HTTP headers | Accept (original) (raw)

Last Updated : 12 Jul, 2025

The HTTP Accept header is a request type header. The Accept header is used to inform the server by the client that which content type is understandable by the client expressed as MIME-types. By using the Content-negotiation the server selects a proposal of the content type and informs the client of its choice with the Content-type response header. If the Accept header is not present in the request, then the server assumes that the client accepts all types of media.Syntax:

Accept: / | /* | /

Directives: This header accept below mentioned directives:

• <MIME_type>/<MIME_subtype>: This directive holds the type/subtype of the web content that the client will received by content-type header which is chosen by the server from Accept header. Basically it holds the single mime type like text/html.
• <MIME_type>/*: This directive holds the type but can accept any subtyping like image/* means the image can be jpg, png, or can svg everything will be accepted.
• */* This directive accepts any kind of type/subtype.

Example:

• This example accepts the text type with the subtype of html.
  Accept: text/html
• This example accept any image subtype does not bother.
  Accept: image/*

To check this Accept in action go to Inspect Element -> Network check the request header for Accept like below, Accept is highlighted you can see. Supported Browsers: The browsers are compatible with HTTP Accept header are listed below:

• Google Chrome
• Internet Explorer
• Firefox
• Safari
• Opera