Understanding and setting file permissions

File permissions control who can read, write or execute your files. On Linux hosting they are shown as three digits, for example 644 or 755.

Each digit represents owner, group and everyone, and adds up from: read (4), write (2), execute (1).

Recommended settings for most websites:

• Files: 644 (owner can edit, others can read).
• Folders: 755 (owner can edit, others can browse).
• Sensitive config files such as wp-config.php: 600 or 640.

To change permissions in the DirhamHost File Manager, right-click a file and choose Change Permissions, then tick the boxes or type the number. In FileZilla, right-click and choose File permissions.

Avoid 777. It lets anyone write to a file and is a common cause of hacked sites. If a plugin asks for 777, use 755 for folders and 644 for files first - that is almost always enough. If you see a 403 Forbidden or 500 error after changing permissions, revert to 644/755. Need help diagnosing a permission error? Contact support at support@dirhamaday.ae.