Cannot Upload Files in WordPress: Fix Permissions

What this problem is

Uploads fail with errors like "Unable to create directory" or the Media Library cannot write files.

Why it happens

• Incorrect permissions on wp-content/uploads
• Wrong owner/group after a migration
• Disk is full

Prerequisites

• FTP/File Manager/SSH access
• Ability to check disk usage

Diagnosis

1. Confirm the exact error message in wp-admin.
2. Check if wp-content/uploads exists and is writable.
3. Check disk space on the hosting account.

Step-by-step (detailed)

1. Set folder permissions on wp-content and uploads to 755.
2. Set file permissions inside uploads to 644.
3. Ensure the correct ownership for the web server user (hosting-specific).
4. Retry uploading a small image.

Expected results

• Uploads succeed
• Media Library can write files

What to do if it fails

• If disk is full, free space and retry.
• If ownership is wrong, ask hosting support to fix it.
• Disable security rules that block uploads (WAF/mod_security) temporarily.

Best practices

• After migrations, verify permissions and ownership immediately.
• Keep a margin of free disk space.
• Use an image optimization workflow to reduce storage.