Fix WordPress File Permissions After a Migration

Target state

Path	Mode
Directories	755
Files	644
wp-config.php	600 (or 640 if your host requires group read)

Verify what any octal means with the Chmod Calculator before applying it.

Steps

1. Fix ownership first — most “cannot write” errors are ownership, not mode: chown -R youruser:yourgroup /path/to/site (your host’s panel often has a “reset ownership” button).
2. Reset directories: find /path/to/site -type d -exec chmod 755 {} +
3. Reset files: find /path/to/site -type f -exec chmod 644 {} +
4. Lock the config: chmod 600 wp-config.php
5. Test an upload in the media library and a plugin update. If either fails, check the PHP process user matches the file owner — do not escalate to 777.
6. Seeing 403s after the reset? Confirm directories kept their execute bit — decode the current mode in the Chmod Calculator, and check the response code meaning in the HTTP Status Lookup.

Watch out

• Never run chmod -R 777 — on shared hosting it exposes your files to every other account on the box.
• Some managed hosts enforce their own scheme; if 755/644 gets reverted, use the host’s permission reset instead.

Related

• Chmod 755 vs 644, Explained
• Web Config Ops hub
• WordPress.org Ops (plugin intel, PHP, salts)