When using Webhook triggers in your Zap, you may encounter one of the following issues:

• The trigger may not retrieve test records, preventing you from testing sample data.
• The Zap may be turned on, but it does not trigger when it should.

Causes

This can happen for several reasons:

• The app sending the webhook may have incorrect settings or may not be sending webhooks to Zapier.
• The webhook data format might be incompatible with Zapier or improperly structured, causing Zapier to fail to process it.
  • Payload data must be in XML, JSON, or form-encoded formats.

How to fix it

1. Verify webhook configuration

• Ensure that the Zap editor's webhook URL matches your app's URL.
• Check the request type:
  • If you’re making a POST request, use either the Catch Hook or Catch Raw Hook trigger.
• If you’re using a GET request, use the Retrieve Poll trigger.

2. Verify security restrictions

• Some webhook services may require the allowlisting of Zapier’s IP addresses.
• If using authentication, Webhooks by Zapier only supports basic authentication.
  • If the REST API requires more advanced authentication methods, you must use build an app in the Zapier Developer Platform.

Learn more about setting up advanced webhooks automation with the Zapier Developer Platform.

3. Retest your trigger

Test if your Zap can pull in test records to confirm that Zapier is listening for webhooks.

• In one tab in your browser, open your app.
• In a second tab in your browser, open your Zap’s webhook trigger step .
• In your app, perform the event that triggers the webhook (such as creating a record).
• Go to your Zapier tab. In the Test tab, click Test trigger.
  • For instant triggers, you must test immediately after performing the trigger event. Delays may cause Zapier to miss the trigger. If this happens, repeat the trigger event before retesting in Zapier.

If you are able to pull in a test record, it confirms that Zapier can receive webhooks from your app. If you cannot pull in a test record, your webhook may not be configured correctly. 

4. Generate a custom API request 

You must create and send a custom webhook request to determine whether the issue is with your Zap or the app. You can do this in two ways:

• Use a tool like Postman to create a custom HTTP request
• Open the webhook URL in a browser with URL parameters

4.1 Create a custom webhook request with Postman

4.1 Create a custom webhook request with Postman 

• In your browser, open a new tab and go toPostman.
• Create an API request using the POST HTTP method and copy the Webhook URL from your Zap.
• In the Body, add the request payload data.
  • Payload data must be in XML, JSON, or form-encoded format only.
• Click Send.
• In your Zapier tab, go to the webhook step.
• In the Test tab, click Test trigger.

Tip

Using curl or hurl, use a POST request with a JSON payload. Here's a curl example:

curl -v -H "Accept: application/json" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-X POST \
-d '{"first_name":"Vale","last_name":"Evergreen","age":27}' \
https://zapier.com/hooks/catch/n/Lx2RH/

4.2 Test your webhook in a browser with URL parameters

4.2 Test your webhook in a browser with URL parameters 

This method allows you to verify if the webhook is reachable and if Zapier registers an incoming request. To do so:

• In your Zap step, copy the webhook URL.
• In your browser, open a new tab.
• In the address bar, paste your webhook URL. Then, append URL-encoded test fields to the end of the URL.
  • For example, to pass the field named “field name” with the value of “this is a test”, your URL would look like this: https://hooks.zapier.com/hooks/catch/123456/abcde?field_name=this_is_a_test_value"
• Press Enter on your keyboard to send the request.
• If the request was successfully sent, you should receive a message with a success status.
  • For example {"attempt":"an_id_value","id":"another_id_value","request_id":"another_id_value","status":"success"}
• Check your Zap history to confirm if the data was received if your Zap is on.
• Alternatively, retest the trigger to your webhook step in your Zap. It should appear as a recent record.

If you can send data to the Zapier webhook URL, it confirms that the app needs to be configured to send data to Zapier. Go back to your app to review the current settings to ensure:

• You are using the correct Zapier webhook URL.
• You can use webhooks in your app.
• The payload data is in a supported format.

If you cannot send data to the Zapier webhook URL, you must investigate the issue further.

5. Inspect the request data

To verify webhook delivery and data formatting, use a tool like Webhook.site to inspect the request outside Zapier. To use Webhook.site:

• Go to Webhook.site.
• Copy the unique URL from the testing site.
• Go to your app’s webhook settings.
• Enter the unique URL provided by Webhook.site as the destination webhook URL.
• In your app, perform the event that triggers the webhook (such as creating a record). Once triggered, the app will send an HTTP request with the event data to your Webhook.site URL.
• In your Webhook.site tab, you’ll see the incoming request displayed on the page in real-time. It will contain details about the requests.

If the request appears in Webhook.site, your app is sending webhooks, but Zapier may be unable to process the data due to an unsupported payload format. This often requires pre- or post-processing. Consider building a private app using Zapier’s Developer Platform for advanced webhook handling. Learn more about using advanced webhooks in the Developer Platform. 

If the request does not appear in Webhook.site, your app is not sending webhook data. Contact the app’s support team to verify the webhook configuration.