423 Locked
4xx client error
The resource is locked and can't be modified right now (WebDAV).
423 comes from WebDAV (RFC 4918). A client can lock a resource while editing it; anyone else who tries to modify it gets 423 until the lock is released or expires. You'll meet it with file sync and document-collaboration servers such as SharePoint, Nextcloud and ownCloud.
| Class | 4xx Client Error |
|---|---|
| Retry? | With backoff (idempotent requests only) |
| Cacheable by default | No — only with explicit Cache-Control |
| Response body | Allowed |
| Defined in | RFC 4918 §11.3 — 423 Locked |
Example response
HTTP/1.1 423 Locked
Content-Type: application/json
Content-Length: 18
{"error":"Locked"}Common causes
- Another user or app holds a WebDAV lock on the file.
- A stale lock left behind by a client that crashed.
How to fix it
- Wait for the lock to expire, or close the file in the app that holds it.
- Administrators can usually clear stale locks from the server's admin tools.
Send a 423 from your server
Express
res.status(423).json({ error: "Locked" });Next.js route handler
return Response.json({ error: "Locked" }, { status: 423 });Flask
return {"error": "Locked"}, 423Go net/http
http.Error(w, "Locked", http.StatusLocked)
nginx
return 423;
Check what a URL returns
Print just the status line from the command line, or check a whole list of URLs at once, with their response headers, in the HTTP Status Checker.
curl -sI https://example.com/your-path | head -n 1
Frequently asked questions
Is 423 used outside WebDAV?
Some APIs borrow it for 'temporarily locked', but it's defined by WebDAV and generic clients won't treat it specially.
Related status codes