What is Re-attribution?

Re-attribution is the process of giving credit to a new campaign for bringing back a user who had previously installed your app but became inactive or uninstalled.

For example, if a user installs your app, churns, and then returns after clicking on a new ad weeks later, that return can be counted as a re-attribution, not a new install.

It’s a way to measure the impact of re-engagement campaigns, especially across long user lifecycles.

How does it work?

Most MMPs allow you to configure a re-attribution window — a set period (e.g., 7 or 30 days) during which an inactive user can be re-engaged and tied to a new campaign.

Common rules:

• The user must have been inactive for a minimum duration
  

• The re-engagement must come through a tracked channel (e.g., ad click)
  
  

• The original install must be deduplicated from the new campaign
  
  

In SKAdNetwork (SKAN 4.0), Apple introduced support for re-engagement postbacks in the 3rd window (8–35 days), although attribution is aggregated and delayed.

Re-attribution helps answer: Which campaigns are bringing back churned users, and are they valuable again?

Why it matters

Re-attribution is critical for understanding the full value of your paid campaigns.

It helps you:

• Avoid overcounting new users
  
  

• Measure the effectiveness of retargeting or win-back campaigns
  
  

• Allocate budgets based on lifetime impact, not just new installs
  
  

• Understand the true cost of (re)acquisition
  
  

As apps mature and CAC rises, re-attribution becomes a key strategy, because reviving a churned user can often be cheaper (and faster) than acquiring a new one.