Canvas Fingerprinting: What It Is, How to Test It & Complete Protection Guide (2025)

You just visited a website for the first time. No cookies, no login, incognito mode enabled. Yet somehow, the site recognizes you from your previous visit on a different browser. How is this possible?

The answer is canvas fingerprinting—one of the most powerful and controversial tracking techniques on the web. Unlike cookies that you can delete, your canvas fingerprint is generated from how your specific device renders graphics. It’s unique, persistent, and virtually impossible to change without specialized tools.

In this comprehensive 2025 guide, you’ll discover exactly what canvas fingerprinting is, how it works at a technical level, how to test your own canvas fingerprint using BrowserLeaks, and—most importantly—how to protect yourself with Multilogin’s advanced fingerprint protection.

Stop being tracked by canvas fingerprinting. Multilogin generates natural, unique canvas fingerprints that prevent tracking while keeping you undetectable. Try it for now →

What is Canvas Fingerprinting?

Canvas fingerprinting is a sophisticated browser tracking technique that identifies users by exploiting tiny differences in how their devices render graphics. It uses the HTML5 Canvas API to draw an invisible image or text in your browser, then analyzes the exact pixel-level output to create a unique identifier.

Here’s the critical insight: no two devices render graphics exactly the same way. Your specific combination of graphics card, GPU drivers, operating system, browser version, font rendering engine, and even anti-aliasing settings creates subtle variations in how images are drawn. These variations are invisible to the human eye but create a unique “fingerprint” that can identify you across websites.

How Canvas Fingerprinting Works: The Technical Process

Let’s break down exactly how browser canvas fingerprinting works:

Step 1: Canvas Drawing

When you visit a website using canvas fingerprinting, JavaScript code instructs your browser to draw something using the HTML5 Canvas element. This could be:

• Text in various fonts and colors
• Geometric shapes and gradients
• Emoji characters (which render differently across systems)
• Complex patterns with transparency and blending

The drawing happens invisibly—you never see it. It’s typically a 1×1 pixel canvas or a hidden element.

Step 2: Rendering Variations

Your system renders the canvas image based on:

• Graphics card: NVIDIA, AMD, Intel integrated graphics all render differently
• GPU drivers: Different driver versions produce different outputs
• Operating system: Windows, macOS, Linux handle graphics differently
• Browser: Chrome, Firefox, Safari use different rendering engines
• Font rendering: ClearType, anti-aliasing, subpixel rendering settings
• Color management: Display profiles and color spaces
• Hardware acceleration: Whether GPU acceleration is enabled

Step 3: Hash Generation

The website extracts the pixel data from the rendered canvas using the toDataURL() or getImageData() method. This pixel data is then converted into a hash value (a unique string of characters). Even a single pixel difference creates a completely different hash.

Step 4: Fingerprint Storage

The hash becomes your canvas fingerprint—a unique identifier that the website stores in their database. Every time you return, they can regenerate your canvas fingerprint and match it against their records to identify you, even if you’ve cleared all cookies and changed your IP address.

Canvas Fingerprinting Code Example

Here’s a simplified example of how canvas fingerprinting works:

// Create a hidden canvas element

const canvas = document.createElement(‘canvas’);

const ctx = canvas.getContext(‘2d’);

// Draw text with specific styling

ctx.textBaseline = ‘top’;

ctx.font = ’14px Arial’;

ctx.textBaseline = ‘alphabetic’;

ctx.fillStyle = ‘#f60’;

ctx.fillRect(125, 1, 62, 20);

ctx.fillStyle = ‘#069’;

ctx.fillText(‘Hello, World!’, 2, 15);

// Extract pixel data and generate hash

const dataURL = canvas.toDataURL();

const fingerprint = hashFunction(dataURL);

// Send fingerprint to server

sendToServer(fingerprint);

This simple code generates a unique identifier based on how your specific system renders the text “Hello, World!” with specific colors and fonts.

Canvas Fingerprint vs. WebGL Fingerprint: What’s the Difference?

While both are graphics-based fingerprinting techniques, canvas fingerprinting and WebGL fingerprinting work differently and provide different levels of uniqueness.

Canvas Fingerprinting

• Uses: HTML5 Canvas API (2D rendering)
• Tests: Font rendering, color management, basic graphics
• Uniqueness: Moderate (many devices share similar canvas fingerprints)
• Stability: Very stable (doesn’t change unless you update drivers/OS)
• Detection: Widely used by thousands of websites
• Resource usage: Low (fast to generate)

WebGL Fingerprinting

• Uses: WebGL API (3D graphics rendering)
• Tests: GPU capabilities, shader rendering, 3D processing
• Uniqueness: Very high (GPU-specific characteristics)
• Stability: Less stable (can vary between sessions)
• Detection: Used by advanced tracking systems
• Resource usage: Higher (more computationally intensive)

The Key Difference: Canvas fingerprinting tests basic 2D rendering, while WebGL fingerprinting tests your GPU’s 3D capabilities. WebGL provides more unique data but is less stable. Most websites use both together for maximum accuracy.

Comparison Table: Canvas vs. WebGL Fingerprinting

Multilogin protects against both canvas and WebGL fingerprinting. Get complete fingerprint protection. Try it for now →

How to Test Your Canvas Fingerprint: BrowserLeaks Guide

Want to see your own canvas fingerprint? The best tool for testing is BrowserLeaks Canvas, a free online service that shows you exactly how unique your canvas fingerprint is.

Step-by-Step: Canvas Fingerprint Test

1. Visit BrowserLeaks Canvas Test

Navigate to https://browserleaks.com/canvas in your browser. The test will automatically run when the page loads.

2. View Your Canvas Fingerprint

BrowserLeaks will display:

• Your canvas hash: A unique string identifying your canvas fingerprint
• Visual representation: The actual image your browser rendered
• Uniqueness score: How many other visitors share your fingerprint
• Consistency check: Whether your fingerprint is stable across refreshes

3. Check WebGL Fingerprint

Also test your WebGL fingerprint at BrowserLeaks WebGL. This shows:

• Your GPU vendor and renderer
• WebGL version and extensions
• Shader precision capabilities
• WebGL image hash

4. Analyze Your Results

If BrowserLeaks shows:

• “Your fingerprint is unique”: You’re easily trackable
• “Shared by X% of visitors”: You blend in with that percentage
• “Very likely you are masking your fingerprint”: Detection of anti-fingerprinting tools

What BrowserLeaks Canvas Test Reveals

The BrowserLeaks canvas test shows you several critical pieces of information:

Canvas Hash: A string like e8f7a3c2… that uniquely identifies your rendering output

Visual Fingerprint: The actual image your browser drew, showing:

• Font rendering quality
• Color accuracy
• Anti-aliasing behavior
• Subpixel rendering

Browser Information: Your User-Agent, platform, and browser version

Uniqueness Metrics: How many other visitors in their database share your exact fingerprint

Common Canvas Fingerprint Test Results

Result 1: “Your fingerprint is unique”

This means your specific combination of hardware and software is rare. You’re highly trackable. This is common if you:

• Use an uncommon GPU model
• Have outdated or very new drivers
• Use a less popular browser or OS
• Have custom display settings

Result 2: “Shared by 15% of visitors”

You blend in with a significant group. This is ideal for privacy. Common configurations like:

• Windows 10 + Chrome + Intel integrated graphics
• macOS + Safari + standard settings
• Popular laptop models with default configurations

Result 3: “Very likely you are masking your fingerprint”

BrowserLeaks detected that you’re using anti-fingerprinting tools. This happens when:

• Your canvas output looks artificially randomized
• Parameters don’t match your reported hardware
• You’re using low-quality fingerprint spoofing extensions

The Problem: If websites detect that you’re masking your fingerprint, they may block you or flag your account as suspicious. This is why Multilogin’s natural fingerprinting is superior—it creates realistic fingerprints that pass all detection tests.

Canvas Fingerprinting Protection: What Works and What Doesn’t

Now that you understand canvas fingerprinting, let’s examine protection methods. Not all solutions are created equal, and some can actually make you more identifiable.

❌ Ineffective Protection Methods

1. Canvas Fingerprint Blocker Extensions

Browser extensions like “Canvas Fingerprint Defender” or “Canvas Defender” attempt to block or randomize canvas fingerprinting. However:

• They’re easily detected: Websites can tell you’re using an extension
• They create inconsistent fingerprints: Your fingerprint changes on every page load, which is itself suspicious
• They become part of your fingerprint: The extension itself makes you more unique
• They don’t work on advanced sites: Sophisticated fingerprinting bypasses these extensions

2. Firefox Canvas Fingerprint Protection

Firefox has built-in canvas fingerprinting protection (privacy.resistFingerprinting), but:

• It makes all Firefox users look identical: This actually makes you stand out as a Firefox user
• It breaks many websites: Canvas is used for legitimate purposes too
• It doesn’t protect other fingerprinting vectors: WebGL, audio, fonts still expose you
• It’s detectable: Websites know when Firefox’s protection is enabled

3. Chrome Canvas Fingerprint Extensions

Chrome extensions like “Canvas Defender Chrome” or “Canvas Fingerprint Defender Chrome” have similar problems:

• Limited effectiveness: Chrome’s extension API can’t fully control canvas rendering
• Detection risk: Extensions are easily fingerprinted themselves
• Inconsistent results: May work on some sites but fail on others

⚠️ Partially Effective Methods

1. Tor Browser

Tor includes canvas fingerprinting protection by making all users return the same canvas output. However:

• Extremely slow: Tor’s onion routing makes browsing painful
• Many sites block Tor: You’ll encounter CAPTCHAs and blocks constantly
• Not suitable for accounts: Can’t manage multiple accounts or normal workflows
• Still detectable: Advanced fingerprinting can identify Tor users

2. Brave Browser

Brave randomizes canvas fingerprints, which provides some protection but:

• Randomization is detectable: Websites can tell your fingerprint is fake
• Inconsistent across sessions: Your fingerprint changes, which is suspicious
• Doesn’t help with multi-account management: Can’t create multiple distinct identities

✅ The Complete Solution: Multilogin Fingerprint Protection

Multilogin is the only solution that provides complete, undetectable protection against canvas fingerprinting while remaining practical for everyday use.

How Multilogin’s Canvas Fingerprint Protection Works:

1. Natural, Realistic Fingerprints

Instead of blocking or randomizing canvas fingerprinting (which websites can detect), Multilogin generates natural canvas fingerprints that match real device configurations. Each browser profile gets a unique but realistic canvas output that:

• Matches the reported GPU and drivers
• Remains consistent across sessions
• Passes all detection tests
• Appears as a real, different device

2. Hardware-Level Emulation

Multilogin doesn’t just change surface-level parameters—it emulates real hardware configurations. Your canvas rendering, WebGL capabilities, and font rendering all match a device that could actually exist.

3. Synchronized Fingerprint Components

All fingerprinting vectors are synchronized:

• Canvas fingerprint matches your GPU model
• WebGL capabilities match your canvas output
• Fonts match your operating system
• User-Agent matches your rendering behavior

This consistency is critical. Mismatched parameters (like an Intel GPU producing NVIDIA-specific canvas output) instantly expose fake fingerprints.

4. Persistent Fingerprints

Each Multilogin profile maintains the same canvas fingerprint across sessions. This stability is essential because:

• Suddenly changing your fingerprint is suspicious
• Websites expect consistency from real users
• Account-based platforms track fingerprint changes

5. WebGL Fingerprint Protection

Multilogin also protects your WebGL fingerprint, ensuring that both 2D and 3D rendering fingerprints are natural and consistent.

6. Built-in Proxy Integration

Multilogin’s residential proxies are automatically synchronized with your fingerprint, ensuring your timezone, language, and geolocation match your proxy location.

Multilogin vs. Canvas Defender Extensions

Stop using detectable extensions. Multilogin provides professional-grade canvas fingerprint protection. Try it for now →

The Myth of Canvas Fingerprint Uniqueness: Our 2025 Research

There’s a common misconception that every device has a completely unique canvas fingerprint. Our research at Multilogin reveals a more nuanced reality.

The Canvas Fingerprinting Experiment

We conducted extensive testing on hundreds of devices with different hardware configurations to answer one question: How unique are canvas fingerprints really?

Our Methodology:

• Tested 200+ devices with different GPUs
• Used Windows 10/11 and macOS on current hardware
• Tested with latest Chrome, Firefox, and Safari versions
• Compared canvas fingerprints across identical and different hardware

Surprising Findings

Finding 1: Many Modern Devices Share Canvas Fingerprints

Contrary to popular belief, we found that many popular device configurations produce identical canvas fingerprints:

• Dell XPS 2023 had the same canvas fingerprint as HP Pavilion 2022
• All MacBook Pros from 2020-2024 with default settings shared the same fingerprint on Safari
• 23 different laptops with Intel integrated graphics produced identical canvas outputs
• Many discrete GPUs (NVIDIA RTX 3060, 3070, 3080) generated the same canvas fingerprint with identical drivers

Finding 2: Operating System and Browser Matter More Than Hardware

The biggest differentiators weren’t GPU models but rather:

• Operating system version (Windows 10 vs. 11 vs. macOS)
• Browser version (Chrome 120 vs. 121 makes a difference)
• Font rendering settings (ClearType on/off)
• Display scaling (100% vs. 125% vs. 150%)

Finding 3: Default Configurations Provide Natural Camouflage

Users with popular, default configurations naturally blend in:

• Windows 11 + Chrome + Intel graphics = shared by millions
• macOS + Safari + standard settings = shared by millions
• Popular laptop models with default drivers = naturally anonymous

What This Means for Canvas Fingerprint Protection

Our research revealed an important insight: Canvas fingerprinting alone is not as uniquely identifying as commonly believed—but it becomes highly identifying when combined with other fingerprinting techniques.

This is why Multilogin’s approach is so effective:

1. We generate canvas fingerprints that match popular configurations (natural camouflage)
2. We ensure all fingerprinting vectors are synchronized (no contradictions)
3. We maintain consistency over time (stable fingerprints)
4. We protect against the combination of techniques (canvas + WebGL + audio + fonts)

The result: Each Multilogin profile appears as a real, common device configuration that’s indistinguishable from millions of legitimate users.

Canvas Fingerprinting in the Wild: Real-World Usage

Understanding how websites actually use canvas fingerprinting helps you appreciate why protection is essential.

Who Uses Canvas Fingerprinting?

1. Advertising Networks

Companies like Google, Facebook, and ad tech platforms use canvas fingerprinting to:

• Track users across websites without cookies
• Build detailed behavioral profiles
• Serve targeted ads based on browsing history
• Measure ad effectiveness across devices

2. Fraud Detection Systems

Banks, payment processors, and e-commerce sites use it to:

• Detect account takeovers
• Identify suspicious login patterns
• Prevent payment fraud
• Link multiple accounts to the same device

3. Social Media Platforms

TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter use canvas fingerprinting to:

• Detect users operating multiple accounts
• Enforce account limits and bans
• Identify ban evasion attempts
• Track user behavior across accounts

4. E-Commerce Platforms

Amazon, eBay, and online marketplaces use it to:

• Detect sellers operating multiple accounts
• Identify review manipulation
• Enforce seller limits
• Prevent ban evasion

5. Streaming Services

Netflix, Spotify, and other streaming platforms use it to:

• Detect account sharing
• Enforce device limits
• Identify VPN usage
• Track viewing patterns

Canvas Fingerprinting Statistics 2025

• 10,000+ top websites actively use canvas fingerprinting
• 67% of e-commerce sites implement some form of canvas tracking
• 89% of ad networks use canvas fingerprinting for cross-site tracking
• 95% of fraud detection systems include canvas fingerprinting in their algorithms
• Canvas + WebGL combined can uniquely identify 99.2% of users

AudioContext Fingerprinting: The Canvas Companion

While we’re focused on canvas fingerprinting, it’s important to understand AudioContext fingerprinting—a related technique that’s often used alongside canvas.

What is AudioContext Fingerprinting?

AudioContext fingerprinting uses the Web Audio API to generate a unique identifier based on how your device processes audio signals. Similar to canvas, tiny variations in audio processing create a unique fingerprint.

How It Works:

1. Website generates an audio signal using Web Audio API
2. Your device processes the signal through its audio stack
3. Variations in processing create a unique “audio fingerprint”
4. Different sound cards, drivers, and processors produce different results

AudioContext vs. Canvas Fingerprinting

Key Insight: AudioContext fingerprinting is less unique than canvas but adds another layer of identification when combined. Multilogin protects against both simultaneously.

Fingerprint Protection for Multi-Account Management

For professionals managing multiple accounts, canvas fingerprint protection isn’t just about privacy—it’s about business survival.

Why Multi-Account Users Need Canvas Protection

Social Media Marketers

If you’re managing multiple TikTok, Instagram, or Facebook accounts for clients, platforms use canvas fingerprinting to detect when multiple accounts are operated from the same device. Without protection:

• All your accounts get linked together
• One ban triggers a cascade of bans
• You lose all your clients’ accounts simultaneously

E-Commerce Sellers

Amazon sellers, eBay power sellers, and dropshippers operating multiple storefronts face:

• Account suspensions when platforms detect multiple accounts
• Loss of inventory and revenue
• Permanent bans that follow your fingerprint

Affiliate Marketers

TikTok Shop affiliates and other affiliate marketers testing multiple strategies need:

• Separate identities for each affiliate account
• Protection from account linking
• Ability to scale without detection

Agencies and Teams

Digital marketing agencies managing dozens of client accounts need:

• Unique fingerprints for each client
• Team collaboration without fingerprint contamination
• Enterprise-level reliability

How Multilogin Solves Multi-Account Canvas Fingerprinting

Multilogin is specifically designed for professional multi-account management:

1. Unlimited Unique Fingerprints

Create as many browser profiles as you need, each with its own unique, natural canvas fingerprint.

2. Complete Account Isolation

Each profile is completely isolated:

• Separate canvas fingerprint
• Separate WebGL fingerprint
• Separate cookies and cache
• Separate proxy/IP address

3. Team Collaboration

Share profiles with team members while maintaining consistent fingerprints. Everyone sees the same canvas output, preventing detection.

4. Automation Support

Integrate with Selenium, Puppeteer, and Playwright to automate tasks while maintaining unique fingerprints for each session.

5. Mobile Fingerprints

Emulate real mobile devices with authentic mobile canvas fingerprints for platforms like TikTok that are mobile-first.

Manage unlimited accounts safely. Multilogin provides enterprise-grade canvas fingerprint protection for multi-account operations. Start your trial →