Hardware inventory privacy: what a browser can see

You want a quick list of what a computer can do, but you may not want a website to learn more than necessary. A browser-based hardware inventory can show useful details, but it is not the same as giving someone access to your computer.

Use the System Info tool to see what your current browser makes available. Then check which details are safe to share, what a website normally cannot inspect, and how to limit optional access.

Check what your browser reports

1. Open System Info in the browser on the device you want to check.
2. Review the processor, graphics, screen, battery, and network information shown. The details depend on the device and browser.
3. Separate details you need for support, such as screen resolution, from details you do not need to share. Avoid posting a full screenshot if a few values will answer the question.
4. If a value is missing or general, do not treat that as proof that the hardware is absent. Browsers expose only selected details, and some values are deliberately limited.

The tool runs in your browser and displays information the browser can access. It is not a remote administration tool, and it does not search your files, installed programs, or personal documents to build a complete inventory.

What the result means

You see a useful device summary

The browser has made those details available to the page. Processor, graphics, screen, battery, and network information can help describe a setup or narrow down a support issue. A website can still see only the particular values that the browser exposes and that the page requests. This is not the same as opening the computer's settings or scanning its hardware directly.

A memory value looks rounded or approximate

Browsers may provide only a rounded hint about RAM size, not the exact installed amount. It is not a reliable way to distinguish, for example, two nearby memory configurations. Check the computer's own system settings or documentation if exact capacity matters. For more on that limit, see why a browser cannot measure exact RAM capacity.

A field is missing

A missing battery reading is common on desktop computers and can also depend on whether the browser reports battery information. Battery Meter and Charger & Cable Test appear only on devices whose browser reports a battery. Similarly, a browser may not expose every processor, graphics, or network detail. Missing information does not by itself mean the component is broken.

You cannot see a serial number or private files

A normal browser-based inventory is not a full hardware audit. A web page cannot browse your folders or read saved Wi-Fi passwords just because you opened a system information tool. Browsers also do not expose Wi-Fi signal strength in dBm. The page may show limited network information, but it cannot use that to inspect your router's private settings.

The details differ on another device or browser

That is expected. Browser version, operating system, device type, privacy settings, and available browser features affect what a page can read. A phone browser may provide a smaller set of details than a desktop browser. Compare the same device in the same browser before treating small differences as a hardware change.

How to limit what you share

1. Share only the details needed. For a display problem, a screen resolution may be enough. For a graphics issue, the reported graphics information may help. Crop screenshots so they do not include open tabs, account names, notifications, or other unrelated details.
2. Review site permissions. System Info does not need camera or microphone access to show its listed details. Do not grant unrelated permission requests. In Windows 11, review Settings › Privacy & security › Camera or Settings › Privacy & security › Microphone. On macOS, use System Settings › Privacy & Security › Camera or System Settings › Privacy & Security › Microphone. These controls manage camera and microphone access, not ordinary browser hints such as screen size.
3. Remove a permission you no longer want. Open the browser's site controls beside the address bar and change the permission for that site. The wording differs by browser. This can revoke camera, microphone, or location access, but it does not prevent every site from receiving basic information needed to display a web page.
4. Do not mistake private browsing for invisibility. Private browsing mainly limits what the browser keeps in its local history after the session. It does not make the browser's device information disappear from a website. For a broader overview, see which computer details are hidden from websites.

Why an inventory is not a hardware scan

A browser works through a restricted set of features, called APIs, that let a page ask for specific information. The browser decides which information to provide and may round, omit, or restrict it for privacy or compatibility. A page cannot bypass those limits just by labeling itself a hardware inventory.

This has practical consequences. A browser can provide a useful summary, but it may not reveal the exact RAM capacity, a component's serial number, or every detail shown in the operating system. It also cannot confirm that a listed part is healthy. A graphics name is not a stress test, and a battery percentage is not a measure of long-term battery health.

System Info runs on your device and shows the details available to the page. As with any website, opening it involves normal web requests, so avoid sharing a report publicly if it includes information you do not need others to see.