If you are running a WordPress website, you often see the “wp-config.php is not Writable” error in your WordPress dashboard when you are trying to add any plugins or switch the theme. 

But what does the “wp-config.php is not Writable” mean and how to set wp-config.php to Writable?

The “wp-config.php is not Writable” error indicates that you can’t modify or edit the file. As a website owner, you often face this frustrating issue that you must deal with. Let’s understand this “wp-config.php is not Writable” error in detail and explore the effective techniques to set wp-config.php to writable.

What Is The “Wp-Config.Php Is Not Writable” Error?

The “wp-config.php is not Writable” error means you don’t have permission to edit or modify the wp-config.php file. The wp-config.php is crucial for your WordPress website as it consists of the essential settings such as site URL, database credentials, security code, and other essential importations. 

When you install WordPress, a wp-config.php file is automatically created. By default, it’s always set in read-only mode to prevent unauthorized access. When you install a new WordPress plugin or switch the WordPress theme, the wp-config.php will be modified. 

Check more: Minify Php

Here, the “set wp-config.php to writable” error occurs. If the wp-config.php file is set to read-only mode, you can’t modify it, which may trigger the “set wp-config.php to writable” error in your WordPress dashboard.

FAQ:

What is the wp-config.php file in WordPress?

The wp-config.php is an essential file for your WordPress site. It contains essential information about your site, such as database credentials, site URLs, and more.

Why do you see the “wp-config.php is not writable” error message?

This wp-config.php is not writable” error message occurs when the wp-config.php is set in read-only mode. 

Why can’t we set the wp-config.php file permissions to 777?

No, it’s not a good practice to set the wp-config.php file permission to 777, which indicates everyone can read, write, and execute the wp-config.php file. This can harm your WordPress site’s security. 

To make the  wp-config.php file writable, you can set the file permission to 664. This allows wp-config.php to be read and modified by accounts in owner groups and read by everyone. 

How To Set wp-config.php to Writable?

To fix this “set wp-config.php to writable” error, the only thing you need to do is change the file permission. By providing proper file permission, you can set a file’s accessibility: who can read, modify, or execute the file.

The file permission consists of three digits where the first digit indicates the permission of the owner’s accounts, the second digit refers to the permission of other accounts in owner groups, and the third digit determines the permission of the accounts of everyone else. 

When you install WordPress, by default the file permission of the wp-config.php file is set to 644. This file permission only allows a site owner to read or write the file. 

You can change the permissions of the wp-config.php file according to your requirements via an FTP client or file manager, which is available in the control panel. Let’s explore the easy process to change the wp-config.php file’s permissions. 

• Step 1: Open the file manager from the web hosting control panel and find the wp-config.php file. 

• Step 2: After finding the wp-config.php file, right-click on it. Then go to the context menu and click on “change permissions” or “file permissions”.

• Step 3: A dialogue box will pop-up for setting permissions. The best practice is to modify the file permission to 664, which indicates that wp-config.php can be read and modified by accounts in owner groups and read by everyone. 

The file permission also can be changed in 666, which means everyone can read and write the file.

• Step 4: when you set the proper permission, you can click on the “apply” or “save” button. 

By applying the above steps you can easily fix the “set wp-config.php to writable” error in your WordPress website. 

However, if you still face the same error after changing the file permission, it can occur for other reasons, such as poor server configuration or file ownership. At this time, you need to contact the WordPress hosting provider to fix this error. 

Conclusion 

Here you have seen the reason behind the “wp-config.php is not Writable” error in your WordPress site and how to set wp-config.php to Writable. By implementing the above steps you can easily change the file permission and set wp-config.php to writable.