Tutorial: Getting Android Emulator Working With Fiddler (HTTP Proxy Tool)

UPDATE: Another great option is to use GenyMotion and configure it to use Fiddler as a proxy.

Ok, I wrestled with this for days, but finally have it figured out. If you’re trying to make the Fiddler HTTP Proxy work with the Android emulator so you can debug web services and the like, here’s how to do it:

Configuring Fiddler

First we need to configure Fiddler to accept traffic from the emulator. In this case I am running Fiddler on the machine that is also hosting the emulator.

1. Start Fiddler

2. Go to Tools, then Fiddler Options

Figure: Going to Tools –> Fidler Options

3. Configure General and Connections tabs to look like the ones below:

Figure: The General tab’s settings

Figure: The Connections tab’s settings

4. Click OK

5. Quit and Relaunch Fiddler (important!)

6. Enable the Streaming feature in Fiddler so HTTP requests are shown as they occur.

Figure: The streaming option in Fiddler (shown in disabled state)

Configuring the Emulator

1. Start the emulator

2. Go to Settings, then Wireless controls

Figure: Wireless controls option

It is normal for tapping Wireless controls to cause a crash. Just try again and it will work. Don’t ask me why the emulator is so buggy – complain to Google.

3. Tap Mobile networks

Figure: Mobile networks option

4. Select Access point names

Figure: Access point names option

5. Choose the selected access point and configure the following options:

– Name : Internet
– APN : Internet
– Proxy : Fiddler’s proxy IP address (10.0.1.26 in my case)
– Port : Fiddler’s proxy IP port (8888)
– Username : <Not set> (clear it if anything is already there)
– Password : <Not set> (clear it if anything is already there)
– MCC : 310
– MNC : 260

Don’t play with any of the other settings!

Note: This part is special thanks to Xeros who posted to this thread.

6. Press MENU and then press Save

7. Keep going back until you’re at the home screen. I don’t know if this makes a difference, but I’m just making sure…

8. Try loading a Web site and you should see the traffic in Fiddler.

Figure: Web traffic still works, but is flowing through Fiddler.

Figure: Traffic being captured in Fiddler.

That should do it!

Note: You may need to disable Windows Firewall to make this work. Obviously I don’t need to tell you not to do this on a public network.

If you have any questions, please let me know on our support site.