Free Tool

Browser Privacy Checker

A VPN hides your IP address, but sites can still recognize you other ways, through your browser and device settings. Below is everything any site can see without special permissions.

What is a digital fingerprint

Even without cookies and without your IP, sites can collect a unique combination of your browser and device settings, this is called fingerprinting. The canvas-fingerprint hash below is often unique to a specific combination of browser, GPU, and operating system.

A VPN doesn't hide this kind of information, that takes separate browser settings (for example, Firefox with resistFingerprinting enabled, or a tracker-blocking extension).

A VPN is only part of the picture

404 VPN encrypts your traffic and hides your IP, but it doesn't replace browser privacy settings. Use both together for the strongest protection.

How we protect your data →

Frequently Asked Questions

guest@404vpn:~$ cat privacy-faq.md

[01] $ Is this the same as my IP address? ▸

> No. A browser fingerprint is a set of technical device and settings characteristics, it's not directly tied to your IP and is visible to sites whether or not you use a VPN.

[02] $ Can a site recognize me by fingerprint even if my IP changes? ▸

> Yes, if the combination of parameters is unique enough, many ad and anti-fraud systems rely on exactly this.

[03] $ How do I reduce my fingerprint? ▸

> Use a browser with fingerprinting protection (like Firefox with resistFingerprinting, or Tor Browser), disable unnecessary extensions, and stick to common screen and language settings.

[04] $ Why might the canvas fingerprint hash change on reload? ▸

> Normally it shouldn't: if your browser and settings haven't changed, the hash is stable. A change can indicate fingerprinting protection that slightly randomizes the canvas output on every request.