Privacy and redaction¶
API Lens is designed to help you inspect HTTP traffic while keeping capture explicit, bounded, and visible.
← Documentation home · Compatibility
Defaults at a glance¶
| Behavior | Default |
|---|---|
| HTTP capture | Off until you start it |
| Sensitive-value redaction | On |
| History location | Memory only |
| Automatic disk storage | None |
| Body previews | Bounded by configured limits |
| Copy and export | User initiated, with a privacy warning |
What API Lens retains¶
While capture is active, API Lens can retain:
- HTTP method and sanitized URL.
- Host, status code, duration, sizes, and transport outcome.
- Sanitized request and response headers.
- Bounded request and response body previews.
- PIE-session and capture-source information.
The oldest records are removed when history limits are reached. Nothing is written to disk unless you explicitly export it.
What redaction protects¶
When redaction is enabled, API Lens protects recognized sensitive values before records are stored:
| Content | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Sensitive headers | Values are replaced |
| Sensitive URL query values | Values are replaced |
| URL credentials and fragments | Removed |
| JSON sensitive fields | Values are replaced while structure is preserved |
| Form-encoded sensitive fields | Values are replaced |
| Binary or invalid UTF-8 | Body preview is not stored |
| Declared structured data that cannot be parsed safely | Body preview is not stored |
Projects can add their own sensitive key names in Project Settings → Plugins → API Lens → Privacy.
Important limits¶
Redaction cannot guarantee that every captured value is safe to share:
- URL paths are retained. Do not place secrets in a URL path.
- Free-form text, XML, and CSV are stored as received and labelled as not analyzed.
- Turning redaction on later does not sanitize records captured earlier in Raw mode.
- A custom or unrecognized field name may not be classified as sensitive unless you add it to the project settings.
Treat screenshots, clipboard content, and exported files as potentially sensitive until you have reviewed them.
Turn redaction on or off¶
Open Project Settings → Plugins → API Lens → Privacy. Check Redact Sensitive Values to replace recognized sensitive values in new captures; uncheck it to retain their original values in new captures. The setting is on by default and is saved per project. If capture is running, stop and start it after changing the checkbox: the current capture keeps the policy it started with.
The dashboard shows REDACTED when redaction is active and there is no Raw history, and RAW when it is off or unredacted history remains. Raw mode is intended only for cases where the original value is necessary, such as diagnosing an authentication failure. Raw records may contain usable credentials, and each copy or export asks for confirmation.
Redaction happens at capture time: checking the option later cannot reveal values already redacted or sanitize records captured while it was unchecked. The warning stays visible while unredacted history remains. When finished, check Redact Sensitive Values again and use Options → Clear history to remove Raw records you no longer need. Clearing history removes all retained records and cannot be undone.
Copying and exporting¶
Privacy changes when information leaves the dashboard. A cURL command, URL, body, screenshot, JSON payload, HAR file, or copied header can contain data not obvious in the current view.
Before sharing:
- Confirm redaction was enabled when the record was captured.
- Review URL paths and free-form bodies manually.
- Remove private hostnames, account identifiers, and personal data.
- Replace real values with synthetic examples.
- Never post credentials, authorization headers, cookies, or tokens.
For security reports, follow the security policy.