← Back to status codes
HTTP Status Code
413 Payload Too Large
Client ErrorThe server refused the request because the request body is too large.
HTTP status code reference, response example, common causes, fixes, and related status codes.
What does HTTP 413 Payload Too Large mean?
HTTP 413 Payload Too Large is a status code sent by a server to indicate the result of an HTTP request.
Status codes help browsers, APIs, apps, and backend systems understand whether a request succeeded, failed, was redirected, or needs additional action.
In practice, HTTP 413 Payload Too Large usually appears when a server responds under specific request, validation, permission, or infrastructure conditions.
Response example
HTTP/1.1 413 Payload Too Large
HTTP example
HTTP/1.1 413 Payload Too Large
Common causes
- Large file upload
- Body size limit exceeded
- API payload too heavy
How to fix it
- Reduce payload size
- Compress the request if appropriate
- Increase server upload limits if justified
Common mistakes
- Assuming the status code alone explains the full backend issue
- Ignoring related response headers that add important context
- Treating temporary errors as permanent failures
- Retrying too aggressively without checking the cause
- Debugging the frontend only when the problem is server-side
How browsers and APIs use it
Browsers, APIs, and backend services use HTTP status codes to understand the outcome of a request. Depending on the status code, an application may render content, retry a request, redirect the user, show an error, or trigger a different flow in the client or server.
Developer note
This often happens with file uploads, images, or oversized JSON payloads. Check your framework and reverse proxy body-size limits.
Client-side example
if (response.status === 413) {
console.log("Upload too large");
}