How to Test Zendesk Webhooks
Zendesk webhooks let you subscribe to support ticket events, user updates, and organization changes for real-time integrations.
Looking for the broader picture? See the 7 best webhook testing tools (2026), or if you're already on Webhook.site, the 60-second migration to HookRay.
Zendesk Official Webhook Docs1. Zendesk Webhook Events
Zendesk can send the following webhook events to your endpoint:
zen:event-type:ticket.createdzen:event-type:ticket.updatedzen:event-type:ticket.solvedzen:event-type:user.createdzen:event-type:user.updatedzen:event-type:organization.updated2. Set Up a Test Endpoint with HookRay
Follow these steps to start receiving Zendesk webhooks for testing:
- Go to HookRay and click "Start Testing — Free" to get your unique webhook URL.
- Copy the URL (e.g.,
https://h.hookray.com/abc123). - In your Zendesk dashboard, navigate to the webhook settings and paste the HookRay URL as your endpoint.
- Select the events you want to receive (see list above).
- Trigger a test event — HookRay will show the incoming webhook in real-time.
3. Sample Zendesk Webhook Payload
Here's an example of what a Zendesk webhook payload looks like:
{
"ticket": {
"id": 35436,
"subject": "Webhook endpoint returning 500",
"status": "open",
"priority": "high",
"requester": {
"name": "Alex Chen",
"email": "alex@example.com"
}
},
"current_user": {
"name": "Support Agent"
}
}4. Frequently Asked Questions
How do I test Zendesk webhooks without deploying?
Use HookRay to get an instant public webhook URL. Paste it into your Zendesk dashboard's webhook configuration, trigger an event, and watch the payload arrive in real time. No code, no ngrok, no deployment required. The free tier captures 100 requests per month and works on all Zendesk event types.
Why aren't my Zendesk webhooks arriving?
The four most common causes: (1) the endpoint URL isn't publicly accessible — Zendesk can't reach localhost; (2) the wrong events are subscribed in your Zendesk dashboard; (3) signature verification is rejecting the request before your handler runs; (4) Zendesk can't reach your server because of a firewall, expired SSL certificate, or wrong DNS. Use HookRay's URL to isolate which of these four is failing — if HookRay receives the webhook, the problem is in your handler. If HookRay doesn't, the problem is in Zendesk configuration.
Why am I getting 400 or 500 errors from my Zendesk webhook?
Zendesk reports the response status your endpoint returned. HookRay accepts any payload and returns 200 OK by default, so if you see 400/500 in your Zendesk dashboard while pointing at HookRay, the issue is in Zendesk's configuration (wrong event, malformed signing secret, etc.). If you point at your own endpoint and get 400/500, the issue is in your handler — capture the request with HookRay, replay it locally, and debug from the captured payload.
How do I verify Zendesk webhook signatures?
Zendesk signs each webhook request with a shared secret. Capture the raw headers and body using HookRay, then verify the signature in your application using Zendesk's SDK or a standard HMAC library. Once verification works against HookRay-captured data, you can safely deploy. Zendesk's docs (linked above) cover the exact signing algorithm.
Can I replay a captured Zendesk webhook?
Yes — HookRay's replay feature re-sends any captured webhook to a different endpoint with one click. This is the fastest way to fix a buggy handler: capture the payload once, fix your code, and replay until it works. No need to re-trigger the event in Zendesk.
5. Next Steps
- Use HookRay's webhook replay feature to re-send captured webhooks while building your handler
- Enable smart parsing (Pro plan) to see Zendesk-specific fields highlighted automatically
- Check the Zendesk webhook documentation for the complete event reference
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Start Testing Zendesk Webhooks — FreeFree PDF: Webhook Testing Cheat Sheet 2026
One-page reference for 50+ APIs — canonical events, signing methods, sample payloads. Print it, pin it, share it.
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