HTTP status codes / 4xx — Client errors
413 Content Too Large
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
- Upload exceeds proxy/server body limit
- nginx client_max_body_size (default 1MB!) or API gateway payload caps
- Base64-inflated payloads (+33% size)
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.