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How to Prevent Browser Fingerprinting

Updated · 2 min read

Written by the ScanMyPrivacy team. How we write and check guides · Report a correction

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You cannot delete a browser fingerprint the way you delete a cookie, because it is built from details your browser reports every time it loads a page. You can, however, make it far less useful. The goal is not to be invisible but to look like many other people, or to change often enough that you cannot be followed.

Two strategies: blend in or randomise

Blending in means reporting the same values as a large group, so that you are one of thousands. Tor Browser does this by standardising window size, fonts and many other values. Randomising means adding small random changes so that your fingerprint differs on each site or session. Brave takes this approach for canvas and audio. Both work; mixing them badly does not.

Steps that help

  1. Pick a browser with built-in protection. Tor Browser for the strongest result, Brave for convenience, or Firefox with strict tracking protection.
  2. Turn on the stricter mode. In Firefox, set privacy.resistFingerprinting to true in the advanced configuration page. It rounds the window size and time zone, and it can break sites that depend on them.
  3. Keep the window at its default size. A maximised or oddly sized window is itself a signal; Tor shows a warning for this reason.
  4. Use few extensions. Each extension can be detected, and a rare combination is distinctive.
  5. Block third-party scripts. Most fingerprinting is done by third-party trackers, so a good content blocker removes many of them before they run.
  6. Update your browser. Vendors keep reducing what is exposed, for example by shortening the user agent.

What does not help

  • A VPN alone. It changes your IP address, not your fonts, screen or graphics card.
  • Private or incognito mode. It clears cookies and history, but reports the same details.
  • Random user agent switchers. A user agent that disagrees with the rest of your browser stands out, and can be more identifying than the real one.
  • Clearing cookies. Irrelevant to a fingerprint, which does not use them.

Test before and after

Run the browser fingerprint test in your current browser, note the bits figure and whether the canvas is flagged as randomised, then repeat after each change. A lower figure and a randomised canvas show the protection is working. Try the test in a second browser to see how much difference the choice of browser makes.

The trade-offs

Strong protection costs convenience. Resist-fingerprinting modes can show the wrong time zone, force light mode and trigger more CAPTCHAs. Some banks and fraud-detection systems treat a very generic or noisy browser as suspicious, so keep a separate normal profile for those sites. Decide where the protection matters most, such as casual browsing and research, and accept some friction there.

Tools that can help

Privacy-focused browsers

What it does: Block many trackers by default and reduce some fingerprinting. What it does not do: Make you anonymous. Logging in, cookies you accept and unusual settings can still identify you.

  • FirefoxFreeNo commissionOpen-source browser with tracking protection built in. Visit site
  • BraveFreeNo commissionChromium-based browser with built-in tracker and ad blocking and some fingerprinting defences. Visit site

Browser extensions

What it does: Block ads and trackers, or help manage passwords inside the browser. What it does not do: Come without risk: every extension can read pages you visit, so install few and only well-known ones.

  • uBlock OriginFreeNo commissionOpen-source content blocker for ads and trackers. Works best on Firefox and desktop Chromium browsers. Visit site
  • Privacy BadgerFreeNo commissionFree extension from the Electronic Frontier Foundation that learns and blocks trackers. Visit site

We list free and built-in options first. How we choose.

Keep reading

What Is Browser Fingerprinting?Browser fingerprinting identifies you without cookies by combining screen size, fonts and graphics. How it works, who uses it and how to reduce it.Canvas Fingerprinting ExplainedHow canvas fingerprinting works, why the same drawing produces different pixels on different devices, who uses it, and how browsers defend against it.How Websites Track You Without CookiesCookies are only one way sites follow you. IP addresses, fingerprints, tracking IDs and logins work too. What they are and how to limit them.What your browser fingerprint reveals about youA browser fingerprint is a mix of settings sites read without cookies. See what it includes, how identifying it is and which steps reduce it.How to Find Out Which DNS Server You Are UsingStep-by-step commands for Windows, Mac, Linux, Android and iPhone to see your DNS server, plus a free test that shows who really answers your lookups.How to Test Your VPN Kill SwitchA kill switch should cut your internet when the VPN drops. Here is a simple, safe way to test it with a repeating IP check, on Windows, Mac and Linux.

Frequently asked questions

Can browser fingerprinting be completely stopped?

Not fully. You can make it much weaker, but any site that wants to recognise you has several signals to try, including your IP address and behaviour.

Is Brave or Firefox better against fingerprinting?

Brave randomises several signals by default. Firefox with resist-fingerprinting standardises them, which is stronger but breaks more sites. Tor Browser is stronger than both.

Will fingerprint protection break websites?

Sometimes. Time zone, canvas and window size changes can break maps, games and some logins. Use a separate profile for sites that need the real values.