How do I remotely debug Microsoft Edge?

You can remotely debug Microsoft Edge by utilizing its built-in developer tools and various platform-specific methods, including connecting to Android devices, leveraging the Windows Device Portal for apps and Edge instances on Windows, or connecting to headless browser instances.

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1. Remote Debugging Microsoft Edge on Android Devices

This is a common method for inspecting websites and web applications running on Microsoft Edge for Android.

Prerequisites:

• A desktop computer with Microsoft Edge installed.
• An Android device with Microsoft Edge installed.
• A USB cable to connect your Android device to your desktop.
• On your Android device:
  • Enable Developer options (usually by tapping the build number in Settings > About phone/device multiple times).
  • Enable USB debugging within Developer options.

Steps:

1. Connect your Android device to your computer using a USB cable.
2. Open Microsoft Edge on your desktop.
3. Navigate to edge://inspect in the address bar.
4. On your Android device, if prompted, allow USB debugging.
5. On your desktop's edge://inspect page, you should see your Android device listed under "Remote Target". If it's not visible, ensure USB debugging is enabled and the connection is active.
6. Open the website or web app you want to debug in Microsoft Edge on your Android device.
7. On your desktop's edge://inspect page, under your device, you'll see a list of open tabs and web views. Click Inspect next to the target you wish to debug.
8. A new DevTools window will open, allowing you to inspect, debug, and profile the content running on your Android device.

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2. Remote Debugging Microsoft Edge and PWAs on Windows Devices via Windows Device Portal

The Windows Device Portal is a powerful tool for remotely managing and debugging Universal Windows Platform (UWP) applications, Progressive Web Apps (PWAs), and even standard Microsoft Edge browser instances on another Windows machine. This is particularly useful for IoT devices, HoloLens, Xbox, or a remote desktop PC.

Enabling Remote Debugging in Microsoft Edge (Target Device):

Before you can debug Edge through the Windows Device Portal, you need to enable a specific flag on the target Windows device where Edge is running:

1. On the target Windows device, open Microsoft Edge.
2. Navigate to edge://flags in the address bar.
3. In the Search flags box, type in Enable remote debugging through Windows Device Portal.
4. Set that flag to Enabled.
5. Click the Restart button to restart Microsoft Edge.

Enabling Windows Device Portal (Target Device):

1. On the target Windows device, go to Settings > System > For developers.
2. Under Developer Mode, ensure it is On.
3. Scroll down to Device Discovery and ensure it's On.
4. Scroll to Windows Device Portal and enable it.
5. Note the username and password you set or are displayed, as well as the URL (e.g., https://<IP_Address>:50044). For more details, refer to the Microsoft Learn documentation on the Windows Device Portal.

Connecting and Debugging (Host Device):

1. On your host (local) computer, open Microsoft Edge.
2. Navigate to the Windows Device Portal URL you noted earlier (e.g., https://<IP_Address>:50044).
3. You may encounter a certificate warning; accept it to proceed.
4. Enter the username and password for the Windows Device Portal.
5. Once logged in, navigate to the App Manager or Edge Browser section (the exact location might vary slightly depending on the OS version and device type).
6. You should see running Edge processes or installed PWAs. Look for the "Debug" or "Launch DevTools" option next to the desired target.
7. Clicking this option will launch a new DevTools window connected to the remote Edge instance or PWA, allowing you to debug.

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3. Remote Debugging Other Microsoft Edge Instances (e.g., Headless or Specific Profiles)

For more advanced scenarios, such as automating browsers or debugging specific browser profiles, you can launch Edge with specific command-line arguments to expose the DevTools Protocol.

Steps:

1. Launch Microsoft Edge with the remote debugging port enabled. You can do this via the command line:
   • Windows Example:

     "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\msedge.exe" --remote-debugging-port=9222 --user-data-dir="C:\EdgeRemoteDebugProfile"

     (Adjust the path to msedge.exe as necessary. --user-data-dir ensures a clean profile for debugging.)

   • macOS Example:

     /Applications/Microsoft\ Edge.app/Contents/MacOS/Microsoft\ Edge --remote-debugging-port=9222 --user-data-dir="/Users/<YourUser>/EdgeRemoteDebugProfile"

   • Linux Example:

     microsoft-edge --remote-debugging-port=9222 --user-data-dir="~/EdgeRemoteDebugProfile"

2. Open Microsoft Edge on your host computer.
3. Navigate to edge://inspect.
4. Under the "Remote Target" section, you should see an entry for "localhost:9222" (or whatever port you specified).
5. Click Inspect next to the desired target (usually the page you've opened in the remotely debuggable instance).
6. A new DevTools window will open, connected to that specific Edge instance.

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Key Considerations for Remote Debugging

• Network Connectivity: Ensure stable network connectivity between your host and target devices for reliable debugging, especially when using the Windows Device Portal over Wi-Fi.
• Firewall Settings: Check firewall settings on both devices to ensure that the debugging ports (e.g., 9222 for DevTools Protocol, 50044 for WDP) are not blocked.
• Security: Be mindful of security implications when enabling remote debugging features or exposing ports, especially on publicly accessible networks.