This article is part of our Browser & Device Detector toolkit
Browser Fingerprinting: How Websites Track You Without Cookies
5 min read
Browser fingerprinting is a sophisticated tracking technique that identifies users based on their browser and device configuration. Unlike cookies, which can be deleted, your browser fingerprint is much harder to change.
How Does Browser Fingerprinting Work?
When you visit a website, your browser shares a surprising amount of information:
- User agent string — Your browser name, version, and operating system
- Screen resolution — The exact dimensions of your display
- Installed plugins — Which browser extensions and plugins you use
- Time zone and language — Your system's regional settings
- Canvas and WebGL data — How your device renders graphics
When combined, these data points create a nearly unique "fingerprint" that can identify you across websites — even without cookies.
How Common Is It?
Research shows that browser fingerprinting can uniquely identify over 90% of users. Major advertising networks and analytics platforms use this technique extensively.
How to Reduce Your Fingerprint
- Use privacy-focused browsers — Firefox with privacy settings, Brave, or Tor Browser
- Disable JavaScript — Many fingerprinting techniques rely on JavaScript (but this breaks most websites)
- Use browser extensions — Tools like Privacy Badger or Canvas Blocker can help
- Keep your browser updated — Newer browsers have better fingerprinting protections
Check what your browser reveals with our Browser Info Tool.
This article is part of our Browser & Device Detector toolkit