Most mobile browsers do not have a built-in option to view page source like desktop browsers. Fortunately, there are some workarounds that can help you achieve this goal. In this article, we will show you 5 ways to view page source on Android. You don’t need to install additional apps if you don’t want to.
Method 1: Use Chrome Web Browser
Chrome has a built-in feature that allows you to view the source code of any webpage by adding “view-source:” before the URL in the address bar. You can refer to the steps below to view source code of any page.
Step 1. Open the Google Chrome app on your Android device.
Step 2. Tap the address bar at the top of the browser window.
Step 3. Enter “view-source:” and the URL of the website whose source code you want to view (for example, “view-source:https://chrunos.com”).
Step 4. Tap the Go or Enter button on your keyboard.
This way, Chrome will open a new tab displaying the source code of the webpage. Chrome automatically adds syntax highlighting to enhance code readability. You can scroll through the code to view the entire page’s source.
That’s it! You have successfully viewed the source code of a webpage using Chrome on your Android device. Now, you can copy a portion of the code, and search for specific text within the code.
Method 2: Use the Via Browser
Via Browser is a lightweight and fast web browser designed for Android and iOS devices. It has many features including view page source, custom scripts, block ads, change user-agent, etc. Previously, I have write about using Via to run TamperMonkey scripts on mobile devices.
Step 1. Download and install the Via Browser app from the Google Play Store.
Step 2. Open the Via Browser app and navigate to the website you want to view the page source.
Step 3. Tap on the three-dot menu icon on the bottom right corner of the screen.
Step 4. Tap on “Tools” and then tap on “Page source.”
Step 5. You will now see the page source of the website in a new window.
Since it is also available on iOS, you can also use this method to view page source on iPhone or iPad.
Method 3: Use a Third-Party App
The third method to view page source on Android is to use a third-party app that allows you to browse the web and inspect the source code of any web page. There are many apps that offer this feature, but one of them is HTML Viewer.
To use HTML Viewer to view page source on Android, follow these steps:
- Download and install HTML Viewer from the Google Play Store.
- Open HTML Viewer and enter the URL of the web page that you want to view the source code of in the address bar.
- Tap on Go and wait for the page to load.
- Tap on the menu button in the top right corner and select View Source.
- You will see the source code of the page in a new window. You can scroll, zoom, or copy the code as you wish.
Method 4: View Page Source with Online Tools
If you don’t want to install additional apps, you can use an online tool for viewing page source code on Android. Here, I recommend the Source Code Viewer by Code Beautify.
- Open the web browser app on your Android device and open the Source Code Viewer page.
- In the text field provided on the online tool’s webpage, enter the URL of the webpage for which you want to view the source code.
- Tap the “View Source” or similar button on the online tool’s webpage to initiate the process.
- The online tool will retrieve the source code of the webpage and display it on your Android device’s screen.
- You can scroll through the source code, analyze the HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, and explore the underlying structure and elements of the webpage.
- If needed, you can copy the source code by selecting the desired portion and using the available copy function within the online tool.
Method 5: View Source Code including JavaScript with the Kiwi Browser
Kiwi Browser is a popular browser for Android devices that offers a range of powerful features. One of its notable features is the ability to inspect elements, allowing users to delve into the technical details of web pages. Moreover, Kiwi Browser enables you to install Chrome extensions on Android, enabling users to enhance their browsing experience with various add-ons and tools.
Step 1. Install and open the Kiwi Browser on your Android device. It is a feature-rich browser that is based on Chromium, providing a fast and secure browsing experience.
Step 2. Enter the URL of the webpage you want to view the source code for in the address bar at the top of the browser window.
Step 3. Once the webpage loads, tap on the three-dot menu icon in the Kiwi Browser’s bottom-right corner.
Step 4. From the menu that appears, select “Developer tools.” This action will open a new tab displaying the source code of the webpage.
Step 5. You can now scroll through the source code, analyze the HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, and explore the underlying structure and elements of the webpage.
Conclusion
Viewing the page source on an Android phone can be a bit tricky, but it is a useful skill for web developers. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you should be able to view the page source of any website on your Android devices.
The Chrome and Via Browser methods are quite simple and straightforward. If you want to inspect elements on Android, the KiWi browser is your best option. I hope this article helped you learn how to view page source on Android using different methods. If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to leave a comment below.