It is never nice to have errors on your website, especially when they stop your visitors and the website does not work properly. One such error occurs: “414 Request URI Too Long Error”. But what is this? Why does it happen? And the most important thing, how to fix it? In this blog, we will tell in simple words what is this error, why does it occur, and how to fix it so that it does not happen again.
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Table of Contents
What Is the 414 Request URI Too Long Error?
414 Request URI Too Long” error occurs when a URL (ie website address) is sent to the server but it is so long that the server does not accept it.
Actually, every server has a limit of how long URL it will accept. When a URL is longer than that limit, the server does not understand it and shows an error named: “414 Request-URI Too Long.”
This error means that the link of the website that was sent was too long for the server.
By the way, the response codes of the website are like “200” (which means everything is fine) or “404” (which means page not found) will help me understand what the problem is. “414” is also a part of those codes, but it shows that the issue is about the size of the link and mostly it is a client-side issue (i.e. the URL that is being sent), but sometimes server settings also play a role in it.
What Causes the 414 Request URI Too Long Error?
The solution to the “414 Request URI Too Long” error is possible only when we know why it happens. Below are some common reasons that can cause this error:
Too long URL or query string
When we use search forms on the website, or apply filters, extra information keeps getting added to the URL. If this query string becomes too long, the server cannot read it and gives a 414 error.
Redirect loop
Sometimes the redirection is not set correctly on the website. For this reason, the URL keeps creating a loop within itself again and again. New parameters are added every time, and the URL is too long 3. Getting wrong URL from third-party services
If your website is taking data from some other service or tool (like API or any other link), and it sends wrong or very long URL, then this error can also come due to that.
Special characters not being encoded properly
If there are some special characters in the URL (like spaces, symbols, or letters of other languages), and they are not encoded properly, then they make the URL even longer. This can also be the reason for 414 error.
Server limits
Every server has its own rules about how long URL it accepts If your URL is longer than this limit, an error will occur.
Apache server usually allows up to 8,192 bytes.
NGINX server only allows up to 4,096 bytes
Fixing the 414 Request URI Too Long Error
Now that we know why 414 error happens, let’s see how to fix it.
Check the URL and shorten it
First of all, look at your URL (website link). Is it too long? If yes, then make it short and simple:
- Do not put too many query parameters.
- Remove extra or repeating things from the URL.
- Do not make search forms or filters so complicated that the URL becomes long.
- This reduces the load on the server and there is no chance of error.
Check redirects and remove loops
Sometimes the redirect setup is wrong, in which the URL keeps rotating on its own.
- See if the URL is not getting added repeatedly.
- If you are using Apache, check the .htaccess file.
- If you are using NGINX, check the server.conf file.
- You can also test with tools like “Redirect Checker” or “tools.pingdom.com”.
Update the server settings
If you really need to use a long URL (like in an eCommerce or API app), then increase the server limit.
For Apache:
LimitRequestLine 10000 After that restart the server:
sudo service apache2 restart For NGINX:
http { large_client_header_buffers 4 16k;
} Then restart NGINX:
sudo service nginx restartEncode the URL correctly Sometimes there are special characters in the URL which are written in the wrong way. This makes the URL long.
Check it with online tools like URL Decoder/Encoder.
See if there are any wrong characters in the URL.
Use POST method instead of GET
If you have to send a lot of data to the server, then don’t put anything in the URL. Use POST method instead, which is more secure and safe.
Clear the browser’s cache and try again Sometimes the browser remembers old or wrong URLs.
Tell the users to clear the browser’s cache.
Then open the website again and see.
Seek help from the developer or hosting provider
If the problem is not solved even after doing everything, then contact an expert or your hosting provider.
Send them the error details and server logs.
They will quickly find out and fix the issue
Keep Your Website Running Without Errors
414 Request URI Too Long” error seems difficult at first, but there is no need to worry. With a little understanding and the right steps, this problem can be solved.
- Keep your website links (URLs) short and simple.
- Check if any link is not forwarding repeatedly (redirect loop).
- Understand the server settings and increase them if needed.
If you do all this, then this error can be fixed quickly and your website will work fine.
If you still face problems, then seek help from your hosting or any web developer
