Browser fingerprinting: what makes up a browser fingerprint

A browser fingerprint can combine properties such as platform, rendering behaviour, language, screen characteristics and exposed APIs. Individual signals are not necessarily unique, and a fingerprint should not be treated as a permanent real-world identity.

What makes up a browser fingerprint

A browser fingerprint combines observable characteristics such as browser capabilities, language, screen dimensions, time zone, graphics behaviour and other exposed signals. Each property may be common on its own, while the combination can narrow the set of similar clients.

How to test which signals affect it

Compare the result in a normal and private window, then change one property such as language or window size. A changed fingerprint shows that the test uses those signals; it does not prove that websites can persistently identify a particular person. You can also compare network-visible privacy signals with 2ip privacy check.

What a fingerprint result does not prove

Technical references: W3C privacy guidance and browser documentation.