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HTTP & HTTPS Logging Using Fiddler

Introduction

If you've reached this page, chances are good that you were asked to collect a HTTP log file.  Usually, this action is performed to track down a bug in your web-browser or a website.

You can use Microsoft Fiddler to take a snapshot of HTTP traffic, and send that snapshot to a debugging buddy who can fix the bug. 

To get started, just follow the steps below.

Step-by-step instructions

  1. Download Microsoft Fiddler.
  2. Install Fiddler by running the FiddlerSetup.exe file.
  3. If your scenario involves HTTPS traffic, install Microsoft RPASpy.
  4. Close all instances of Internet Explorer.
  5. Start a new instance of Internet Explorer.
  6. Click the Fiddler icon in the Internet Explorer toolbar, or start Fiddler using the Start menu.
  7. Unless your debugging buddy has asked you to skip this step, click Tools | Clear WinINET Cache inside Fiddler.
  8. Unless your debugging buddy has asked you to skip this step, click Tools | Clear WinINET Cookies inside Fiddler.
  9. Use Internet Explorer's address bar to go to whatever site is having problems, and do whatever steps are needed to cause the problem to occur.
  10. Verify that new lines (representing HTTP requests) are showing up in the Fiddler HTTP Sessions list.
  11. Click Edit | Select All in the Fiddler menu system.  All HTTP Sessions are selected.
  12. Click File | Save | Sessions | in ArchiveZip... and save the .SAZ (or .ZIP) file to your desktop.
  13. Wait for the sessions to be stored in the file.  This may take a minute; Fiddler's status bar will say "Archive Complete" when done.
  14. Email the .SAZ (or .ZIP) file from your desktop to your debugging buddy.

If you have a problem performing any of these steps, contact your debugging buddy and tell them at which step there was a problem.  Be sure to communicate any error messages you encountered.

* In earlier versions of Fiddler, Session Archives are stored in .ZIP files.  In current versions, Session Archives are stored in .SAZ files.  The format did not change, but the file-extension did.  If you rename a .SAZ file to .ZIP, it will still work.

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