Browser position
Permission not requested- Coordinates
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Browser privacy
Browser location and IP location comparison
Compare a location you choose to share through browser permission with an approximate location assigned to your public IP.
Comparison is available after permission is granted.
IP estimate
—- IP address
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Comparison
—Comparison is available after permission is granted.
Understand the result
- Browser geolocation can use GPS, Wi-Fi, mobile networks or other signals and can remain precise while a VPN is connected.
- An IP database usually describes the provider's or VPN's network location, rather than your physical position.
- The reported browser accuracy is an estimated radius, not a guarantee. A large distance alone does not prove VPN use.
- If the observed address is private, the fallback measures our server's egress. The server and browser can use different routes.
Compare before and after
Run the same test on the same device and save a baseline. Activate your VPN or change one relevant setting, rerun under the same conditions and save the next result.
Save a before result and an after result to compare them.
What this test tells you
A browser's location permission and an IP lookup provide different kinds of information. This test makes that distinction visible. Changing a VPN exit can move an IP database's map pin while leaving the browser-provided position unchanged, because the permission and location service are independent of the public exit address.
How to run the test
- Check the IP observation source and decide whether you want to allow the browser's explicit location request.
- Start the comparison and respond to the permission prompt if one appears.
- Read the browser position's accuracy radius alongside the IP estimate, distance and any refusal or timeout.
How the measurement works
The browser's Geolocation API supplies a permitted position and accuracy estimate. The page compares it locally with an IP geolocation lookup and calculates distance between the two coordinates.
Precise browser coordinates are not sent to this tool's server. The IP lookup does contact configured providers and may be cached; a labelled server egress fallback describes a different observation source.
Understanding your results
- Positions are close
- The two supplied estimates are near one another within their reported uncertainty. This does not authenticate your location or identify you.
- Positions differ
- The signals describe different locations. VPN exits, mobile gateways, inaccurate IP records or stale browser position can explain the gap.
- Position unavailable
- Permission refusal, a timeout or unavailable positioning prevents the comparison. Missing browser coordinates are not proof that the IP estimate is accurate.
Compare before and after
- Save the observation source, IP estimate, browser accuracy and current permission state on the same device.
- Change one connection setting while keeping location permission and positioning conditions fixed, then rerun.
- Compare each signal independently before the distance. An IP change with a stable browser position is often expected.
Limits of the test
- The accuracy radius is an estimate, and an IP coordinate may represent an operator rather than your device.
- A discrepancy does not prove VPN use, location spoofing or a specific physical position.
What to change, if needed
- You no longer want a site to receive browser location
- Revoke its location permission in browser settings; changing a VPN does not revoke an existing grant.
- Browser positioning seems stale or unavailable
- Review permission and device location settings, then retry if you wish to share a fresh estimate.
Frequently asked questions
Does a VPN move browser geolocation?
It does not automatically change permission or the position supplied by the browser's location service.
Is IP location as precise?
No. It is an estimate associated with a network address rather than a device positioning measurement.
Sources and technical references
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