How to Make a POST Request in Postman: Step-by-Step Guide

To make a POST request in Postman, open Postman, select POST from the method dropdown, enter the request URL, add any required headers and body data, then click Send. Postman will show the server response below the request area.

Syntax

A POST request in Postman requires these parts:

• Method: Choose POST from the dropdown.
• URL: Enter the API endpoint you want to send data to.
• Headers: Optional key-value pairs like Content-Type to tell the server the data format.
• Body: The data you want to send, usually in JSON or form-data format.
• Send Button: Click to execute the request and get the response.

http

POST https://example.com/api/resource
Headers:
  Content-Type: application/json
Body (raw JSON):
  {
    "key": "value"
  }

Example

This example shows how to send a POST request with JSON data to create a new user.

json

{
  "name": "Alice",
  "email": "[e-mail]"
}

Output

{
  "id": 123,
  "name": "Alice",
  "email": "[e-mail]",
  "message": "User created successfully"
}

Common Pitfalls

• Forgetting to set Content-Type header to application/json when sending JSON body causes server errors.
• Not selecting POST method and leaving it as GET will not send data.
• Incorrect JSON syntax in the body leads to request failure.
• Missing required fields in the body can cause validation errors from the server.

json

Wrong way:
{
  "name": "Alice",
  "email": "[e-mail]"
}

Right way:
{
  "name": "Alice",
  "email": "[e-mail]"
}

Quick Reference

Step	Action
1	Open Postman and select POST method
2	Enter the request URL
3	Go to Headers tab and add Content-Type: application/json
4	Go to Body tab, select raw and JSON format, then enter JSON data
5	Click Send to execute the request
6	View the response below

Key Takeaways

Always select POST method before sending data in Postman.

Set Content-Type header to application/json when sending JSON body.

Enter valid JSON syntax in the Body tab under raw format.

Click Send to execute and check the response for success or errors.

Use Postman’s interface to easily add headers, body, and view responses.