Amazon tracks your hardware ID, and it uses that information to link your shopping activity across devices and sessions
Amazon collects what's called your hardware ID — a unique identifier tied to your device's physical components like your processor, motherboard, and storage drive. This isn't a secret process. Amazon uses this data to recognize when the same person is shopping from the same computer, even if you clear your cookies, use a private browser window, or log out and back in under a different account.
The hardware ID serves a practical purpose for Amazon: it helps them detect fraud, prevent account takeover, and match your shopping patterns to a single person. But it also means Amazon builds a profile of your device itself, not just your account. If you use the same computer to shop under multiple accounts, or if someone else uses your computer to shop, Amazon can see those connections.
This tracking happens whether you want it to or not. You cannot opt out of hardware ID collection on Amazon's website. The only way to break the connection is to use a different device or to change enough of your hardware that the ID shifts — which is impractical for most people.
Key Takeaways
- Amazon stores a hardware ID tied to your device's physical components and uses it to recognize you across sessions, even if you clear cookies or use private browsing.
- Hardware ID tracking helps Amazon detect fraud and prevent account takeover, but it also means your device itself becomes part of your shopping profile.
- If multiple people shop from the same computer or the same person uses multiple accounts on one device, Amazon can see and link those connections.
- You cannot disable hardware ID tracking through Amazon's settings — the only practical way to break the connection is to use a different device.
How Amazon collects and stores your hardware ID
When you visit Amazon or use the Amazon app, your device sends information about itself to Amazon's servers. This includes details about your processor model, the amount of RAM you have, your storage configuration, and other hardware specifications. Amazon combines these details into a unique fingerprint — your hardware ID — and stores it in association with your account and IP address.
This collection happens in the background. You don't see a prompt asking permission. The data is gathered through Amazon's website code and through the Amazon app itself. If you use both the website and the app from the same device, Amazon links both sessions to the same hardware ID.
Amazon also collects this information from your browser's local storage and from cookies that persist even after you think you've cleared them. Some of these tracking mechanisms are designed to survive cookie deletion, which means clearing your browser history won't disconnect you from your hardware ID.
Why hardware ID tracking affects your shopping experience and security
From Amazon's perspective, hardware ID tracking is a security tool. If someone tries to log into your account from an unfamiliar device, Amazon can flag it as suspicious. If a fraudster uses stolen payment information, Amazon can see whether the hardware ID matches previous legitimate purchases. This reduces chargebacks and account takeovers.
But hardware ID tracking also shapes what you see when you shop. Amazon uses your device history to personalize recommendations, to decide which prices to show you, and to determine whether to ask you to re-enter your password or payment information. If your device has a history of high-value purchases, Amazon may treat you differently than a device with a history of small purchases.
The security benefit cuts both ways. If your device is compromised by malware, a criminal who gains access to your computer can use the existing hardware ID to make purchases without triggering Amazon's fraud alerts. The hardware ID becomes a liability once your device is no longer under your control.
What happens when you share a device or use multiple accounts
If you share a computer with a family member, roommate, or colleague, Amazon links all shopping activity on that device to a single hardware ID. This means Amazon can see that multiple accounts are shopping from the same computer. Amazon's terms of service don't explicitly forbid this, but it does create a record of the connection.
If you use the same device to shop under multiple accounts — perhaps a personal account and a business account — Amazon stores both accounts under the same hardware ID. This makes it easier for Amazon to detect if you're trying to circumvent purchase limits or abuse promotional offers across accounts.
The practical effect is that your device becomes a shared identifier. If you're concerned about privacy from people you live with, or if you want to keep separate accounts truly separate, using the same device undermines that goal. Amazon will know the accounts are linked.
How to reduce hardware ID tracking
The most effective way to break your hardware ID connection is to use a different device. If you shop from a phone instead of a laptop, or from a tablet instead of a desktop, Amazon treats each device as a separate entity with a separate hardware ID. This isn't foolproof — Amazon can still link devices to the same person through payment methods and account recovery information — but it does create a separate hardware profile.
Using a VPN does not hide your hardware ID from Amazon. A VPN changes your IP address, which Amazon sees, but it does not change the hardware information your device sends. Amazon still receives the same processor, RAM, and storage details.
Clearing cookies and browsing history helps with some forms of tracking, but it does not clear your hardware ID. Some of Amazon's tracking mechanisms are designed to persist through cookie deletion. You would need to use private or incognito browsing mode consistently, though even that has limits — some hardware information is sent regardless of browser mode.
If you want to shop on Amazon with minimal hardware tracking, the most practical approach is to use a shared device that you don't use for other purposes, or to use a device that Amazon has no prior history with. A new device will have a new hardware ID, at least until you log into your account and establish a connection.
Hardware ID tracking versus other forms of Amazon tracking
Amazon tracks you in multiple ways beyond hardware ID. They track your IP address, your cookies, your account login history, your payment methods, and your browsing behavior on their site. Hardware ID is just one layer.
The difference is that hardware ID is harder to break. You can use a VPN to change your IP address. You can clear cookies. You can log out of your account. But your hardware ID stays the same until you use a different device. This makes it a particularly persistent form of identification.
Amazon also shares some of this tracking data with third parties. If you use Amazon's advertising network or if you shop through Amazon-owned sites like Whole Foods, Amazon can connect that activity to your hardware ID as well. The hardware ID becomes a bridge between different parts of the Amazon ecosystem.
What you should know about hardware ID and your privacy choices
Hardware ID tracking is a trade-off. Amazon uses it to prevent fraud and to personalize your experience, which has real benefits. But it also means Amazon builds a detailed profile of your device and your shopping habits that persists across sessions and accounts.
You have limited control over this process. You cannot turn off hardware ID collection through Amazon's privacy settings. You cannot opt out of it without using a different device. The choice is essentially binary: shop on Amazon and accept hardware tracking, or use a different retailer.
If you're concerned about hardware tracking, the practical steps are to use different devices for different purposes, to be aware that shared devices create linked accounts in Amazon's system, and to understand that clearing cookies won't disconnect you from your hardware ID. Understanding how the tracking works helps you make an informed decision about whether the convenience of Amazon shopping is worth the privacy trade-off for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change my hardware ID to hide from Amazon?
Not practically. Your hardware ID is based on your actual physical components. You could replace your motherboard or processor, but that's expensive and defeats the purpose of using the same computer. Using a different device is the only realistic way to get a different hardware ID.
Does Amazon sell my hardware ID to other companies?
Amazon's privacy policy does not explicitly state that they sell hardware ID data to third parties. However, Amazon does share data with affiliated companies and with advertisers. The extent of hardware ID sharing is not fully transparent in their public policy.
Will a factory reset of my computer change my hardware ID?
No. A factory reset erases your files and software, but it does not change your physical hardware components. Your hardware ID will be the same after a reset because it's based on your processor, motherboard, and storage drive — not on your operating system or installed programs.
If I use Amazon on my phone and my laptop, does Amazon know they're the same person?
Yes. Even though your phone and laptop have different hardware IDs, Amazon links them together through your account login, your payment methods, and your recovery information. The hardware ID is just one of many ways Amazon connects your devices to a single person.
Does hardware ID tracking make me less safe from hackers?
It's mixed. Hardware ID helps Amazon detect when someone is trying to access your account from an unfamiliar device, which is a security benefit. But if a hacker gains access to your computer, they can use your existing hardware ID to make purchases without triggering fraud alerts, which is a security risk.