How to avoid "Request headers must contain only ASCII headers" in Microsoft chat

Øystein Eriksen 0 Reputation points
2026-10-04T16:25:55.25+00:00

Hello

Is it possible to navigate the web at Microsoft in such a manner that you get human support without having to chat to virtual assistant first? This virtual assistant only gives an error stating "Request headers must contain only ASCII headers". Even an emty chat will give this error.

Every guide i have found on the web for human support now leads to this virtual assistant. Newer guides says to ask for å specific topic several times and you will be redirected to human support. Does not help much anyways when this ASCII error is blocking every chat attempt.

ØE

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  1. Norah-L 11,425 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-10-05T10:03:45.49+00:00

    Hello Øystein Eriksen,

    I’m sorry you’re having trouble reaching a human support agent. To help narrow down where the error is coming from, could you please confirm the following?

    1. Does the same error appear in an InPrivate or Incognito window?
    2. Have you tested another browser, such as Microsoft Edge, Chrome, or Firefox?
    3. Does it also happen when you sign in with another personal Microsoft account?

    I noticed that your Microsoft account name contains the character Ø, which is a non-ASCII character. This does not confirm that your account name is the cause, but it would be useful to test the support page while signed in with another personal Microsoft account whose profile name contains only standard English letters. If the chat works with the other account in the same browser and on the same device, the issue may be associated with how the original account information is being processed.

    As another option, could you try reaching Microsoft Support through this page and let me know whether the same error appears?

    Tips:

    • When trying again, avoid accented letters and special characters such as Ø, å, æ, é, smart quotation marks, emojis, or text copied from another application.
    • If the support page directs you to the automated assistant, type “I need a live agent” in the chat.

    Please let me know how it goes after trying these steps, and I'll be glad to continue looking into it with you.

    Was this answer helpful?


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