Google has rolled out an update to PageSpeed Insights (PSI), addressing a long-standing developer frustration by displaying the data collection periods for Chrome User Experience Report (CrUX) metrics.

CrUX metrics now reflect a 28-day rolling window with a two-day delay, adding much-needed transparency to performance data analysis. This change makes it easier for developers to interpret PSI metrics and track optimization efforts without relying on external tools like Chrome DevTools.

Barry Pollard’s Announcement on X

Barry Pollard, Web Performance Developer Advocate at Google Chrome, shared the update on X, acknowledging feedback from developers:

“Good post. But this thing bugged us: ‘Unfortunately, PageSpeed Insights does not show the data collection period in their UI.’ You know what—they’re right! We thought we should fix that. So we did. Available now on PSI.”

This announcement was in response to a DebugBear blog post that highlighted PSI’s previous lack of clarity around CrUX time ranges.

What’s Changed?

Before this update, PSI users were left guessing the timeframe for CrUX data, which represents the 75th percentile of real user experiences over a rolling 28-day period.

• Now: The data collection period is displayed directly in the PSI interface.
• Example: A PSI test run on January 5 will now show data from December 7 to January 3.

This small addition simplifies the process for developers seeking to measure the impact of site changes on performance metrics.

Why This Matters

CrUX data is vital for assessing real-world user experiences and is factored into Google’s search ranking algorithms. Knowing the specific data collection period enables developers to:

• Accurately evaluate performance improvements.
• Monitor trends in user experience over time.

CrUX Data Across Google Tools

Each Google tool that uses CrUX data handles it slightly differently:

• PageSpeed Insights (PSI): Reports CrUX metrics for specific URLs or site-level origins over a 28-day rolling period with a two-day delay.
• Google Search Console: Groups CrUX data into “page groups” instead of individual URLs, sometimes leading to ambiguities.
• BigQuery: Offers monthly CrUX data dumps with additional details like histograms and geographic breakdowns, updated approximately 10 days after month-end.

The Road Ahead

This PSI update enhances usability and transparency, making it easier for developers to leverage CrUX data foroptimizing website performance.

By streamlining access to time-specific metrics, Google continues to support developers in their quest to improve user experiences and boost search rankings.

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