HTTP status codes / 4xx — Client errors

413 Content Too Large

In one sentence

The request body exceeds what the server accepts.

What it means

Formerly "Payload Too Large". The upload is bigger than the configured limit — often the web server or proxy layer (nginx client_max_body_size, API gateway limits), not the application itself.

Common causes

Reproduce it in cURL

curl -i -X POST -d @large-file.bin https://your-api.example/upload

Same request, no terminal: paste this into the cURL converter for native code, or straight into ReqPad on your phone.

How to debug it

Find which layer enforces the limit (error page style is a hint) and either raise it or switch to chunked/multipart/resumable upload.

Server-side note: Find which layer rejects it (error page style hints at nginx vs app), raise the limit or switch to multipart/resumable upload.

The fastest way to pin down a 413 is to reproduce the exact request and inspect what actually went over the wire — status, headers, timing and body, without your app code in the way. That is what an API client is for; ReqPad does it from your phone, with every request saved to history.

Related codes

400 Bad Request · 401 Unauthorized · 402 Payment Required · 403 Forbidden · 404 Not Found · 405 Method Not Allowed — or the full reference.

Reproduce that 413 in 10 seconds.

Build the request, send it, read status + headers + timing — on your iPhone. Free to start.