Updated August 2026
Browser fingerprinting: how sites recognize you in incognito
Fingerprinting identifies a device from the combination of small technical details it reveals. Because nothing is stored on your device, clearing cookies or opening a private window does not reset it.
What goes into a fingerprint
- -Screen size, timezone, language and installed fonts.
- -Graphics card output from canvas and WebGL drawing tests.
- -Browser version, plugins and hardware details such as CPU cores.
Why incognito does not help
- -A private window runs on the same hardware and software as a normal window.
- -The resulting fingerprint is usually identical in both modes.
- -Trackers can link private sessions back to your normal profile.
How to reduce fingerprinting
- -Use a browser with built-in fingerprint protection.
- -Avoid unusual extensions and custom fonts that make you stand out.
- -Search with an engine that does not build profiles, so there is nothing to link a fingerprint to.
Keep your searches out of the record
Read more in this related guide, or search with DeepIncognito: nothing is stored, results erase on one tap, and the session destructs on its own.
Frequently asked
Search privately. Leave no trace.
DeepIncognito is a private search layer with one-tap erase and sessions that auto-destruct on inactivity.
Try a private search