# 206 Partial Content

> The server is delivering only part of the resource due to a Range header sent by the client.

Source: https://apiguide.dev/status-codes/206
Class: success
Defined in: RFC 9110, Section 15.3.7 <https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc9110.html#section-15.3.7>
Updated: 2026-07-09

## What does HTTP status code 206 mean?

The 206 Partial Content status code is returned when the client requested a specific byte range of a resource (using the `Range` header) and the server is delivering only that portion.

## When to use it in APIs

Useful for APIs serving binary files, videos, or large log files, enabling clients to download files in chunks or resume interrupted downloads.

## How it compares to other codes

* **200 OK**: Returns the entire resource, not a segmented portion.