Troubleshooting app connectivity issues on Google Chrome

Steps to resolve connectivity issues with the BrowserStackLocal app on Google Chrome.

If you are experiencing connectivity issues with the BrowserStackLocal app on Google Chrome v142 or later, it may be due to changes in Chrome’s handling of Local Network Access (LNA).

From version 142 onwards, Google has introduced stricter checks regarding Local Network Access (LNA). LNA restricts requests from public websites, webapps, and browser extensions to resources on your private network. This is intended to protect users from potential security risks, such as Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) attacks or other security vulnerabilities. These restrictions can cause local polling or resource requests to fail with CORS errors and may prevent the BrowserStackLocal app from connecting.

Enable local network access for a specific site in Chrome

To resolve this issue, ensure that local network access is enabled in Chrome:

1. In your browser’s address bar, click the Padlock or Tune icon beside the URL.
   
2. Ensure Local network access is enabled.
   
3. Refresh the page to apply changes.
4. Try connecting the BrowserStackLocal app again.

Disable the Local Network Access Check using Chrome flags

If enabling Local network access does not resolve the issue, you can temporarily disable Chrome’s local network access check:

1. Open a new Chrome tab and go to the following URL:

    chrome://flags/#local-network-access-check
   

2. From the dropdown, set Local Network Access Checks to Disabled.
3. Relaunch Google Chrome.
4. Try connecting the BrowserStackLocal app again.