HTTP 206 Partial Content indicates the server is delivering only part of the resource because the client sent a Range header requesting a specific byte range. This is used for resumable downloads, video streaming, and PDF viewers that load pages on demand.
Status
206 Partial ContentExample
GET /downloads/setup.exe HTTP/1.1
Host: www.example.com
User-Agent: curl/8.6.0
Range: bytes=5242880-10485759HTTP/1.1 206 Partial Content
Content-Type: application/octet-stream
Content-Range: bytes 5242880-10485759/52428800
Content-Length: 5242880
Accept-Ranges: bytes
<partial file data — download resumes from where it left off>How to Troubleshoot
Verify Content-Range header
Check that the response includes a Content-Range header specifying the range delivered and total size.
curl -v -H 'Range: bytes=0-1023' https://example.com/file.zip
Test range support
Verify the server supports range requests by checking for Accept-Ranges: bytes in a HEAD response.
curl -I https://example.com/file.zip | grep Accept-Ranges
Check for range request compatibility
Some CDNs or proxies strip Range headers. Ensure intermediaries preserve them.
Common Causes
Resumable download or streaming
highThe client requested a specific byte range to resume a download or stream media content.
PDF or media player range requests
highA PDF viewer or video player is fetching specific portions of the file rather than downloading it entirely.
Related Status Codes
References
| Specification | Section |
|---|---|
| HTTP Semantics | RFC 9110 §15.3.7 |
Frequently Asked Questions
This reference was compiled from official RFCs, protocol specifications, and hands-on troubleshooting experience. AI tools were used primarily for formatting and organizing the content on the page.