Setup Charles Proxy for Android SDK API 30 onwards

Summary

The provided content outlines the process for setting up Charles Proxy with Android SDK API 30 and above, including the additional steps required to install the Charles CA Cert on Android 11 devices.

Abstract

The web content provides a detailed guide on how to configure Charles Proxy for network traffic analysis on Android devices running on API 30 or higher, specifically addressing the changes introduced in Android 11 that affect the installation of CA Certificates. The article links to a previous guide covering setup for both Android and iOS platforms, emphasizing the new security measures in Android 11 that prevent automatic installation of certificates. Instead, the certificate must be manually installed to decrypt and view network data in Charles. The article includes step-by-step instructions and screenshots to assist users through the installation process, crediting a StackOverflow post for the information provided.

Opinions

The author acknowledges the importance of diagnosing network traffic in mobile applications by using tools like Charles Proxy.
The article implies that the security enhancements in Android 11, while beneficial for user privacy, introduce additional complexity for developers needing to monitor network traffic.
The author provides credit to the StackOverflow community for sharing knowledge that contributed to the solution, indicating a collaborative approach to problem-solving within the developer community.
By including visual aids such as screenshots, the author demonstrates a user-centric approach, aiming to make the guide as clear and easy to follow as possible.

The extra steps to install Charles CA Cert on Android 11

I have written step by step on setting up Charles Proxy for both iOS Simulator and Android Emulator as below

Beginning Android 11 (SDK API 30), a new security feature has been added for one to install the CA Certification before one can clearly see the data in Charles.

So to get Charles working, just follow the step as the above blog until the part where you install the certification from the chrome browser.

The certification will not be installed automatically, but instead just downloaded. If you click on the downloaded file, you’ll see as below

If you ignore it, you’ll not see any data in Charles, but just encrypted unknown info. To get your data decrypted, follow the following steps

Learning Android Development

Setup Charles Proxy for Android SDK API 30 onwards

The extra steps to install Charles CA Cert on Android 11

Charles Setup for Emulator (Android) and Simulator (iOS)

Diagnose your mobile app’s network traffic

Install certification on Android 11 (SDK API 30)