What does chmod 777 mean?
chmod 777 gives full access for everyone. Anyone can read, write and execute. It “fixes” permission errors by removing all protection — any user or compromised process on the server can change or replace the files. Almost never the right answer on a web server; fix ownership or use 775 with a shared group instead.
| Who | Digit | Symbolic | Permissions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Owner (user) | 7 | rwx | read, write, execute |
| Group | 7 | rwx | read, write, execute |
| Others | 7 | rwx | read, write, execute |
Each digit is the sum of read (4), write (2) and execute (1). In ls -l the file shows as -rwxrwxrwx and a directory as drwxrwxrwx.
How to use chmod 777
# one file or directory
chmod 777 filename
# the same permissions in symbolic form
chmod u=rwx,g=rwx,o=rwx filename
# a directory and everything inside it
chmod -R 777 directory/
# only directories (keep files separate)
find path/ -type d -exec chmod 777 {} +Security warning
World-writable permissions let any local user or compromised process modify the files. If something “only works with 777”, the real problem is usually ownership: run chown so the web server user owns the files, or put both users in a group and use 775 / 664.
Need a different combination? Tick the boxes in the chmod calculator to get the octal and symbolic values instantly.
Frequently asked questions
What does chmod 777 do?
What is 777 in symbolic notation?
rwxrwxrwx, or chmod u=rwx,g=rwx,o=rwx as a symbolic chmod command.