# Next.js 16.4.6 Now Gzips Route Handlers. I Checked Streams, Downloads and Pre-Compressed Bodies

Source: [DEV Community: javascript](https://dev.to/sushilmagare10/nextjs-1646-now-gzips-route-handlers-i-checked-streams-downloads-and-pre-compressed-bodies-1a1e) · 2026-11-10 · Frontend
Page: https://themorning.dev/story/next-js-16-4-6-now-gzips-route-handlers-i-checked-streams-downloads-and-pre-comp-693fd0c0d7f107fa
Kind: release · Impact: medium

## In brief

- Next.js 16.4.6 automatically compresses route handler responses that are not already compressed.
- The release note reads: "Automatically compress route handler responses if not already compressed."
- For self-hosted apps running next start, API routes were not gzipped before this release and now are.

## Why it matters

If you self-host with next start, your route handler responses are now gzipped, which changes the bytes your API sends and may affect anything that depends on the previous behaviour.

## Versions

- Next.js 16.4.6

## Timeline

- 2026-11-10: Next.js 16.4.6 shipped with the route handler compression change

## Coverage

- [Next.js 16.4.6 Now Gzips Route Handlers. I Checked Streams, Downloads and Pre-Compressed Bodies](https://dev.to/sushilmagare10/nextjs-1646-now-gzips-route-handlers-i-checked-streams-downloads-and-pre-compressed-bodies-1a1e) — DEV Community: javascript, 2026-11-10

Tags: nextjs, compression, gzip, route-handlers, release

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Brief generated by AI (claude-haiku-5-5) from the reporting listed under Coverage. Headlines belong to their publishers. The Morning Dev – https://themorning.dev