How to Extract Cookies from Your Mobile Phone

In previous tutorials on the Khalil Shreateh YouTube channel, we covered how to extract browser cookies on desktop using a Chrome extension. In this tutorial, we take it a step further — extracting cookies directly from your iPhone or Android smartphone using a free open-source app called ProxyPin.

This is especially useful if you want to use tools like the Saven Social Media Downloader bot (developed by Khalil Shreateh) to download Instagram videos, which requires you to provide your account's session cookie.

⚠️ Security Notice: Never use your real/main account for this process. Always create a separate dummy account. Read the security section at the end of this article.

What You'll Need

• iPhone or Android smartphone
• ProxyPin app (free, open-source)
  • Available on the App Store (iOS) and Google Play (Android)
• A few minutes of your time

Step 1: Download and Install ProxyPin

Open the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play (Android) and search for "ProxyPin". Download and install the app.

Once installed, open the app. You may see a "What's New" screen — simply close it from the bottom.

Step 2: Start the Proxy

On the main screen of ProxyPin, tap the Play button at the bottom of the screen to start the proxy.

The first time you run it, the app will ask permission to add a VPN configuration to your device. Tap Allow (or "السماح" in Arabic).

You'll be prompted to enter your device passcode to confirm. After that, a VPN icon will appear in your status bar, indicating the proxy is active.

💡 Note: While the VPN/proxy is active, some apps may not work normally. Remember to turn it off when you're done.

Step 3: Enable HTTPS Proxy & Install the Certificate

1. In ProxyPin, go to Settings (bottom of the screen).
2. Enable "HTTPS Proxy" — this is critical. Without it, the app cannot intercept HTTPS traffic from modern websites.
3. Tap "Install Certificate".
4. Choose "Download Certificate" → your browser (Safari) will open and prompt you to download the profile.
5. Tap OK — you'll see the message: "Profile Downloaded."

Now you need to install the downloaded profile on your iPhone:

1. Go to your iPhone Settings → General → VPN & Device Management.
2. Under "Downloaded Profile", you'll see ProxyPin CA.
3. Tap it → tap Install at the top right → enter your passcode → tap Install again at the bottom.
4. Tap Done. The certificate is now installed.

Step 4: Capture Traffic & Extract the Cookie

1. Return to the ProxyPin app and confirm HTTPS Proxy is still enabled.
2. Go back to the main screen and tap the clear/reset icon to start fresh.
3. Open Safari and navigate to the website you want the cookie from (e.g., Instagram — make sure you're already logged in).
4. Refresh the page. ProxyPin will now capture the network requests.

You may see a certificate warning in Safari. Tap "Show Details" → "Visit This Website" to proceed.

5. Back in ProxyPin, you'll see a list of captured requests. Tap the one corresponding to the site you visited (e.g., instagram.com).
6. Tap the three dots (⋯) in the top right corner → select "Request Edit".
7. Scroll down until you find the Cookie field.
8. Tap on the cookie value — it will expand into a full view.
9. Tap once to select all → Copy.

You now have your full session cookie copied to your clipboard!

Step 5: Use the Cookie with the Saven Bot Downloader

Open the Saven Social Media Downloader Bot (developed by Khalil Shreateh — available as @Shreateh_Downloader_Bot or search "Seven Social Media Downloader").

Paste and send your copied cookie to the bot. It will respond with:

"Instagram cookie updated successfully!"

Now you can send any Instagram video link to the bot and it will download it for you within seconds.

Step 6: Turn Off the VPN / Proxy When Done

Once you're finished, it's important to stop the proxy:

1. Go back to the ProxyPin main screen.
2. Tap the Stop button.
3. Swipe down to open Control Center and confirm the VPN icon is gone.

If you ever accidentally leave it on and notice browsing issues, just open Control Center and tap the VPN icon to turn it off.

Alternative Apps for Cookie Extraction

While ProxyPin is the most user-friendly option, Khalil also briefly mentioned two other apps in the tutorial:

• Cookie Editor Next — Works as a Safari extension. Go to Safari → Manage Extensions → enable Cookie Editor Next. Useful but requires extracting cookies one by one.
• Spider Proxy — Another proxy-based option, but slightly more advanced.

For most users, ProxyPin is the recommended choice due to its simplicity and availability on both iOS and Android.

What Are Cookies? (Quick Explanation)

A cookie is a small piece of data stored in your browser that websites use to identify you across sessions. When you log into Instagram, for example, the site saves a unique token (cookie) in your browser. Every request you make — liking a post, viewing a story, following an account — sends that cookie along so the server knows it's you.

When you share that cookie with a trusted downloader tool, the tool can act on your behalf to fetch content like private or story videos that require login.

⚠️ Security Warning — Please Read

Cookies give access to your account without needing your password. Here's how to stay safe:

1. Never use your main account. Create a dedicated secondary/dummy Instagram (or other platform) account specifically for this purpose.
2. Only use trusted tools. The Saven Bot is developed by Khalil Shreateh himself, so it's safe — but always verify who built any tool before trusting it with your session data.
3. Understand the risk. When a server uses your cookie, the platform (e.g., Meta/Instagram) may flag unusual login activity and lock your account. A dummy account means this won't affect your real profile.

Extracting cookies from your mobile device is straightforward with ProxyPin. In just a few steps — installing the app, enabling HTTPS interception, installing the certificate, and capturing your session — you can grab the cookie value and use it with powerful download tools like the Saven Social Media Downloader bot.

For more tutorials on security, social media tools, and web development, visit the Khalil Shreateh YouTube channel and explore the Information Security playlist.

Tutorial by Khalil Shreateh | khalil-shreateh.com