HTTP 423 Locked is a WebDAV status code indicating the resource being accessed is locked. The lock may be a write lock preventing modifications until the lock holder releases it.
Status
423 LockedExample
Request
GET /documents/budget-2026.pdf HTTP/1.1
Host: www.example.com
User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0
Accept: text/htmlResponse
HTTP/1.1 423 Locked
Content-Type: text/html; charset=utf-8
<!doctype html>
<html>
<body>
<h1>423 Locked</h1>
<p>This file is currently locked for editing by another user.</p>
</body>
</html>How to Troubleshoot
1
Check who holds the lock
Use a PROPFIND request to see lock information on the resource.
2
Wait for the lock to expire
Locks have a timeout. Wait for the lock to expire or ask the lock holder to release it.
3
Force unlock if you have permission
Administrators can force-remove locks using an UNLOCK request with the lock token.
Common Causes
WebDAV write lock active
highAnother user or process has a write lock on the resource, preventing modifications.
Related Status Codes
References
| Specification | Section |
|---|---|
| HTTP Extensions for Web Distributed Authoring and Versioning (WebDAV) | RFC 4918 §11.3 |
Frequently Asked Questions
This reference was compiled from official RFCs, protocol specifications, and hands-on troubleshooting experience. AI tools were used primarily for formatting and organizing the content on the page.