How to Debug iOS Traffic on an iPhone Device


Hello everyone, and welcome back to another episode of Continuous Improvement, the podcast where we explore different strategies and techniques for enhancing your performance in various aspects of life. I’m your host, Victor, and in today’s episode, we’ll be discussing a topic that many iOS mobile app developers can relate to - debugging HTTPS traffic between an iPhone and a server.

But before we dive into this topic, I want to take a moment to thank our sponsor, Charles - a powerful tool that allows you to capture and analyze HTTP and HTTPS traffic. If you’re an iOS developer or anyone involved in mobile app development, Charles is an absolute must-have. So, be sure to check them out by visiting charlesproxy.com.

Now, let’s get started with today’s episode. Debugging HTTPS traffic can sometimes be a real challenge, but worry not, because I’ve got you covered. In this episode, I’ll walk you through the step-by-step process of capturing requests, responses, and HTTP headers. So, let’s get started!

STEP 1:

The first thing you need to do is download and install Charles on your laptop. You can find the download link at charlesproxy.com/download. Once you have it installed, click on “Install Charles Root Certificate on a Mobile Device or Remote Browser.”

STEP 2:

Next, make sure your iPhone is connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your laptop. On your iPhone, navigate to the Wi-Fi settings and choose “Configure Proxy” with manual details. Enter the Server and Port number that are displayed in the popup on your laptop. Don’t worry, the popup should update to confirm the connection.

Now, open Safari on your iPhone and go to chls.pro/ssl. Here, you’ll be prompted to download and install the certificate. Just click “Allow” and then “Install” for the Profile. And that’s it, you’re done with this step!

STEP 3:

On your iPhone, go to Settings, then General, then About, and finally, Certificate Trust Settings. Here, you’ll find “Charles Proxy CA.” Toggle it to “On.”

FINAL STEP:

Restart Charles on your laptop, and voila! You should now be able to see all the traffic, including HTTPS content. With this method, you can easily capture requests, responses, and HTTP headers for debugging purposes.

And there you have it, a simple and effective way to debug HTTPS traffic between your iPhone and a server. Now you can identify and resolve any issues that might be affecting your iOS mobile app’s performance.

Remember, if you encounter any issues along the way, don’t hesitate to reach out for assistance. Happy debugging!

And that brings us to the end of today’s episode. I hope you found this information helpful, and if you did, be sure to share it with your iOS developer friends. Also, don’t forget to visit our sponsor, Charles, at charlesproxy.com for more incredible tools and resources.

As always, thank you for tuning in to Continuous Improvement, the podcast that helps you learn and grow. I’m Victor, your host, signing off. Until next time!