HTTP 400 Error (And How To Fix It)

An HTTP 400 error will show up on your screen when a request to the server is incorrect or corrupt, and the server cannot understand it. Majority of the time, you should be able to fix it, but occasionally only the website’s owner can. Below are a few things you can try to fix the issue.

What does this error mean?

This error means that a request that your computer sent to the server is incorrect, and the server cannot understand it. This might be simply because the URL is wrong, or you might have done something the server could not understand, such as uploading too large of a file. Website owners can customize the 400 error page on their website using .htaccess.

There are many different ways that websites can name a 400 error, for example, websites may just report “Bad Request”, although they may something a bit more complex like “HTTP Error 400: The request could not be understood by the server”.

How do I fix this error?

Refresh the page. Majority of the time, a 400 error is temporary, and refreshing can be the solution. You may also want to try using the F5 key, or the “Reload” button on your keyboard if it has one.
Use the website's search bar. Try typing the title of the article or page that you are trying to visit into the website's search bar, and clicking the link that appears. This will ensure you have the correct URL. Most of the time, an HTTP 404 error will appear for wrong URLs, but a 400 can still appear.
Clear your cache and cookies. Some sites will show a 400 error if incorrect or outdated cookies are detected. Clearing your cache and cookies will allow websites to completely reload. You will have to re-sign in though.
Check the file size. If the error is occurring while you are trying to upload a file, make sure that the file size (And file type) is one that the website can handle. You can try uploading a smaller file (Or one with a different extension), or contacting the site’s Admin or support center for help.
Try visiting Google. If you still have the same problem, the issue may be with your hardware or software with either your computer or your internet connection. Try restarting your PC, modem, and router.
Restart. If you are still experiencing the error, try restarting your device, and possibly your internet modem/router as well.
Contact support. If everything on this list has failed you, try contacting the owner of the website. They will be able to tell if the website error is everywhere, or just on your end. If you are the owner of the website, contact your webhosting provider for help.

Final Summary

The HTTP 400 Bad Request error is not the worst error to get, as it's (Normally) fairly easy to fix. Hopefully this article helped, and please let us know if you ever spot this error on our site!