If you’ve encountered the “Main WordPress Directory Not Writable” error, don’t worry—it’s a common issue. Bobcares, as a part of our WordPress Support Services offers solutions to every query that comes our way.

Overview

1. Understanding “Main WordPress Directory Not Writable” Error
2. Why This Error Happens?
3. Steps to Fix the Error
4. Conclusion

Understanding “Main WordPress Directory Not Writable” Error

The error usually means WordPress can’t modify or create files in its core directory, affecting plugin installations, theme updates, and content uploads. Here’s a quick and straightforward guide to fix it.

Why This Error Happens?

1. Incorrect File Permissions: WordPress needs specific permissions for files and folders to function correctly. Permissions generally should be:

755 for folders
644 for files

2. Ownership Issues: The web server user (like www-data for Apache or nginx for Nginx) needs ownership of the WordPress directory. If WordPress is installed by a different user, it might not have the access it needs.

3. File System Restrictions (open_basedir): Some hosts restrict PHP access outside a specific path (via open_basedir), limiting WordPress’s ability to write files.

4. Server Configuration: Hosting environments, especially shared hosting, sometimes restrict access to certain directories.

Steps to Fix the Error

1. Check and Adjust File Permissions

i. Using FTP:

Connect to the site via FTP (e.g., FileZilla).

Right-click on the WordPress root directory, select “File Permissions.”

Set directories to 755 and files to 644.

ii. Using SSH:

If we have SSH access, run:

find /path/to/wordpress/ -type d -exec chmod 755 {} \;
find /path/to/wordpress/ -type f -exec chmod 644 {} \;

Replace /path/to/wordpress/ with the WordPress installation path.

2. Ensure Correct Ownership

i. Make sure the WordPress directory is owned by the web server user:

sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /path/to/wordpress

ii. Replace /path/to/wordpress with the WordPress directory path and www-data with the server’s web user if different.

3. Disable open_basedir Restrictions

i. In the hosting control panel (e.g., cPanel), Look for the open_basedir setting.

ii. If it’s restricting access, disable it for WordPress, or we can ask the hosting provider for assistance.

4. Force Direct Access in wp-config.php

i. In the wp-config.php file, add this line to allow WordPress to write files directly:

define('FS_METHOD', 'direct');

ii. This skips the need for FTP and allows WordPress to write directly to the server.

5. Check Server Disk Space: Low disk space can sometimes cause this error, especially on shared hosting. Check available disk space through the hosting control panel, and free up space if needed.

6. Try a Different Browser: Occasionally, browser cache or cookies can interfere. Try accessing the site from a different browser or device to rule out this issue.

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Conclusion

By following these steps, we should be able to resolve the “Main WordPress Directory Not Writable” error quickly. With the correct permissions, ownership, and a few configuration tweaks, WordPress should be back to functioning smoothly, allowing us to update plugins, themes, and manage content effortlessly.