Bing Web Search API error codes: what 401, 403, 410, and 429 actually mean

TL;DR: What works: When a Bing Web Search call fails, read the status code before touching your code. What the docs say: Official docs (Microsoft Learn, Bing Web Search error codes): the real errors people hit and what they mean. 400 means a parameter is missing or invalid.

Bing Web Search API error codes: what 401, 403, 410, and 429 actually mean

Fix

1. What works: When a Bing Web Search call fails, read the status code before touching your code. Expected: this specific failure stops.

2. : check the Ocp-Apim-Subscription-Key header value and make sure you are not sending two auth methods at once. Expected: this specific failure stops.

3. : check quota usage and whether the key is still active. Expected: this specific failure stops.

4. : switch the request URL to https. Expected: the request routes instead of erroring.

5. : re-check required parameters, something is missing or malformed. Expected: this specific failure stops.

Details

What the docs say: Official docs (Microsoft Learn, Bing Web Search error codes): the real errors people hit and what they mean. 429: slow the request rate, you are over the per-second quota.

When to use

You hit exactly this: Bing Web Search API error codes: what 401, 403, 410, and 429 actually mean in Bing Web Search API error codes.

When not to use

A different error, or the same symptom in a different tool. This page only covers the failure above.

Compatibility

Bing Web Search API error codes.

Root cause

400 means a parameter is missing or invalid. 401 means the Ocp-Apim-Subscription-Key is missing or wrong, or you sent redundant auth methods at once. 403 means the monthly quota is exceeded, or the authorization is disabled or expired. 410 means you called over plain HTTP instead of HTTPS. 429 means the QPS (queries per second) quota is exceeded.

The official docs describe: Bing Web Search API error codes: what 401, 403, 410, and 429 actually mean. What the docs say to do: When a Bing Web Search call fails, read the status code before touching your code. 401: check the Ocp-Apim-Subscription-Key header value and make sure you are not sending two auth methods at once. 403: check quota usage and whether the key is still active. 410: switch the request URL to https. 429: slow the request rate, you are over the per-second quota. 400: re-check required parameters, something is missing or malformed. Source: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/bing/search-apis/bing-web-search/reference/error-codes