Troubleshooting HAR File Import Issues

Last updated: July 30, 2026

Overview

If importing a HAR file does not improve scan coverage, the issue is usually caused by one of the following:

  • The HAR file is incomplete.

  • The HAR contains expired authentication or dynamic data.

  • The recorded traffic does not include the application workflows you want to scan.

  • The target application cannot replay some recorded requests.

This guide explains how to identify and resolve these issues.

Note: You can follow our article on How to generate a HAR File to create new HAR file, in case your HAR file is incorrect.

1. The HAR file is incomplete

Symptoms

  • Few requests are imported.

  • Important pages or APIs are missing from the sitemap.

  • The HAR file is unexpectedly small.

Resolution

  • Start recording before logging in.

  • Enable Preserve Log.

  • Disable browser cache while recording.

  • Complete all workflows you want Astra to scan before exporting the HAR.

2. Requests fail during replay

Symptoms

  • Some endpoints are imported but cannot be replayed.

  • Authenticated requests redirect to the login page.

  • Only part of the HAR works.

Common causes

  • Expired sessions or cookies

  • One-time tokens (CSRF, nonce, signed URLs)

  • Dynamic request parameters

Resolution

Generate a fresh HAR immediately before importing and include the complete login flow so Astra can establish a valid authenticated session.

3. The HAR does not contain the desired application coverage

Symptoms

Expected pages or APIs are missing after import.

Resolution

Ensure you manually navigate every page and workflow you want scanned. If different user roles expose different functionality, record a HAR for each role.

4. The HAR contains unnecessary traffic

Symptoms

The HAR contains a large number of images, fonts, analytics, or third-party requests.

Resolution

Focus on interacting with your application rather than repeatedly refreshing pages. While third-party resources are ignored during scanning, reducing unnecessary traffic makes the HAR easier to review and troubleshoot.

5. The application cannot replay recorded requests

Symptoms

Some requests consistently fail even with a freshly recorded HAR.

Possible causes

  • Requests depend on previous application state.

  • The application is accessible only from an internal network or localhost.

  • Certain workflows require runtime-generated data.

Resolution

Record complete user workflows instead of isolated requests. If the application is hosted on a private network, ensure Astra has the necessary network access.

Still having issues?

If the problem persists, contact Astra Support and include:

  • The HAR file

  • The target URL

  • The missing pages or APIs

  • Whether authentication is required

  • Any replay or scan errors