How Do I Change File Permissions Using an FTP Client?
What are File Permissions for FTP?
With web hosting on a UNIX platform, each file and folder stored has a set of permissions associated with it. File permissions determine the level of access a user has to view, modify, or manage a file or directory. Learn how file permissions are structured, the definition of each permission, and how to change file permissions using an FTP client.
The three classes of file permissions include:
- owner (you)
- group (people you've given access to your account)
- public (site visitors)
The permissions themselves are divided into three categories:
- read
- write
- execute
There are two ways to display file permissions visually: One is through a combination of letters and hyphens, while the other uses numbers. When file permissions are displayed using the first method, the letter "r" indicates read access, the letter "w" indicates write access, and the letter "x" indicates execute access. The hyphen "-" indicates no access. As each class of users, namely owner, group, and others, can be granted all three permissions or none, a file's permissions are displayed using a nine-character string.
FTP Permissions for Files and Folders
The most common permissions include:
| Mode | Permission | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 400 | r-------- | Will not let you accidentally erase |
| 444 | r--r--r-- | Allows everyone to read |
| 600 | rw------- | No one else can read or see files |
| 644 | rw-r--r-- | Files |
| 664 | rw-rw-r-- | Files |
| 666 | rw-rw-rw- | Files |
| 700 | rwx------ | Programs and directories |
| 750 | rwxr-x--- | Programs and directories |
| 755 | rwxr-xr-x | Programs and directories |
| 777 | rwxrwxrwx | Programs and directories |
You can also set file and directory permissions through your FTP software.
How to Modify File Permissions with FTP Client
Your FTP program most likely sets permissions on your files. The steps below show how to change file permissions using FileZilla as an example:
- Open FileZilla on your device. You need the information below to connect to FileZilla.
- Host - Your IP address or server hostname
- Username - Your FTP username
- Password - Your FTP password
- Port - 21 or leave blank
- Click on Quickconnect. Once you have successfully connected to FileZilla, locate the file for which you want to change the permissions.
- Select File permissions. A similar panel appears in the following example from FileZilla for Windows:
- Click OK.
For additional information and to determine if you can use your FTP software to change file or directory permissions, please refer to the help section of your FTP Software or its website.
Review
File permissions determine the level of access users have to files and directories, including viewing, modifying, or managing them. There are three classes of users: owner, group, and public, with permissions divided into read, write, and execute. Permissions can be displayed as a combination of letters and hyphens or using numbers, with specific modes indicating different levels of access ranging from read-only to full permissions for files and directories.
FTP clients, such as FileZilla, allow users to modify file permissions, requiring connection details like host, username, password, and port. For further assistance, consult your FTP software's help section or website.