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title: Configure headers for API requests in Postman
updated: 2025-04-04T00:00:00.000Z
max-toc-depth: 2
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Some APIs require you to send particular headers with requests to provide metadata about the operation you're performing. You can configure request headers in Postman, and save groups of headers as presets for quick access. Postman also automatically adds headers to your requests as needed depending on your request selections.

## Configure request headers

You can configure headers in the **Headers** tab of your request. Enter any key-value pairs you need and Postman will send them along with your request. As you enter text, Postman prompts you with common options you can use to autocomplete your setup, such as `Content-Type`.

When you're done configuring headers, select **Send** to send the request. Learn more about [creating and sending requests in Postman](/docs/sending-requests/create-requests/request-basics/).

![Header types](https://assets.postman.com/postman-docs/v11/presets-v11-2.jpg)

## Header presets

You can save commonly used headers together in a *header preset*. In the **Headers** tab of your request, select the **Presets** dropdown list and choose **Manage Presets**. Select **Add Header Preset** to add a new preset, and enter a name for the preset. Enter key-value pairs, then select **Add**.

You can select your preset in the **Presets** dropdown list. Selecting the preset will autopopulate the fields in your request headers.

![Header presets](https://assets.postman.com/postman-docs/v11/header-presets-v11-2.jpg)

## Autogenerated headers

Postman will automatically add certain headers to your requests based on your request selections and settings. Select **hidden** at the top of your request's **Headers** tab for information about what Postman will send with your request.

<img alt="Hidden headers" src="https://assets.postman.com/postman-docs/v11/hidden-headers-button-v11.jpg" />

Hover over a header to view details about it. Postman will indicate why the header has been added. The details will also indicate how to deactivate or override a header value if you need to.

<img alt="Host header" src="https://assets.postman.com/postman-docs/autogenerated-host-header-v9.jpg" />

You can make changes to a header in the **Authorization** tab, the request **Body**, **Cookies** for the request domain, the **Settings**, and in some cases in the **Headers** tab itself. If you need to go to a different part of the app, Postman will show a link on the right-hand side.

If a header has been added based on your auth setup, [select the **Authorization** tab](/docs/sending-requests/authorization/authorization/) to change it. To alter cookie headers, [change the cookie setup](/docs/sending-requests/response-data/cookies/) for the domain you're sending the request to.

![Token header](https://assets.postman.com/postman-docs/v11/headers-added-v11.jpg)

To deactivate an autogenerated header in the **Headers** tab, clear its checkbox. To override an autogenerated header value, clear the checkbox next to the autogenerated entry. Then add a separate entry for the header, listing its name in the **Key** field and specifying your value in the **Value** field.

If you have more than one entry for the same header, Postman indicates which one will be overridden. Postman prioritizes headers you have either explicitly added in **Headers** or indirectly with selections you made in the other parts of your request such as **Authorization**.

For `Content-Length` and `Content-Type` headers, Postman will automatically calculate values when you send your request, based on the data in the **Body** tab. However, you can override both values.