---
name: "CURLOPT_HTTP_CONTENT_DECODING"
section: "3"
platform: "linux"
package: "curl"
version: "8.23.0-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/CURLOPT_HTTP_CONTENT_DECODING"
---

# CURLOPT\_HTTP\_CONTENT\_DECODING(3)

HTTP content decoding control

## NAME

CURLOPT\_HTTP\_CONTENT\_DECODING - HTTP content decoding control

## SYNOPSIS

```
#include <curl/curl.h>
CURLcode curl_easy_setopt(CURL *handle, CURLOPT_HTTP_CONTENT_DECODING,
                          long enabled);
```

## DESCRIPTION

Pass a long to tell libcurl how to act on content decoding. If set to zero, content decoding is disabled. If set to 1 it is enabled. libcurl has no default content decoding but requires you to use *[CURLOPT\_ACCEPT\_ENCODING(3)](/CURLOPT_ACCEPT_ENCODING/3.md)* for that.

## DEFAULT

1

## PROTOCOLS

This functionality affects http only

## EXAMPLE

```
int main(void)
{
  CURL *curl = curl_easy_init();
  if(curl) {
    CURLcode result;
    curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_URL, "https://example.com/");
    curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_HTTP_CONTENT_DECODING, 0L);
    result = curl_easy_perform(curl);
  }
}
```

## AVAILABILITY

Added in curl 7.16.2

## RETURN VALUE

*[curl\_easy\_setopt(3)](/curl_easy_setopt/3.md)* returns a CURLcode indicating success or error.

CURLE\_OK (0) means everything was OK, non-zero means an error occurred, see *[libcurl-errors(3)](/libcurl-errors/3.md)*.

## SEE ALSO

[**CURLOPT\_ACCEPT\_ENCODING**(3)](/CURLOPT_ACCEPT_ENCODING/3.md), [**CURLOPT\_DEBUGFUNCTION**(3)](/CURLOPT_DEBUGFUNCTION/3.md), [**CURLOPT\_STDERR**(3)](/CURLOPT_STDERR/3.md)