How Can I Reset File and Folder Permissions

File and folder permission errors can be very inconvenient while uploading and modifying files, decompressing archives, and running scripts.

Your Cloudways server hosts your web application (website) files, but you need the correct permissions to apply any changes.

Without these, you can not do anything on your website and may see errors preventing you from changing your files and directories.

Setting up the correct permissions can avoid these errors and security breaches.

Table of Contents:

There are many variations in error messages, such as:

It is good practice to diagnose whether permissions are correctly set for your user before diving in deep and checking other aspects. There are multiple ways of fixing permissions, but in the Cloudways Platform, it’s just a matter of a few clicks.

Need a quick solution? Watch this video to learn how to reset file and folder permissions on your Cloudways server in just a few clicks.

It’s a simple guide to help you fix common permission issues without hassle.

You can easily reset file and folder permissions using the Cloudways Platform if you are the account owner or a team member with the necessary rights to the application.

Please note that this reset permission operation only applies to the webroot, which is the public_html directory of your application and all the files and directories residing there.

After resetting permissions, the following operations will happen:

Here, 775 translates to drwxrwxr-x, which means that the owner and group member can read, write, and execute, while all others can read and execute.

On the other hand, 664 translates to -rw-rw-r–, which means that the owner and group member can read and write a file, while all others can only read the file.

If you connect to your server using SSH, you can easily verify the set permissions and see the user and the group name.

The master user name typically starts with master_XXXXX unless you have changed it, and the application user name is the same as your application folder name.

Log in to your Cloudways Platform using your email address and password.

2. Choose the server where your target application is deployed.

3. Next, click WWW Globe Button and choose the application as shown below.

4. You will be in the General Settings of that application. From the side menu, click on Application Settings.

5. Navigate to the Reset File/Folders Permission as shown below.

Click on the dropdown button and list of users will appear. Choose the desired user (master user or an application user) who should have permission, and click on reset.

Here is how you can verify if the permissions are successfully reset.

Now your desired user should have all the required permissions.

If you still see permission-related errors while accessing specific directories or files, then make sure you don’t have any rules in the .htaccess file causing conflict.

Try managed DigitalOcean hosting at Cloudways Platform to experience the top-notch performance, simplicity, and flexibility with Cloudways. In addition, Cloudways removes all your server administration and maintenance hassles, so you remain focused on your business.

That's it! We hope this article was helpful.

If you need assistance, feel free to:

We're here 24/7 to help you!