexpired OAuth refresh token Error

  • April 12, 2026
  • 1 reply
  • 19 views
L

Hello community

I am trying to use GA4 (Google Analytics 4) connector to Tableau.

The problem I`m facing is: I create the connections to GA4 properties. I save the Tableau Prep file. I could download it locally ad a .csv without a problem. When I close the software and open it again (I`m trying it in the Desktop version), there is the following error in the GA4 connections:

“Error in input “properties/446731XXXX”. An error occurred while communicating with Google Analytics 4 Tableau needs an unexpired OAuth refresh token to connect to the data. Authorize refresh tokens or ask the data source owner for help. Connector Class: google_analytics_4, Version: 1.2.1”

If I click on “Edit” in the data source, it makes me connect to GA4, which is ok, but then it is like recreating the connection again: chose a GA4 account, chose a GA4 property, select the dimensions, select the metrics … and I assume redoing all the filters etc. 

The error is in the attached screenshot. 

Has anyone experienced this issue and how can it be fixed?

Thanks

 

    1 reply

    Ethem Q
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    • Ethem Q
    • Employee
    • April 13, 2026

    Hi ​@luismarc 

    The error “Error in input “properties/446731XXXX”. An error occurred while communicating with Google Analytics 4 Tableau needs an unexpired OAuth refresh token to connect to the data. Authorize refresh tokens or ask the data source owner for help. Connector Class: google_analytics_4, Version: 1.2.1" seems to indicate that the driver is unable to authenticate when using the connector in Tableau Desktop because of an expired refresh token. Based on your description a few questions arise. 

    1) Is Tableau Prep where you are creating the original connection in a separate machine than where Tableau Desktop is?
    2) Are you including the OAuthSettingsLocation property in the connection string and pointing to the same OAuthSettings.txt?

    When first authenticating to GA4 via Oauth in Tableau Prep the driver will generate the tokens and write them in an OAuthSettings.txt file in this location %APPDATA%\CData\Google Analytics Provider\OAuthSettings.txt. If you are opening the file in another machine where Tableau Desktop is located you would need to copy the OAuthSettings.txt file as well and use it in the connection by setting it either in the default location or setting the OAuthSettingsLocation property in the connection string.

    Kindly review the above and if you keep facing issues there might be a need for you to submit a support ticket in our support portal https://portal.cdata.com/?a=support and one of our support specialists will further assist you.

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