// http 4xx · client error

HTTP 406 Not Acceptable

Can't produce a response matching the Accept headers.

What HTTP 406 Not Acceptable means

406 Not Acceptable means the server can't produce a response in any format the client said it would accept via the `Accept` header. It's rare in practice — most servers fall back to a default format instead.

Which category is it?

406 is a 4xx code — Client error. 4xx means the request has a problem the client must fix — bad syntax, missing authentication, or a resource that isn't there. It's the caller's responsibility.

Common causes

  • `Accept` header requests a format the server can't produce
  • Overly strict content negotiation

How to fix it

  • Relax or correct the `Accept` header
  • Request a format the server supports (e.g. `application/json`)

Other client error (4xx) codes