How to Save a HAR File: A Step-by-Step Guide for All Browsers

A HAR file (HTTP Archive) is a text document containing complete information about all network requests and responses during the loading of a web page. This file format is indispensable for troubleshooting connection issues, analyzing website performance, and resolving technical problems. Next, we will look at how to obtain a HAR file in each of the popular browsers.

What is a HAR file and what is it used for

A HAR file contains detailed logs of all HTTP requests: information about headers, parameters, server response times, and other critical data. Such data allows technical support specialists to quickly identify the cause of page loading problems, slow service performance, or connection errors.

Saving a HAR file in Google Chrome

Make sure you have the latest version of Chrome installed.

1. Open the web page for which you need to record network activity
2. In the top right corner, click the browser menu (three dots) and select More tools → Developer tools, or simply press F12
3. Switch to the Network tab
4. Enable the Preserve log option
5. You will notice a red indicator on the left side of the Network tab, indicating logging has started. If the indicator remains black, click on it to activate
6. Refresh the page to capture all traffic
7. After recording, right-click any entry in the log and select Save as HAR with content or click the Export HAR icon to download the HAR file

Obtaining a HAR file in Firefox

Ensure you have the latest version of Firefox installed.

1. Navigate to the desired web page
2. In the top right corner, click the menu and select Development → Network, or press F12
3. Switch to the Network tab
4. Open the network tools settings (gear icon) and check the Preserve log option
5. Refresh the page to start recording network requests
6. When finished, right-click any entry and select Save as HAR with content or click Export HAR to save the HAR file

Exporting a HAR file in Safari

Ensure you have the latest version of Safari installed.

1. Open the required web page in Safari
2. Go to Safari → Preferences, select the Advanced tab, and enable Show Develop menu in menu bar
3. In the top menu, click Develop and open Web Inspector
4. In the Resources tab, check Preserve log
5. Switch to the Network tab
6. Refresh the page to record network traffic
7. After recording, select any entry, right-click, and choose Copy All as HAR — the data will be copied to the clipboard
8. Create a new text file with the “.har” extension in any text editor, paste the copied data, and save the file

Creating a HAR file in Microsoft Edge

Ensure you have the latest version of Edge installed.

1. Load the page from which you need to capture network logs
2. In the top right corner, click the menu, then select More tools → Developer tools
3. Open the Network tab
4. Disable the Clear entries on navigate option (enabled by default)
5. Make sure the green Start profiling session button is active — indicating traffic capture has started
6. Refresh the page to record requests
7. After recording, click the Export HAR button to download the HAR file

Recording a HAR file in Brave

Ensure you have the latest version of Brave installed.

1. Open the required web page in Brave
2. In the top right corner, click the menu and go to More tools → Developer tools, or press F12
3. Activate the Network tab
4. Enable the Preserve log option
5. On the left side of the Network tab, you will see a red circle indicating logging has started. If the circle is black, click on it to activate recording
6. Refresh the page to capture all network requests
7. After recording, right-click any entry in the log and select Save as HAR with content or click Export HAR to export the HAR file

Main differences in obtaining a HAR file between browsers

The process of saving a HAR file varies slightly across browsers. Chrome and Brave, both using the Chromium engine, have similar interfaces. Firefox offers more flexible network tool settings. Safari requires manual copying of data followed by saving as a text file. Microsoft Edge, based on Chromium, provides the simplest export via a direct Export HAR button.

Regardless of the browser chosen, the main goal remains the same — to capture a complete HAR file containing information about all HTTP requests for subsequent diagnosis and analysis.