---
title: "Service: /members/{member}/unlock [POST]"
source: https://dev.pageseeder.com/api/services/unlock-member_post.html
description: "POST endpoint that allows administrators to unlock a locked member account. Returns the member details wrapped in a member-unlock element. Accounts lock after failed login attempts; only admins can unlock them or users can self-unlock via password reset."
last_updated: 2026-09-08T14:03:36+10:00
document_type: api_endpoint
operation_id: member-POST
resource_id: member
path_template: /members/{member}/unlock
http_method: POST
api_category: member
implementation_version: 6.2004
api_since: 5.0100
deprecated_since: null
obsolete_since: null
api_support: supported
cache_control: N/A
generated_at: 2026-09-02
tokens: ~451
---

# /members/\{member\}/unlock \[POST\]

## Description

This service lets an [Administrator](../../reference/glossary/administrator.md) unlock the account of a member.

Accounts are automatically locked after a number of failed attempts at login. After an account is locked, members are not able to access their account even if they supply the correct username and password: only administrators can unlock their account.

Account locking can be configured in the [global properties](../../guide/configuration/properties/global_properties.md).

If the account of the [Member](../../reference/glossary/member.md) is not locked, this service has no effect and returns a successful response.

> **Note:** When a member successfully resets their password, their account is automatically unlocked. So users can unlock their own by going through the [reset password flow](../../guide/configuration/emails/flows/personal_details.md).

## Parameters

No parameters required – the [Member](../../reference/glossary/member.md) to unlock is specified in the URL.

## Permission

This service can only be invoked by an administrator.

## Response

This service returns a single `<member>` element wrapped in a `<member-unlock>` element.

```xml

<member-unlock> 
  <member> 
    <!-- Member XML -->
  </member>
</member-unlock>
```

> **Deprecated:** Before PageSeeder 5.93 this service wrapped the member inside a `<member-account>` element instead and the `@locked` attribute (of absence thereof) on the `<member>` element was used to check whether the member account had been unlocked: ```xml <member-account locked="false"> <member> <!-- Member XML --> </member> </member-account> ```

## Error Handling

| Code | Cause / Description |
| --- | --- |
| 0x0204 | The member not found |
| 0x0101 | Access forbidden |