How to Properly Export a HAR File: A Detailed Guide for Different Browsers

2026-02-22 02:08:32

HAR file (HTTP Archive) is a standard format for saving web traffic records. This format is essential for diagnosing network issues, analyzing page performance, and debugging. Exporting a HAR file helps technical specialists quickly understand what happens during your page load. Here’s how to obtain a HAR file in each of the popular browsers.

What’s in a HAR file and where to use it

A HAR file contains complete information about all HTTP requests and responses that occurred during page loading. It records server response times, data sizes, request headers, cookies, and other technical details. This allows specialists to quickly identify connection problems, slow services, or misconfigurations.

Universal procedure for Chrome, Firefox, and Brave

In these three browsers, the process of exporting a HAR file is almost identical. Make sure you are using the latest browser version.

Main steps:

Open the page whose network traffic you need to record
Launch developer tools: press F12 or select More tools → Developer tools from the browser menu
Go to the Network tab
Enable log preservation: find the Preserve log option and check the box
Refresh the page — recording of all network activity will start
After the page loads, perform the necessary actions (click, scroll, interact with elements)
Right-click on any entry in the log and select Save as HAR with content or click the Export HAR icon to download the HAR file to your computer

In Google Chrome, a red circle in the top-left corner of the Network tab indicates that recording is active. If the circle is black, click on it to start recording.

Export HAR file in Safari

Safari requires a few different steps to activate the developer mode.

Step-by-step process:

In Safari, open the page whose traffic you want to save
Go to Safari → Preferences → Advanced and enable Show Develop menu in menu bar
In the top menu, click Develop and select Web Inspector
In the opened window, go to the Resources tab and check Preserve log
Switch to the Network tab
Refresh the page and wait for all resources to load
Right-click on any log entry and choose Copy All as HAR — this copies the entire HAR to clipboard
Open a text editor (Notepad or similar), paste the clipboard contents, and save the file with a .har extension

Creating a HAR file in Microsoft Edge (Chromium)

Microsoft Edge on Chromium engine has a similar interface to Chrome but with slight differences.

Steps:

Navigate to the page you want to analyze
Open developer tools via the menu: More tools → Developer tools or press F12
Go to the Network tab
Disable Clear entries on navigate (it’s enabled by default) to keep logs during navigation
Ensure the Start profiling session button is active — recording is ongoing
Refresh the page and perform all necessary actions
After completion, click the Export HAR icon to download the HAR file

Important notes when working with HAR files

Before sharing a HAR file with third parties, ensure it does not contain sensitive data. HAR files include request information, URL parameters, headers, which may contain authorization tokens or personal data. It’s recommended to review the file contents before sharing.

The process of exporting a HAR file is supported in all modern browsers and takes just a few minutes. Whether you use Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, or Brave, the basic steps are the same: open developer tools, go to the Network tab, enable log saving, and export the HAR. This file is a powerful tool for diagnosing issues with your website.

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