Postman: Could Not Get Any Response – Fix API Requests

If you are using Postman to test APIs and suddenly encounter the error message “Could not get any response”, it can be frustrating. This issue stops you from validating whether your API is working correctly and makes debugging harder. Thankfully, there are multiple causes and solutions you can try to quickly get back on track.

This guide will walk you through the most common reasons for the Postman “Could not get any response” error and provide practical solutions to fix it. By the end, you will understand how to troubleshoot efficiently and prevent it from happening again.

🛠️ What Does “Could Not Get Any Response” Mean?

The error occurs when Postman does not receive a response from the API server. This doesn’t always mean your API is broken—it could be a network issue, client misconfiguration, or even an SSL problem.

Whenever you send a request, Postman waits for the server to reply. If the server doesn’t respond within a certain timeframe, or if the request fails at the networking or certificate layer, Postman shows this generic error.

🔍 Common Causes of the Error

To troubleshoot effectively, it’s important to know the root causes. Below are the most frequent reasons why Postman shows “Could not get any response.”

1. 🌐 Network Issues – Your internet connection might be unstable or blocked.
2. 🔒 SSL Certificate Problems – Postman may fail when the API uses self-signed or invalid SSL certificates.
3. ⏳ Request Timeout – Postman stops waiting if the response takes too long.
4. ❌ Incorrect URL or Port – Typos in API endpoints often lead to no response.
5. 🚧 Firewall or Proxy Restrictions – Security software or company firewalls may block API calls.
6. 🖥️ Localhost Requests Not Configured – Testing APIs locally sometimes requires additional setup.
7. ⚙️ Postman Settings Misconfigured – Proxy or SSL settings in Postman may cause conflicts.

✅ Step-by-Step Fixes for the Error

Now let’s go through practical fixes to resolve the “Could not get any response” issue in Postman.

1. 🌐 Check Your Internet Connection

The simplest check is to ensure your internet is working. Open your browser and try accessing any website. If pages don’t load, restart your router or switch to a different network.

If you are behind a corporate network, ask your IT team whether API requests are blocked. Sometimes VPNs can also interfere, so try disconnecting and testing again.

2. 🔒 Disable SSL Certificate Verification

Many APIs use self-signed certificates, which Postman doesn’t trust by default. This often causes the no response error.

Fix:

• Go to Postman Settings → General.
• Toggle SSL certificate verification to OFF.
• Re-run your request.

If this resolves the issue, it means the certificate is the culprit. For production APIs, always ensure valid SSL certificates are used.

3. ⏱️ Increase Request Timeout

By default, Postman cancels requests that take too long. If your API is slow (for example, processing a large database query), Postman may terminate the request.

Fix:

• Navigate to File → Settings → General.
• Scroll to Request Timeout (ms).
• Increase it to a larger value (e.g., 60000 ms = 60 seconds).

Run your request again and check if the API eventually responds.

4. 🛑 Verify the API Endpoint

Sometimes the issue is simply a typo. Double-check the following:

• Correct base URL (https vs http).
• Accurate port number (e.g., :3000 or :8080).
• Proper endpoint path (e.g., /api/users not /api/user).

Try copying the API URL into a browser or command line tool like cURL to confirm it responds correctly.

5. 🔧 Bypass Proxy or Configure Proxy Properly

If you are using a proxy, Postman may be sending requests incorrectly.

Fix Options:

1. Disable proxy: Go to Settings → Proxy and turn off system proxy.
2. Manually configure: If your organization requires a proxy, make sure Postman’s proxy settings match.

6. 🖥️ Troubleshoot Localhost Requests

When working on local APIs (e.g., http://localhost:3000), Postman may fail due to environment differences.

Steps to check:

• Ensure your local server is running (npm start, php artisan serve, etc.).
• Replace localhost with 127.0.0.1 in the request URL.
• If using Docker, ensure the container’s ports are mapped correctly.

7. 🔐 Check Authentication and Headers

Some APIs require authentication tokens, API keys, or special headers. If these are missing, the server may not send any response back.

Solution:

• Add authentication under the Authorization tab in Postman.
• Verify required headers (like Content-Type: application/json).
• Check API documentation for necessary tokens or cookies.

8. 🚧 Check Firewall and Antivirus Software

Firewalls and antivirus programs can silently block outgoing requests. This leads to Postman showing “Could not get any response.”

Fix:

• Temporarily disable antivirus/firewall.
• Add Postman to the allowed apps list.
• For corporate users, consult IT to whitelist API domains.

9. 🔄 Restart Postman and Clear Cache

Sometimes the issue lies with Postman itself. A simple restart may refresh its internal processes.

You can also clear the Postman cache by:

• Going to Settings → Data.
• Choosing Clear all data (make sure to back up collections first).

10. 🧑‍💻 Use Postman Console for Debugging

Postman has a built-in console that logs all request and response details.

To open it:

• Click on View → Show Postman Console.
• Send your request again.
• Look for error codes, blocked requests, or SSL warnings.

This gives you deeper insights into why the request is failing.

⚡ Advanced Troubleshooting

If the above fixes don’t work, you may need to dig deeper:

1. Use cURL or another tool to confirm whether the issue is with Postman or the API itself.
2. Update Postman to the latest version since bugs in old versions may cause networking issues.
3. Check API logs on the server side to see if requests are arriving but failing.
4. Test with different environments (another PC, Postman web app, or a colleague’s machine).

📈 How to Prevent This Issue in the Future

To minimize interruptions while using Postman:

• Always keep Postman updated to the latest version.
• Configure your environments and variables properly.
• Use health check APIs to verify server availability before testing endpoints.
• Document your authentication tokens and update them regularly.
• Ensure your firewall and proxy rules are set up correctly.

By following these practices, you reduce the chances of running into the “Could not get any response” problem again.

📝 Final Thoughts

The “Postman could not get any response” error can be frustrating, but it usually has simple fixes. From checking your network and SSL settings to adjusting timeouts and proxies, most issues can be resolved within minutes.

Remember that this error doesn’t always mean your API is broken. Often, it’s a configuration or networking issue between Postman and the server. With the step-by-step troubleshooting methods above, you’ll be able to quickly identify the cause and continue testing your APIs with confidence.

If you encounter this error regularly, consider documenting your fix steps as part of your development workflow. This way, your team can avoid downtime and streamline debugging efforts.

✅ With these solutions, the next time you see “Could not get any response” in Postman, you’ll know exactly what to do!