SiteCare – File Permissions Manager
File and directory permissions are one of the easiest things to get wrong on a WordPress site – and one of the most consequential. Set them too loose and you hand attackers an easy way in; set them too tight and updates, uploads, and plugins quietly stop working. The correct values are well known (755 for folders, 644 for files, locked-down config files), but applying them the usual way means FTP or SSH access, recursive chmod commands, and a real risk of breaking your site with a single typo.
SiteCare File Permissions Manager removes all of that. From one screen under Tools → Permissions, it recursively applies the safe, recommended permissions across your entire WordPress install – no FTP, no shell, no command line. The recommended values are pre-filled, so for most people it really is a single button.
Features
- One-click recursive chmod for the whole WordPress site.
- Instant diagnosis – the screen opens with a clear “X items are writable by everyone” warning whenever risky permissions are found, so you know right away whether you have a problem.
- Separate, recommended values for directories (755) and files (644).
- Beginner-friendly checkboxes for owner / group / world (read, write, execute) – no need to understand octal numbers. The matching number is filled in for you and stays in sync.
- Plain-language explanation of exactly what each setting means (“You: open & view & change. Everyone: open & view”), updated live as you change the boxes.
- Dangerous values are blocked – world-writable permissions like 777 or 666, unreadable files (000) and non-traversable folders can never be applied, both in the browser and on the server, so you cannot lock yourself out or open your site up by mistake.
- Advanced overrides for sensitive files (.htaccess, wp-config.php, .user.ini, php.ini) with three modes: recommended read-only (444), the same value as your files, or a custom value per file.
- Live, expandable file tree that shows the current permission of every file and folder, with colour hints for safe vs. risky values.
- Real progress bar with batched processing, so it works on large sites without hitting PHP timeouts.
- Ships fully translated into five world languages – German, Spanish, French, Portuguese and Russian – plus Czech.
- No external scripts, fonts or trackers are loaded.
A rule for a sensitive file (for example php.ini) is only applied when that file actually exists on the server. Missing files are simply skipped.