ErrorFindly
4234xx Client ErrorMedium

HTTP 423 Locked

Defined in RFC 4918

What Does HTTP 423 Mean?

The resource that is being accessed is locked.

Common Causes

  1. 1WebDAV file locked by another user
  2. 2Document being edited by someone else
  3. 3Resource locked for exclusive access
  4. 4Database record locked during transaction

Impact

  • ⚠Cannot edit or modify the resource
  • ⚠Must wait for the lock to be released

Developer Fix

For web developers and application engineers

  1. 1Check lock status before attempting modifications
  2. 2Implement lock timeout handling
  3. 3Show lock owner and estimated unlock time to user

Server Admin Fix

For system administrators and DevOps engineers

  1. 1Monitor for stale locks that need cleanup
  2. 2Implement automatic lock expiration
  3. 3Provide admin tools to manually release locks

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I unlock a locked resource?
Use the WebDAV UNLOCK method with the lock token. If you don't have the token, an administrator may need to remove the lock, or wait for it to expire.
Is 423 only used in WebDAV?
While defined for WebDAV, some APIs use 423 to indicate a resource is locked for editing by another user or process. It is not commonly seen outside of file management and collaborative editing systems.

Related HTTP Status Codes

409Conflict424Failed Dependency

About the Author

Web Infrastructure Team

Verified against official RFC specifications and real-world server configurations. HTTP status code behavior confirmed across Apache, Nginx, and Cloudflare.