Fingerprint testing guide
Iphey “inconsistent browser fingerprint”: what it means and how to fix it
Iphey is a free fingerprint checker. Sometimes it shows a whale and the line “Detected an inconsistent browser fingerprint”. This guide explains what sets it off, and how to fix it.
Direct answer
Iphey shows “Detected an inconsistent browser fingerprint” when your browser values do not fit together. In our tests, it appeared for a returning browser profile whose screen size or graphics card had changed since an earlier visit. Fresh profiles were not flagged. To fix it, keep the hardware values of each profile stable. Then clear Iphey’s site data, and run the test again.
What the Iphey warning means
Iphey reads the values that any website can read. Its own FAQ names the user agent, canvas, WebRTC, audio, fonts and plugins. It then gives a verdict on how your browser looks.
“Inconsistent” means that some values do not fit together. They can contradict each other in one visit. Or they can differ from what the site saw on an earlier visit.
Iphey’s FAQ also lists three reasons for a low Trust Score: low-quality proxies, a time zone that does not match the IP, and signs of automation. The warning does not tell you which value is the problem. So use it as a hint, and find the exact value with a test that names each check.
The measured cause: a returning profile with a changed screen or GPU
In our tests, the whale appeared for a returning browser profile. Between two visits, its screen size or its graphics card (GPU) had changed. A fresh profile with the same values was not flagged. When we cleared Iphey’s site data, the warning went away.
This points to a record of an earlier visit that Iphey keeps in your browser. On the next visit, it compares the new values with that record. A screen or GPU that changed does not look like the same computer.
- Screen changes: the window opens on another monitor, display scaling changes, or a laptop is docked or undocked.
- GPU changes: a laptop switches between its two graphics cards.
- Remote sessions: the same profile opens over remote desktop or in a virtual machine. These often use a software graphics driver.
- Tools that pick new hardware values each time a profile starts. Each start then looks like a new device on a known profile.
Other common causes of an inconsistent fingerprint
| Cause | What does not fit | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| Time zone | The browser clock is far from the IP location | Fingerprint test and IP test |
| WebRTC | WebRTC shows a public IP from another network | WebRTC leak test |
| User agent | The user agent names another engine or OS than the one that runs | Fingerprint test |
| Fonts | Mac fonts under a Windows identity, or the other way round | Fingerprint test |
| Graphics card | A renderer that belongs to another operating system | Canvas test |
| Replaced functions | An extension or script rewrote built-in browser functions | Fingerprint test |
| Workers and frames | A web worker or iframe shows other values than the page | Fingerprint test |
| Automation | navigator.webdriver is on, or automation variables are in the page | Fingerprint test |
How to fix it and check consistency
- Find the value that changed. Run our free fingerprint test and note the screen and graphics card values. The canvas test shows your canvas, WebGL and audio fingerprints.
- Keep each profile’s hardware values stable. Open it on the same display setup. Do not use tools that pick a new screen or GPU each time the profile starts.
- Fix any contradiction that our test reports. Each check says what it found and how to fix it.
- Run our test again after a restart. The screen, graphics card and canvas values should stay the same.
- Clear Iphey’s site data in your browser settings, then open Iphey again. In our tests, this reset the warning. Other sites can keep their own records, so stable values matter more than the reset.
Our test fails a check only for a value that a stock browser never shows. Stock Chrome, Edge and Firefox on Windows, macOS and Linux pass, and we check this every week. Normal setups, such as a laptop with two graphics cards, get a warning with an explanation. The test does not store your values.
Frequently asked questions
Why does Iphey flag my profile but not a new one?
In our tests, Iphey flagged a returning profile whose screen size or graphics card changed since an earlier visit. A fresh profile has no earlier visit to compare with, so it was not flagged.
Does clearing cookies remove the Iphey whale?
Clearing Iphey’s site data reset the warning in our tests. It can come back if the screen or graphics card changes again, so keep those values stable first.
Is a unique fingerprint the same as an inconsistent one?
No. Almost every browser is unique. An inconsistent fingerprint has values that contradict each other, or values that changed on a returning browser.
How can I check my fingerprint for consistency?
Run our free fingerprint test. It compares values such as time zone and IP, user agent and engine, fonts and OS, and screen values from JavaScript and CSS, and it explains each problem.