Does iPhone packet capture require a computer?
No. Capture, storage, and inspection run on the iPhone. A computer is optional only when you enable MCP for a desktop AI client over the trusted LAN or USB connection.
Manual
iPhone Packet Capture Tool: Inspect HTTP/HTTPS Traffic on iOS
NetPeek is an iPhone packet capture tool that records HTTP and HTTPS requests through an on-device iOS VPN tunnel. Use it as a local packet sniffer and network debugger to inspect URLs, headers, bodies, status codes, timing, and TLS metadata without sending capture data off-device by default.
What can an iOS packet capture tool inspect?
NetPeek is an on-device packet capture tool and network debugger, not a consumer VPN that relays traffic through third-party nodes. Developers and testers can use it for:
- HTTP traffic inspection:review URLs, methods, headers, bodies, status codes, and timing.
- HTTPS packet capture:inspect authorized debug targets after the user installs and explicitly trusts the locally generated CA.
- API debugging:filter hosts and paths, then combine capture with rewrite, mock, scripts, and request replay.
- AI traffic analysis:enable the LAN MCP service and let a trusted, token-authenticated AI client analyze capture records.
1Capture
Capture is where everything starts: once on, the app takes over traffic through a local VPN tunnel and records every request/response for you to inspect.
- On the home screen tap the big Start Capture button; the first time, allow the VPN configuration.
- Use your other apps normally — requests appear live in the Recent Requests list.
- Tap any row for Request Detail: URL, request/response headers, body, status code, timing and TLS info.
- Tap the big button again to Stop Capture.
Swipe a row for shortcuts: copy as cURL, add filter, add MITM, New rewrite from this request, export HAR, favorite, delete.
Plain HTTP is readable as-is; HTTPS must be decrypted first (next section), otherwise you only see the host and encrypted bytes.
8Filters (see only what matters)
The capture list gets long. Filters cut the noise:
- Record only certain hosts: everything else stays out of the list.
- Ignore certain hosts: exclude them from the list.
- Swipe a row → "Add filter / Record this host" to add quickly.
When you need to capture on the phone itself
These are the cases a desktop proxy either misses or makes expensive:
- The app uses a networking library or SDK that ignores the system proxy, so those requests never reach a desktop proxy at all.
- The bug only reproduces on cellular, while a proxy needs the phone and the computer on the same Wi-Fi.
- You're debugging away from your desk with no computer to hand.
- You need background traffic: the heartbeats, telemetry and prefetches an app keeps sending after you leave it.
What a capture actually shows you
- Request and response line: method, full URL, status code, duration and transfer size.
- Complete request and response headers, for checking auth, caching and content negotiation.
- Request and response bodies, with JSON pretty-printed so fields are easy to diff.
- Connection detail: capture mode, flow type (HTTP/1.1, HTTP/2, WebSocket) and the TLS handshake.
- A timing breakdown that splits total duration into upload, wait and download.
Keeping the list readable
- Filter by host or path so only the endpoint you're debugging stays on screen.
- Favourite the requests that matter so they survive a still-streaming list.
- Copy any request as cURL and replay it straight from a terminal.
- Export HAR to attach to a bug report your backend team can reproduce from.
FAQ
Why can I see only the host for an HTTPS request?
HTTPS payloads are encrypted. To inspect plaintext, install and explicitly trust NetPeek's locally generated CA certificate, then add the target host to the MITM host list.
Can I focus on one host or path?
Yes. Filters can narrow the list by host and path, and a request-row shortcut can create a filter from the selected request.