\n\n\n\n\n<\/p>
How to Fix “Is its parent directory writable by the server?” Error on Web Hosting<\/h2>![The example of \"Is its parent directory writable by the server?\" issue.](\"https:\/\/imagedelivery.net\/LqiWLm-3MGbYHtFuUbcBtA\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/06\/is-its-parent-directory-writable-by-the-server-error-example.png\/public\")
<\/figure><\/div>The error can happen due to incorrect permissions, ownerships, or the location of the uploads<\/strong> folder. Regardless of the cause, we’re here to show you how to fix this error quickly.<\/p>There are two methods of resolving the issue on web hosting — by changing the directory path and permissions of the uploads<\/strong> folder.<\/p>1. Changing the Uploads Folder Directory<\/h3>
Sometimes, the “Is its parent directory writable by the server?<\/strong>” issue occurs because WordPress can’t recognize the location of the uploads<\/strong> folder.<\/p>You might face the problem after you have just moved your site to another hosting provider. To fix it, you need to modify your WordPress config file:<\/p>
\n- Access your hosting file manager or FTP, and search for the wp-config.php<\/strong> file. It is commonly located in the root folder of your website (\/public_html<\/strong>).<\/li>\n<\/ol>
![\"Hosting](\"https:\/\/imagedelivery.net\/LqiWLm-3MGbYHtFuUbcBtA\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/12\/Screenshot-2022-11-14-at-18.20.47.png\/w=1024,h=1024,fit=scale-down\")
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n- Open the file and add the following code:<\/li>\n<\/ol>
define( 'UPLOADS', 'wp-content\/uploads' );<\/pre>before this line:<\/p>
require_once(ABSPATH . 'wp-settings.php');<\/pre>\n- Save the file. Now, try to upload your media files again.<\/li>\n<\/ol>
2. Changing Folder Permissions<\/h3>
If you still get the “Is its parent directory writable by the server?<\/strong>” error after following Method 1<\/strong>, you might want to try resetting the permissions of your uploads<\/strong> folder.<\/p>Simply follow the instructions below:<\/p>
\n- Connect to your account via an FTP client<\/a> or file manager. Go to the WordPress installation directory — commonly in \/public_html<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Open the wp-content folder<\/strong> and right-click on the uploads<\/strong> folder.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Click on File Permissions<\/strong>. A new dialogue box will pop up. Look for the Numeric Value<\/strong> field and enter 755<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Scroll down and make sure the Recurse into subdirectories<\/strong> box is checked.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Select Apply to directories only<\/strong> and click OK<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>
By performing this method, you will reset the permissions of the uploads<\/strong> folder and its subfolders to 755<\/strong>.<\/p>The number means the owner of the file can read, write, and execute the file. This is important to allow the directory to be writable. Hence, fixing the “Is its parent directory writable by the server?<\/strong>” error.<\/p>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/imagedelivery.net\/LqiWLm-3MGbYHtFuUbcBtA\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/06\/New-WP_in-text-banner.png\/w=1024,h=1024,fit=scale-down\")
<\/a><\/figure>How to Fix “Is its parent directory writable by the server?” Error on VPS<\/h2>
If your WordPress site is hosted on VPS<\/a>, you can try the following solution to fix “Is its parent directory writable by the server?<\/strong>” error. However, note that this method only works for Linux<\/strong> running on Apache<\/strong> webserver.<\/p>Before we begin, let’s understand some basics. By default, your Apache web server<\/a> uses the www-data user<\/strong> and www-data group<\/strong> to access files and folders.<\/p>However, there is a possibility that the uploads folder is not owned by www-data<\/strong>. This situation leads to the “Is its parent directory writable by the server?<\/strong>” issue.<\/p>What you need to do is change the owner of the uploads directory to www-data<\/strong>:<\/p>\n- Connect to your VPS via SSH. You can learn how to do so in our SSH tutorial<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Navigate to the wp-content<\/strong> folder inside your WordPress installation directory.
cd public_html\/wp-content<\/pre> <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Change the owner and group of the uploads folder to www-data<\/strong> by running the chown command<\/a>:
chown -R www-data:www-data uploads<\/pre><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Just like on web hosting, the default permissions for the uploads folder might be incorrect. Therefore, while you are inside the wp-content <\/strong>folder, you may run the following command:
chmod 755 -R uploads<\/pre> It will set permissions for plugins and all subdirectories inside it to 755<\/strong>.<\/p><\/li>\n<\/ol>
<\/figure><\/div>The error can happen due to incorrect permissions, ownerships, or the location of the uploads<\/strong> folder. Regardless of the cause, we’re here to show you how to fix this error quickly.<\/p> There are two methods of resolving the issue on web hosting — by changing the directory path and permissions of the uploads<\/strong> folder.<\/p> Sometimes, the “Is its parent directory writable by the server?<\/strong>” issue occurs because WordPress can’t recognize the location of the uploads<\/strong> folder.<\/p> You might face the problem after you have just moved your site to another hosting provider. To fix it, you need to modify your WordPress config file:<\/p> before this line:<\/p> If you still get the “Is its parent directory writable by the server?<\/strong>” error after following Method 1<\/strong>, you might want to try resetting the permissions of your uploads<\/strong> folder.<\/p> Simply follow the instructions below:<\/p> By performing this method, you will reset the permissions of the uploads<\/strong> folder and its subfolders to 755<\/strong>.<\/p> The number means the owner of the file can read, write, and execute the file. This is important to allow the directory to be writable. Hence, fixing the “Is its parent directory writable by the server?<\/strong>” error.<\/p> If your WordPress site is hosted on VPS<\/a>, you can try the following solution to fix “Is its parent directory writable by the server?<\/strong>” error. However, note that this method only works for Linux<\/strong> running on Apache<\/strong> webserver.<\/p> Before we begin, let’s understand some basics. By default, your Apache web server<\/a> uses the www-data user<\/strong> and www-data group<\/strong> to access files and folders.<\/p> However, there is a possibility that the uploads folder is not owned by www-data<\/strong>. This situation leads to the “Is its parent directory writable by the server?<\/strong>” issue.<\/p> What you need to do is change the owner of the uploads directory to www-data<\/strong>:<\/p> It will set permissions for plugins and all subdirectories inside it to 755<\/strong>.<\/p><\/li>\n<\/ol>1. Changing the Uploads Folder Directory<\/h3>
\n
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n
define( 'UPLOADS', 'wp-content\/uploads' );<\/pre>
require_once(ABSPATH . 'wp-settings.php');<\/pre>
\n
2. Changing Folder Permissions<\/h3>
\n
<\/a><\/figure>How to Fix “Is its parent directory writable by the server?” Error on VPS<\/h2>
\n
cd public_html\/wp-content<\/pre> <\/li>\n\n\n\n
chown -R www-data:www-data uploads<\/pre><\/li>\n\n\n\n
chmod 755 -R uploads<\/pre>