Web Browsers - How to Fix a "Bad Request" Error
Problem
When you attempt to access a website, you may sometimes instead receive a "Bad Request" error message where the website content should have loaded. This error often contains the number "400" and may include additional text, such as "Your browser sent a request that this server could not understand. Size of a request header field exceeds server limit."
Solution
First, check the website URL you entered to make sure it is correct. If the web address appears to be entered correctly, then the issue can usually be resolved by clearing your browser's cache and cookies.
Note: Windows users can use CTRL + F5 to bypass the cache and download a website's complete content.
For instructions on performing these steps, click on the appropriate link for the web browser you are using:
Desktop Web Browsers
Clearing the browser cache prevents you from using old/out-of-date versions of websites and protects your personal information. It also helps running some applications better on your computer by freeing up space.
Note: Make sure you set the Time Range to the "All Time" or "Everything" options when available to clear all data. Please save any unpublished work before proceeding; you will be logged out of all sites and applications and will need to re-authenticate.
Browser | Windows Document Link | macOS Document Link |
---|---|---|
Google Chrome |
Chrome (Win) - Clearing Cache and Cookies | Chrome (Mac) - Clearing Cache and Cookies |
Firefox |
Firefox 57+ (Win) - Clearing Cache and Cookies | Firefox 21+ (Mac) - Clearing Cache and Cookies |
Safari |
Safari (Win) - Clearing Cache and Cookies | Safari 10.0.1+ (Mac) - Clearing Cache and Cookies |
Microsoft Edge |
Edge (Win) - Clearing Cache and Cookies | None |
Opera |
Opera (Win) - Clearing Cache and Cookies | Opera 28.0 (Mac) - Clearing Cache and Cookies |
New Microsoft Edge |
New Edge (Win 10, 8, 7, MacOS) - Clearing Cache and Cookies | New Edge (Win 10, 8, 7, MacOS) - Clearing Cache and Cookies |
Mobile Web Browsers
Operating System | Document Link |
---|---|
Android |
Android (Jellybean) - Clearing Cache and Cookies on Google Chrome |
iOS |
iOS - Clearing Cache and Cookies |
webOS |
HP webOS 2.x - Clearing Cache and Cookies |
Windows Phone |
Internet Explorer (Windows Phone) - Clearing Cache and Cookies |
Legacy Versions
Windows
Browser | Document Link |
---|---|
Internet Explorer 9, 10, & 11 |
Internet Explorer 9, 10, and 11 (Win) - Clearing Cache and Cookies |
Internet Explorer 6 |
Internet Explorer 6 (Win) - Clearing Cache and Cookies |
Internet Explorer 7 |
Internet Explorer 7 (Win) - Clearing Cache and Cookies |
Internet Explorer 8 |
Internet Explorer 8 (Win) - Clearing Cache and Cookies |
Firefox 3.5 |
Firefox 3.5 (Win) - Clearing Cache and Cookies |
MacOS
Browser | Document Link |
---|---|
Firefox 3.5 - 20 |
Firefox 3.5 - 20 (Mac) - Clearing Cache and Cookies |
Opera 10.50 |
Opera 10.50+ (Mac) - Clearing Cache and Cookies |
Safari 5 |
Safari 5 (Mac) - Clearing Cache and Cookies |
Safari 5.1 - 7.9 |
[Link for document 30233 is unavailable at this time] |
Safari 8.0+ |
Safari 8.0 - 10.0 (Mac) - Clearing Cache and Cookies |