Partial Content — the server is delivering only part of the resource as requested
What 206 Means
The 206 error on the HTTP Status-Codes indicates partial content — the server is delivering only part of the resource as requested. This typically occurs due to client requested a specific byte range of a large file.
A 206 Partial Content status is sent in response to a Range header from the client. This allows for efficient downloading of large files and multi-part streaming.
Technical Background
The 206 Partial Content status is used when the server is delivering only part of the resource due to a Range header sent by the client.
This status is the foundation of efficient media streaming and resumable downloads. It allows a client to request specific byte ranges, enabling seeking in video players or resuming an interrupted download from the last successful byte.
Common Causes
- Client requested a specific byte range of a large file
- Resuming a paused download
- Streaming video or audio where only chunks are sent at a time
Typical Scenarios
- A video player fetches the next 2MB of a movie file to continue playback
- A download manager resumes a 1GB file from the point where it was interrupted
What to Know
A 206 response indicates a successful range-based transfer. Verifying the 'Content-Range' header ensures that the delivered byte slice matches the segment requested by the client application.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about HTTP 206 error
This is a normal optimization. Browsers only fetch small parts of the video at a time as you watch it to save data and memory.