Access rights determine who can read, modify, or execute a file on the server. You can change them from the console, from your FTP software, or via the command line.
From the console: Hosting Management → Tools section → File Manager. The Permissions column displays the rights; click on it to modify them.
Changing permissions from the console
- Open the File Manager and navigate to the relevant directory.
- Locate the Permissions column next to the file or folder.
- Check the desired boxes for the Owner, Group, and Others: Read, Write, Execute.
- Confirm.
Which permissions to set?
| Item |
Value |
What this means |
| Website files |
644 |
You can modify them; the server can read them to serve them |
| Directories |
755 |
Same as above, plus the right to traverse the directory |
| Directory where the application writes (file uploads, cache) |
755, sometimes 775 |
Apply only to directories that actually require it |
| Configuration files (database passwords) |
600 or 640 |
Readable only by you and by the server |
Never use 777. This is advice often found in forums to "unblock" an installation that refuses to write, but it is a security risk: any script hosted on the server can then modify your files. If an application requires 777, it indicates a problem elsewhere — contact support rather than opening up permissions.
Other methods
Common symptoms
| Symptom |
Clue |
| Error 403 "Forbidden" |
Missing read permissions on the file, or missing execute permission on a directory in the path |
| Error 500 |
Permissions too broad on a script: some configurations refuse to execute a file that is writable by everyone |
| The application cannot upload files |
Missing write permission on the destination directory — add it to that directory only |