Privacy guide
Do browser profiles share a fingerprint? Yes, almost all of it
Browser profiles keep your stored data apart. They do not give you a second device. This guide shows what profiles split, what they share, and how to check your own browser in five minutes.
Direct answer
Yes, browser profiles share almost their whole fingerprint when they run in one browser on one computer. Chrome, Edge and Firefox profiles report the same browser build, user agent, GPU, fonts, screen, timezone, language and hardware. They also use the same IP address. In Chrome and Edge, canvas output matches too. Only stored data is separate: cookies, site storage, history, saved passwords and extensions. A site can link two profiles without any shared cookie.
What a browser profile separates
A profile is a folder of user data. Chrome’s help page says profiles keep “bookmarks, history, passwords, and other settings” separate. The Chromium docs add that the profile folder holds cookies. Microsoft lists separate settings, bookmarks, extensions and themes for Edge profiles. Mozilla says Firefox profiles separate bookmarks, passwords, add-ons, history and cookies.
Chrome and Edge present profiles as a way to share a computer or keep work and personal accounts apart. Neither help page calls them protection against tracking. Profiles split what the browser stores. They do not change what the browser reports about your computer.
Incognito and private windows
A private window works like a temporary profile. Chrome’s help page says Incognito starts a separate session, blocks third-party cookies by default, and removes cookies when you close it. It also says Incognito “doesn’t make you invisible”. Microsoft says your school, workplace and internet provider may still see your InPrivate activity in Edge.
In Chrome and Edge, a private window has the same fingerprint and IP address as a normal window. Firefox private windows turn on extra fingerprinting protection by default. Canvas readouts get noise, only standard system fonts are used, and the CPU core count is reported as 4 or 8. Some values change. The device underneath does not.
Check it yourself in five minutes
Open a checker in your first profile
Use the official CreepJS at abrahamjuliot.github.io/creepjs. Its author warns that copies on other domains are not official. BrowserLeaks also works: its Canvas page shows a “Signature” hash, and its WebGL page shows your GPU name.
Write down the values
Note the canvas, WebGL, fonts and screen results. Then note your IP address on any IP check page.
Repeat in your second profile
Open the same pages in the second profile. Use the same computer and network, and change no settings.
Compare the results
In Chrome and Edge, expect the same hashes and the same IP. In Firefox 151 or later, or in Brave, the canvas hash may differ. The GPU name, fonts, screen and timezone still match.
Restart and test again
Close the browser, open it again, and repeat. A value that changes after a restart is randomized per session. A value that stays comes from your device.
What actually separates fingerprints
If two identities must not look like one device, their values must come from somewhere else. Each option has a cost.
| Method | Fingerprint | IP address | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Second profile, same browser | Almost the same | Same | Splits stored data only |
| Different browser, same computer | GPU, fonts, screen and timezone match | Same | A 2017 NDSS study linked browsers on one machine |
| Brave profiles | Some values randomized per site and session | Same | Values do not stay stable |
| Tor Browser or Mullvad Browser | Matches other users of that browser | Tor changes it; Mullvad Browser needs a VPN | Built for anonymity, not lasting identities |
| Virtual machine | Own OS, fonts and screen | Same unless you add a VPN or proxy | Heavy to run |
| Separate device | Different hardware | Same on the same network | Strongest split; costs money |
| Antidetect profile with per-profile values | Each profile reports its own values | Own proxy per profile | You trust the vendor, so prefer open source |
Where AliasMode fits
AliasMode is a free, open-source profile manager for Windows, Mac and Linux. Each profile has its own data folder, proxy, and fingerprint values from a stable seed. These include user agent, screen, timezone, language, fonts, WebGL vendor and renderer, and CPU core count.
AliasMode Chromium also adds per-profile canvas noise, so each profile has its own canvas hash, and it stays the same at every launch.
Frequently asked questions
Can websites link my Chrome profiles?
Yes, if they use fingerprinting. Two Chrome profiles on one computer show the same user agent, GPU, canvas output, fonts, screen, timezone and IP address. Cookies do not carry over, but the rest matches.
Are separate browsers more private than Chrome profiles?
A little. A different browser changes the user agent and some engine values. The GPU, fonts, screen, timezone and IP stay the same. A 2017 NDSS study linked different browsers on one machine through hardware features.
Does incognito mode change my fingerprint?
Not in Chrome or Edge. Incognito and InPrivate drop cookies when you close them, but device values and the IP stay the same. Firefox private windows add fingerprinting protection, which changes some values.
Do Firefox profiles share a fingerprint?
Mostly. Since Firefox 151, canvas readouts get small noise per site and per session, so canvas hashes can differ. The GPU name, fonts, screen, timezone, user agent and IP still match.
Does a VPN stop sites from linking my profiles?
No. A VPN changes the IP for all profiles at once, so they still share one IP. Each profile needs its own proxy to split them. The rest of the fingerprint still matches.