How to Open Localhost on HTTPS From Your Phone or Another Device

Test a local app or API on a phone, tablet, or another laptop over HTTPS without opening your whole machine to the internet or sharing raw LAN URLs.

Phone and cross-device testing often fails on plain localhost because the device cannot resolve your machine, the network changes, or the browser requires HTTPS. Bore gives the local app a stable HTTPS URL that works across devices.

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Install Bore

curl -sL https://bore.dk/install.sh | bash

Works across phones and laptops

No router changes needed

Stable URL for repeated testing sessions

How It Works

Simple local workflow, real HTTPS externally

Step 1

Run the app locally

Start your frontend or API on its normal local port.

Step 2

Expose the port with Bore

Create the HTTPS URL that other devices can open securely.

bore up 3000

Step 3

Open the HTTPS URL on the other device

Use the Bore hostname on a phone, tablet, or remote browser instead of a LAN IP.

Step 4

Reuse the same namespace for ongoing QA

Persistent namespaces make repeated device testing less fragile across restarts and network changes.

Where Bore Differs

Bore can keep HTTPS on reserved child hosts too

Most tunnel workflows stop at one public hostname. Bore can keep your main app on one HTTPS namespace and reserve a child host like `api.<namespace>.bore.dk` for a second local service.

bore host add <namespace> api
bore host set-port <namespace> api 3001

That matters when frontend and API origins need to stay separate in local development, or when webhook, auth, and admin traffic should not all share one hostname.

FAQ

Common questions

How do I open localhost on my phone with HTTPS?

Expose the local port with Bore and open the resulting HTTPS URL on your phone. That avoids local network resolution issues and gives the device a proper secure origin.

Why not just use my LAN IP?

LAN URLs break when networks change, often lack HTTPS, and are awkward for remote collaborators. A stable HTTPS tunnel is a better testing path.

Can this work for APIs as well as websites?

Yes. Bore works for both local websites and local APIs, including websocket-based flows.

Related Guides

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