---
title: Browser checks now identify as WatchFor-BrowserCheck
description: Browser checks used the same WatchForBot name as our probes, but only the probes' requests carry a Web Bot Auth signature, so bot-management tools could…
canonical: https://watchfor.io/changelog/2026-10-08-browser-check-user-agent
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[All updates](/changelog#2026-10-08-browser-check-user-agent) ⚡ Improved Oct 8, 2026 · v 9.8.5

# Browser checks now identify as WatchFor-BrowserCheck

Browser checks used the same WatchForBot name as our probes, but only the probes' requests carry a Web Bot Auth signature, so bot-management tools could mistake a browser check for someone faking our bot. Browser checks now end their Chrome user agent with WatchFor-BrowserCheck/1.0. If you allow WatchForBot through a WAF for a browser check's test account or staging host, add WatchFor-BrowserCheck or our addresses on /bot.

## What changed

- Browser checks (Playwright journeys) keep a real Chrome user agent and now end it with WatchFor-BrowserCheck/1.0 (+https://watchfor.io/bot) instead of WatchForBot/1.0 .

- WatchForBot stays the name of our probes (uptime, API, SSL, CDN, page integrity and the rest). Their requests are signed with Web Bot Auth, so a site can verify them; see [/bot](/bot).

## What to do

If a WAF or bot-protection rule lets WatchForBot through so a browser check can reach a test account or staging host, add WatchFor-BrowserCheck to it, or allow the addresses on [/bot](/bot). Details: [Browser checks troubleshooting](/docs/monitors/browser-checks/troubleshooting).

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Canonical page: https://watchfor.io/changelog/2026-10-08-browser-check-user-agent · Site guide: https://watchfor.io/llms.txt