---
title: "Next.js encountered runtime data in `generateMetadata()` on a route that must be fully static"
url: "https://nextjs.org/docs/messages/static-metadata-runtime"
docs_index: /docs/llms.txt
---



<div
  style={{
    padding: '1.25rem 1.5rem',
    border: '1px solid var(--ds-gray-400)',
    borderRadius: '12px',
    background: 'var(--ds-background-200)',
    margin: '1.5rem 0 2rem',
    fontSize: '0.95rem',
    lineHeight: '1.6',
  }}
>
  This error is part of the [Instant
  Navigations](https://nextjs.org/blog/next-16-3-instant-navigations) feature
  introduced in Next.js 16.3. If you're new to it, start with the [Ensuring
  instant navigations](/docs/app/guides/instant-navigation) guide.
</div>

A page or layout on this route exports [`ensureStatic`](/docs/app/api-reference/file-conventions/route-segment-config/ensureStatic) with the `'navigation'` value, requiring all server-rendered work for the route to complete during prerendering.

During [prerendering](/docs/app/glossary#prerendering), [`generateMetadata()`](/docs/app/api-reference/functions/generate-metadata) read request-specific data from [`cookies()`](/docs/app/api-reference/functions/cookies), [`headers()`](/docs/app/api-reference/functions/headers), [`params`](/docs/app/api-reference/file-conventions/page#params-optional), or [`searchParams`](/docs/app/api-reference/file-conventions/page#searchparams-optional). These values are only available for a request and prevent `generateMetadata()` from being fully prerendered.

A [`use cache`](/docs/app/api-reference/directives/use-cache) scope also triggers this error when its [`expire`](/docs/app/api-reference/functions/cacheLife#expire) is under five minutes, [`stale`](/docs/app/api-reference/functions/cacheLife#stale) is under 30 seconds, or [`revalidate`](/docs/app/api-reference/functions/cacheLife#revalidate) is `0`.

Uncached [`fetch()`](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Window/fetch) requests, database calls, and [`connection()`](/docs/app/api-reference/functions/connection) have different fixes. See [Uncached data in `generateMetadata()` on a route that must be fully static](/docs/messages/static-metadata-dynamic).

## Ways to fix this

<FixCardGrid>
  <FixCard
    group="static"
    title="Use static metadata"
    href="#use-static-metadata"
    snippets={[
      { text: 'export const metadata = {', highlight: true },
      { text: "  title: 'My page'" },
      { text: '}' },
    ]}
  />
</FixCardGrid>

## Use static metadata

Choose this fix when metadata does not need request-specific data.

### Patterns

#### Export a static metadata object

Replace `generateMetadata()` with a static [`metadata`](/docs/app/api-reference/functions/generate-metadata#the-metadata-object) export:

```jsx filename="app/dashboard/layout.jsx"
export const metadata = { title: 'My page' }

export default function Layout({ children }) {
  return <section>{children}</section>
}
```

Learn more: [Static metadata](/docs/app/api-reference/functions/generate-metadata#the-metadata-object).

### Trade-off

The metadata is determined during prerendering rather than per request.

### Gotchas

- This fixes metadata only. Page content and other segments must also satisfy the static requirement.
- A static export cannot read `cookies()`, `headers()`, `params`, or `searchParams`.

## Other options

### Extend the cache lifetime

Set `expire` to at least five minutes, `stale` to at least 30 seconds, and `revalidate` above `0`. Increase the lifetime only when serving shared, older metadata is acceptable.

Learn more: [`cacheLife`](/docs/app/api-reference/functions/cacheLife).

## Verifying the fix

After applying a fix, rerun [`next build`](/docs/app/api-reference/cli/next#next-build-options) and confirm that the route completes prerendering. If the error also appeared in [`next dev`](/docs/app/api-reference/cli/next#next-dev-options), reload the route and confirm that the overlay clears. Wrapping the access in Suspense or setting `instant = false` does not relax the fully static requirement.

In `next dev`, the error overlay points at the failing function with file paths and line numbers. Run [`next build --debug-prerender`](/docs/app/guides/building#debug-prerender-errors) for full user-frame stack traces and `next build --debug-build-paths /dashboard /settings` to iterate on specific routes.

## Remove the static requirement

The `'navigation'` value is usually set deliberately to guarantee static output for the entire server-rendered route. Removing it relaxes that requirement for every segment, not only metadata.

If request-time rendering is intentional for this route, remove `ensureStatic = 'navigation'` from every page or layout that sets it. The route then follows the ordinary [Cache Components](/docs/app/getting-started/caching) rendering rules.

Learn more: [Combining `ensureStatic` levels across layouts and pages](/docs/app/api-reference/file-conventions/route-segment-config/ensureStatic#combining-levels-across-layouts-and-pages).

## Related validation errors

See [Instant Navigation validation errors](/docs/messages/instant-navigation-validation) for the complete reference.