660
Octal
rw-rw----
Symbolic
Use with care
Security
What does chmod 660 mean?
chmod 660 gives owner and group read/write. Owner and group can both edit, others have no access. Typical for shared files in a team directory, or files written by a service user and an admin in the same group.
| Who | Digit | Symbolic | Permissions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Owner (user) | 6 | rw- | read, write |
| Group | 6 | rw- | read, write |
| Others | 0 | --- | no access |
Each digit is the sum of read (4), write (2) and execute (1). In ls -l the file shows as -rw-rw----.
How to use chmod 660
# one file or directory
chmod 660 filename
# the same permissions in symbolic form
chmod u=rw,g=rw,o= filename
# a directory and everything inside it
chmod -R 660 directory/
# only regular files
find path/ -type f -exec chmod 660 {} +Need a different combination? Tick the boxes in the chmod calculator to get the octal and symbolic values instantly.
Chmod calculatorToggle read, write and execute for owner, group and others to build any permission.
Open the calculator Frequently asked questions
What does chmod 660 do?
It sets the permissions to rw-rw----: the owner gets read, write, the group read, write and others no access.
What is 660 in symbolic notation?
rw-rw----, or chmod u=rw,g=rw,o= as a symbolic chmod command.Is chmod 660 safe?
It is fine in controlled setups, but it grants write access beyond the owner — make sure the group (or everyone, for the sticky bit) is intended.