---
title: "User data"
slug: "users"
updated: 2026-07-10T09:18:57Z
published: 2026-07-10T09:18:57Z
canonical: "docs.xtremepush.com/users"
stale: true
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.xtremepush.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# User data

View and manage data for your users

User data is stored within Xtremepush as *User Profiles* and *Device Profiles*, with custom values stored using [*Attributes*](/documentation/docs/attributes-tags).

Platform users with permission to access user data can view these under **Data > Users** by selecting **Profiles** or **Devices**; existing attributes within a project are found at **Data > Data Manager > Attributes & Tags**.

## Basic hierarchy

*Devices* can be grouped under a single *User Profile*. This means that a *User Profile* can have multiple *Devices* associated with it, and a *Device* can only be linked to a single *User Profile*.

*Attributes* can be used to store custom data against *User Profiles* and/or *Devices*.

## User profile

A [user profile](/documentation/docs/user-profile) is required to identify individual users and target them with appropriate messaging. Since a user profile is a representation of a single user, primary contact details are stored in the user profile, such as email address, SMS number, and associated subscription status.

Normally you would store user-specific data such as *first_name* against the user profile using custom attributes.

An anonymous user profile is automatically created for each unique device that visits your integrated websites or apps. You can also create user profiles through the platform interface, by [importing CSV data](/documentation/docs/user-profile-create), or by using the [external API](/v1-api/apidocs/import).

## Device profile

A [device profile](/documentation/docs/device-profile) is required to identify devices for an integration app or website and target them through device-based channels like push notifications, onsite messaging, in-app messaging, etc.

Device profiles are automatically created for each unique device that visits your integrated websites or apps.

Every device profile is connected to an *anonymous* user profile by default. A device profile can be linked to an *identified* user profile by [setting the User ID](/documentation/docs/set-user-id).

## Attributes and tags

[Attributes and tags](/documentation/docs/attributes-tags) are predefined keys allowing data values to be stored against a user profile or devices.

An *Attribute* is linked one-to-one to a user profile or a device profile, holding a single value that may be updated at any time, for example, `first_name` or `membership_level`. Attributes may be used for segmentation or [personalisation](/documentation/docs/dynamic-programmable-content) of messaging campaigns.

A *Tag* can be set multiple times against a device with different values (eg. a one-to-many relationship). Each record is timestamped and cannot be modified. Tags may be used to record user behaviour over time and can be used in segmentation for messaging campaigns.