Reddit Can Still Detect Your Real Location Even with a VPN, and Here’s Why It Happens

Using a VPN feels like putting on a digital invisibility cloak. Your IP address suddenly claims you’re in Germany or Japan, and most websites fall for it. But Reddit can be stubborn. Many users notice that, despite being “virtually abroad,” their feed still recommends subreddits from their home country.

This happens because a VPN only hides part of your digital identity. Your IP may be masked, but your device and browser continue to whisper clues about where you really are.

Browser Fingerprinting: The Silent Tracker

Browser fingerprinting is one of the biggest reasons Reddit can still find your real location. Even in incognito or private browsing, your browser shares a combination of details that form a unique signature:

Operating system and browser version
Screen resolution and display scaling
Installed fonts and graphics capabilities
System language and keyboard layout
Time zone and system clock
WebGL or canvas rendering fingerprints

If you previously visited Reddit from the UK, and your fingerprint hasn’t changed much, the platform can correlate your activity and keep serving UK-based recommendations.

Time Zone and Language Settings

Your device’s time zone is a powerful giveaway. Reddit doesn’t have to see your IP to notice that your computer is set to GMT or BST. A mismatch between your VPN location and system time zone is a red flag.

Similarly, system or browser language settings can betray you. A VPN may make your IP appear to be in France, but if your browser is still set to English (United Kingdom), Reddit can draw its own conclusions.

DNS Leaks and Weak VPN Configurations

Not all VPNs are equal. A poor-quality VPN can leak information through DNS queries or unsupported protocols.

Common leak sources include:

DNS Leaks: If your ISP is still resolving domain requests, your real region is exposed.
IPv6 Traffic: Many VPNs only protect IPv4 traffic, leaving IPv6 to reveal your location.
Poor IP Reputation: Some VPN IP ranges are already flagged by websites for location mismatch or proxy use.

Switching to a VPN with verified DNS and IPv6 leak protection often solves this issue, as the original poster discovered when moving from Hotspot Shield to Proton VPN.

Persistent Tracking and Cookies

Private browsing only goes so far. Reddit, like most modern sites, can use multiple forms of storage and identifiers beyond basic cookies:

Local storage and IndexedDB
Service workers that persist across sessions
ETags and cache headers
“Evercookies” that rebuild themselves using multiple storage methods

If you ever logged in to Reddit from your home country, your account history alone can be used to infer your region. Even when logged out, lingering identifiers and historical fingerprints may persist.

Geolocation and Wi-Fi Clues

While desktop browsers typically require explicit permission for geolocation, any prior approval can linger. Mobile devices are far leakier, GPS, cellular data, or nearby Wi-Fi networks can all betray your true position.

Even without GPS, HTML5 geolocation can triangulate your approximate location based on Wi-Fi SSIDs in range. Disabling Wi-Fi and Bluetooth or using a wired connection can help prevent this.

How the Problem Was Solved

In the case of the user who inspired this discussion, the solution was straightforward: the VPN was at fault.

After switching providers, the problem disappeared. The first VPN either leaked data or used IP ranges that Reddit could classify as UK-based. The new provider, Proton VPN, successfully masked the user’s location, and Reddit finally served content aligned with the VPN’s country.

Strengthening Your Online Privacy

If you want Reddit, and any other site, to truly believe you’re somewhere else, a layered approach works best:

Choose a trusted VPN with DNS and IPv6 leak protection.
Match your time zone and system language to your VPN’s exit location.
Use a clean or portable browser profile to avoid historical fingerprints.
Consider privacy-focused browsers like Firefox with anti-fingerprinting or Brave with Tor mode.
Test for leaks using tools like ipleak.net and EFF’s Cover Your Tracks.
Disable unnecessary permissions that allow subtle geolocation.

For maximum anonymity, using a virtual machine or a privacy-focused operating system like Tails isolates your environment entirely. For everyday Reddit browsing, combining a reliable VPN with proper system adjustments is usually enough.

The Takeaway

A VPN is not an all-powerful privacy shield. Reddit and other platforms rely on a complex mix of browser fingerprints, time zone checks, historical tracking, and subtle leaks to infer your real-world location.

Masking your IP is only step one. True online privacy requires careful attention to every digital breadcrumb your device leaves behind.