Piwik PRO’s Looker Studio connector update: what’s changing and why it really matters

Imagine opening your Looker Studio dashboard, expecting to see fresh insights from your Piwik PRO data, only to find that nothing has updated. Your reports are stuck, and your analytics are no longer reflecting reality.

This will be the case if you don’t upgrade your Looker Studio connector before March 31, 2025. On this date, all connector versions below v1.4.0 will be deprecated, meaning they will stop working entirely. Reports relying on them will no longer update, leaving users without real-time insights.

Upgrading isn’t just about keeping things working, though. The latest versions introduce improvements designed to address long-standing limitations, making data integration smoother and more efficient.

What’s new in Looker Studio connector v1.4.x and later?

One of the biggest improvements in the new version is multi-instance support. Previously, users who managed multiple Piwik PRO instances or accounts had to work around the system by using separate Google accounts to connect them to Looker Studio. This was inconvenient and made managing multiple datasets unnecessarily complicated. With the update, it is now possible to associate multiple Piwik PRO credentials with a single Google account, making it much easier to switch between different accounts and instances without the need for multiple logins.

Another, possibly more important, improvement is data caching, which significantly speeds up how quickly reports load. This is a common challenge when working with dashboards with loads of graphs and charts. Looker Studio queries can be slow, especially when retrieving large datasets. However, with this update, previously requested data is cached for up to 15 minutes, with a cache size limit of 100MB. This means that reports refresh faster and require fewer API requests, improving efficiency without compromising accuracy.

The authentication process has also been streamlined. Previously, reconnecting a Piwik PRO data source required re-entering API credentials. With the new update, reauthentication is only necessary if the connection settings are modified. . If changes are needed, users can simply select the appropriate Piwik PRO instance rather than manually entering credentials again. This makes setup and maintenance less time-consuming, particularly for those managing multiple connections.

How to upgrade or install the new connector

For those already using the (verified, v1.4.x and up) Piwik PRO Looker Studio connector, upgrading is a straightforward process. From that version onwards, updates will be installed automatically. If the version is below v1.4.x, the new, verified connector should be selected manually.

For new users setting up the connector for the first time, the process starts by finding the verified Piwik PRO Analytics connector in Looker Studio’s gallery. As visible in the screenshot below, there are multiple Partner Connectors available. However, as can be seen in the description of the connectors, the most right is created by Piwik PRO and is the correct version: v.4.1 (at the time of writing this article).

Once authorized, the user must enter their Piwik PRO account name, along with their Client ID and Client Secret, which can be found in the Piwik Pro API Keys menu. The next step is selecting the Piwik PRO instance they want to use, followed by choosing the appropriate site, app, or meta site/app. After completing these steps, the connector will be fully functional, allowing Looker Studio to pull in data from the selected Piwik PRO instance.

Or, easily follow the steps provided by the Piwik PRO Help Center

What happens if you don’t upgrade?

As previously mentioned, failing to upgrade to v1.4.0 or newer before the deadline will result in reports ceasing to update. Any dashboards still relying on older connector versions will become static, preventing users from accessing real-time or refreshed analytics. At that point, the only solution will be to manually reconnect to Piwik PRO using the updated connector. This could cause delays or disruptions for teams that rely on uninterrupted data access.

All in all

This update brings several improvements aimed at making data management more efficient. Multi-instance support removes the need for multiple Google accounts, caching reduces report load times, and streamlined authentication simplifies maintenance. While the deprecation of older connector versions means users must take action, upgrading to v1.4.0 or later ensures continued access to data without disruptions.

For those who regularly rely on Looker Studio for reporting, checking the connector version and making necessary updates before March 31, 2025, will help maintain a smooth workflow and happy customers or colleagues.