HttpWatch: HTTP Debugger

Tracking since Apr 20, 2026.

Changelog

• Jun 11, 2026
  description

  HttpWatch is a professional HTTP/HTTPS network debugging tool for Chrome on Windows.
  
  This Chrome extension connects the Chrome browser to the HttpWatch desktop application, allowing developers, QA engineers and support teams to record, inspect and share detailed browser traffic logs and console entries.
  
  Important: this extension is not a standalone Chrome-only tool. HttpWatch for Windows must also be installed from https://www.httpwatch.com. HttpWatch Basic is free; advanced features require HttpWatch Professional.
  
  Use HttpWatch to:
  
  Record Chrome HTTP and HTTPS traffic
  Record console entries generated by a web page
  Record details of cookie assignments from JavaScript
  Inspect headers, cookies, query strings, POST data, content and timings
  Capture multi-page browser sessions
  Save traffic logs as HWL or HAR files
  Share logs with support or development teams
  Add comments to requests for later analysis
  Identify common performance and security issues
  Automatically mask passwords in POST form data
  
  Best suited for:
  
  Windows developers debugging web applications
  QA teams reproducing browser issues
  Support engineers collecting diagnostic logs from customers
  Teams that need shareable browser traffic captures
  
  Not a standalone extension: HttpWatch is focused on recording, inspecting and sharing browser network diagnostics, not modifying requests or responses directly in Chrome.

  🚀 HttpWatch — Professional HTTP/HTTPS Debugging for Chrome on Windows
  
  Capture, inspect and share detailed Chrome network traffic using the HttpWatch desktop application for Windows.
  
  HttpWatch is designed for developers, QA engineers, support teams and technical analysts who need reliable HTTP/HTTPS diagnostics beyond a simple browser export.
  
  ==================================================
  ⚠️ IMPORTANT — WINDOWS APP REQUIRED
  ==================================================
  
  This extension is NOT a standalone Chrome-only tool.
  
  To use it, you must also install HttpWatch for Windows from:
  
  https://www.httpwatch.com/
  
  HttpWatch Basic is free to use. Advanced features require HttpWatch Professional.
  
  ==================================================
  🔍 What HttpWatch helps you do
  ==================================================
  
  ✅ Record HTTP and HTTPS traffic generated by from Chrome
  
  ✅ Record errors, warnings and logging information that are written to a the console by a web application
  
  ✅ Inspect headers, cookies, query strings, POST data, content and timings
  
  ✅ Capture multi-page browser sessions
  
  ✅ Save detailed traffic logs as HWL files
  
  ✅ Export standard HAR files
  
  ✅ Share browser traffic captures with developers, QA teams or support engineers
  
  ✅ Diagnose web application errors, slow requests, authentication issues and API problems
  
  ✅ Automatically mask passwords in POST form data to allow log files to be safely shared
  
  ✅ Add comments to requests for easier analysis
  
  ✅ View warnings about common performance and security issues
  
  ==================================================
  👥 Who HttpWatch is for
  ==================================================
  
  HttpWatch is ideal for:
  
  🧑‍💻 Web developers debugging browser traffic
  
  🧪 QA teams reproducing web application issues
  
  🛠️ Support engineers collecting diagnostic logs from customers
  
  🏢 Enterprise teams that need shareable HTTP/HTTPS capture files
  
  🔎 Technical users who need more detail than a basic network export
  
  ==================================================
  🧩 How it works
  ==================================================
  
  1️⃣ Install this Chrome extension
  
  2️⃣ Install HttpWatch for Windows from httpwatch.com
  
  3️⃣ Open Chrome and approve the HttpWatch extension when prompted
  
  4️⃣ Click Record in HttpWatch
  
  5️⃣ Reproduce the web issue
  
  6️⃣ Save the capture as an HWL or HAR file
  
  7️⃣ Share the file with your development, QA or support team
  
  ==================================================
  📁 HWL and HAR file support
  ==================================================
  
  HttpWatch can save captures in its native HWL format for detailed offline analysis.
  
  It can also export standard HAR files for compatibility with other tools.
  
  HWL files are especially useful when a customer or colleague needs to send you a complete browser traffic recording that can be opened later in HttpWatch Professional.
  
  ==================================================
  🆓 Free and Professional editions
  ==================================================
  
  HttpWatch Basic is free and allows you to capture and inspect browser traffic.
  
  HttpWatch Professional unlocks advanced functionality for power users, support teams and commercial debugging workflows.
  
  For edition details, visit:
  
  https://www.httpwatch.com/
  
  ==================================================
  🛡️ Privacy
  ==================================================
  
  HttpWatch is designed as a local debugging tool.
  
  The Chrome extension connects Chrome to the HttpWatch desktop application installed on your Windows PC.
  
  Network traffic captured by HttpWatch is recorded locally unless you choose to save or share a log file.
  
  ==================================================
  💡 Typical use cases
  ==================================================
  
  • Debug failed API calls
  
  • Investigate slow-loading pages
  
  • Analyse login and authentication problems
  
  • Capture customer-reported web issues
  
  • Compare browser sessions
  
  • Share reproducible network traces with support teams
  
  • Preserve detailed traffic logs for later review
  
  ==================================================
  ✅ Requirements
  ==================================================
  
  • Google Chrome
  
  • Microsoft Windows
  
  • HttpWatch for Windows installed from httpwatch.com
  
  ==================================================
  📌 Summary
  ==================================================
  
  HttpWatch for Chrome is a professional network debugging extension for Windows users who need to record, inspect and share HTTP/HTTPS browser traffic using the HttpWatch desktop application.
  
  Install HttpWatch for Windows first, then use this extension to capture detailed Chrome traffic directly in HttpWatch.

• Jun 11, 2026
  short_description

  Record, inspect and save network & console entries in Chrome with HttpWatch for Windows (versions 15 - 16). Requires desktop app.

  Record, inspect and save network & console entries in Edge with HttpWatch for Windows (versions 15 - 16). Requires desktop app.

• Jun 9, 2026
  description

  PLEASE NOTE: This extension is designed to work with the HttpWatch software version 15 or later on Windows (see www.httpwatch.com). It is not intended to be a stand-alone Chrome extension.
  
  HttpWatch supports many additional features compared to the built-in DevTools network panel:
  
  - Supports multi-page debugging by grouping requests by page
  
  - Supports automatic recording and logging of network traffic in each Chrome tab without additional user intervention
  
  - Displays warnings about well know performance and security issues, e.g. ineffective cache settings
  
  - Advanced Find and Filter functions make it easier to locate requests or content
  
  - Automatically masks out passwords in POST form data so that they are not recorded in HWL or HAR files
  
  - Built in summaries of page level statistics, e.g. bytes downloaded, network round trips, etc
  
  - Add comments to requests to help subsequent analysis of log files
  
  - Directly email HWL or HAR files from within the tool
  
  Currently the tool is Windows only and requires a separate download from https://www.httpwatch.com to complete the installation once the Chrome Extension is installed.
  
  HttpWatch acts as an in-browser HTTP sniffer and displays detailed information about HTTP(S) requests generated by Chrome. This information includes:
  
  - HTTP headers
  - HTTP cookies
  - Status codes and errors
  - Query Strings
  - POST Data
  - Content - image, textual and binary
  - Timings

  HttpWatch is a professional HTTP/HTTPS network debugging tool for Chrome on Windows.
  
  This Chrome extension connects the Chrome browser to the HttpWatch desktop application, allowing developers, QA engineers and support teams to record, inspect and share detailed browser traffic logs and console entries.
  
  Important: this extension is not a standalone Chrome-only tool. HttpWatch for Windows must also be installed from https://www.httpwatch.com. HttpWatch Basic is free; advanced features require HttpWatch Professional.
  
  Use HttpWatch to:
  
  Record Chrome HTTP and HTTPS traffic
  Record console entries generated by a web page
  Record details of cookie assignments from JavaScript
  Inspect headers, cookies, query strings, POST data, content and timings
  Capture multi-page browser sessions
  Save traffic logs as HWL or HAR files
  Share logs with support or development teams
  Add comments to requests for later analysis
  Identify common performance and security issues
  Automatically mask passwords in POST form data
  
  Best suited for:
  
  Windows developers debugging web applications
  QA teams reproducing browser issues
  Support engineers collecting diagnostic logs from customers
  Teams that need shareable browser traffic captures
  
  Not a standalone extension: HttpWatch is focused on recording, inspecting and sharing browser network diagnostics, not modifying requests or responses directly in Chrome.

• Jun 9, 2026
  short_description

  Works with HttpWatch software (versions 15 - 16) on Windows to show HTTP/HTTPS traffic generated by the Chrome browser

  Record, inspect and save network & console entries in Chrome with HttpWatch for Windows (versions 15 - 16). Requires desktop app.

• Jun 9, 2026
  name

  HttpWatch

  HttpWatch: HTTP Debugger

• Apr 20, 2026
  short_description

  Works with HttpWatch software (version 15) on Windows to show HTTP/HTTPS traffic generated by the Chrome browser

  Works with HttpWatch software (versions 15 - 16) on Windows to show HTTP/HTTPS traffic generated by the Chrome browser

Permissions & access

Permissions

activeTabbrowsingDatacontextMenusdebuggernativeMessagingscriptingtabswebNavigation

Host access

*://*/*

Screenshots

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