Postman is a versatile tool widely used for API development and testing. One of the critical aspects of making HTTP requests is setting the appropriate Content-Type header.

The Content-Type header indicates the media type of the resource being sent to the server. This article will guide you through the steps to modify the Content-Type header in Postman.

Understanding the Content-Type Header

The Content-Type header is used to indicate the media type of the resource being sent in an HTTP request. Common Content-Type values include:

• application/json: For JSON-formatted data.
• application/xml: For XML-formatted data.
• application/x-www-form-urlencoded: For URL-encoded form data.
• multipart/form-data: For file uploads.
• text/plain: For plain text.

Setting the correct Content-Type is important because it informs the server how to interpret the data in the request body.

Steps to Modify the Content-Type in Postman

1. Open Postman and Select Your Request

Start by opening Postman and navigating to the request you want to modify:

• Open Postman and go to the Collections tab on the left sidebar.
• Locate the collection that contains the request you want to modify.
• Click on the collection to expand it and see all the requests it contains.
• Select the specific request you want to modify by clicking on it.

2. Go to the Headers Tab

Once you have your request open, navigate to the Headers tab to modify the Content-Type header:

• Click on the Headers tab just below the request URL field.

3. Add or Modify the Content-Type Header

You can add or modify the Content-Type header in the Headers tab:

• Add New Header: If the Content-Type header is not already present, you can add it manually. Click on the key field in the new header row, type Content-Type, and press Tab to move to the value field. Then, enter the desired media type (e.g., application/json).
• Modify Existing Header: If the Content-Type header is already present, simply click on the value field next to it and change it to the desired media type.

4. Set the Body of the Request

Ensure that the body of your request matches the specified Content-Type:

• Raw Body: If you are sending raw data (e.g., JSON or XML), select the Body tab and choose the raw radio button. Then, select the appropriate content type from the dropdown menu next to the raw radio button (e.g., JSON for application/json).
• Form Data: If you are sending form data, select the form-data radio button in the Body tab. The Content-Type will automatically be set to multipart/form-data.
• x-www-form-urlencoded: If you are sending URL-encoded form data, select the x-www-form-urlencoded radio button in the Body tab.

5. Send the Request

After setting the Content-Type header and configuring the body of your request, you can send the request:

• Click the Send button to execute the request.
• Review the response from the server to ensure that it has processed your request correctly.

Output