# Unable to create directory wp-content/uploads/. Is its parent directory writable by the server? Permission Issues
**URL:** https://community.kinsta.com/t/unable-to-create-directory-wp-content-uploads-is-its-parent-directory-writable-by-the-server-permission-issues/345
**Category:** Bug Reports
**Created:** [February 9, 2021, 2:50am UTC](https://community.kinsta.com/t/unable-to-create-directory-wp-content-uploads-is-its-parent-directory-writable-by-the-server-permission-issues/345 "2021-02-09T02:50:30Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@aidenberzins](https://community.kinsta.com/u/aidenberzins)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2021, 2:50am UTC](https://community.kinsta.com/t/unable-to-create-directory-wp-content-uploads-is-its-parent-directory-writable-by-the-server-permission-issues/345/1 "2021-02-09T02:50:30Z")
**Q: Date/Time this occurred (Provide your time zone also)**
**A:** Monday, February 8th, 2021 @ 7:46PM MST
**Q: DevKinsta Version**
**A:** Latest as of today
**Q: OS Version**
**A:** Windows 10
**Q: Docker Desktop Version**
**A:** v20.10.2
**Q: Were any error codes or messages observed? If so, what were they?**
**A:** Unable to create directory wp-content/uploads/2021/02. Is its parent directory writable by the server?
**Q: Detailed Description of the Problem**
**A:** Unable to upload image to DevKinsta post featured image or media library.
---
### Author:  [@michael](https://community.kinsta.com/u/michael)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2021, 4:12pm UTC](https://community.kinsta.com/t/unable-to-create-directory-wp-content-uploads-is-its-parent-directory-writable-by-the-server-permission-issues/345/2 "2021-02-09T16:12:05Z")
Hi @aidenberzins . Welcome! Thanks for reporting the issue. It _should_ work by default 🤔 . Is this for a brand new site or an imported site? Do you have any other sites you’d be able to test this on? Lastly, do you have any apps or antivirus software that could be blocking it?
---
### Author:  [@aidenberzins](https://community.kinsta.com/u/aidenberzins)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2021, 4:31pm UTC](https://community.kinsta.com/t/unable-to-create-directory-wp-content-uploads-is-its-parent-directory-writable-by-the-server-permission-issues/345/3 "2021-02-09T16:31:09Z")
The site was originally imported from GoDaddy but I had someone restart the staging site so that I could develop fresh and pull into DevKinsta without issue.
I can try on one of my other sites as well to see if this is an isolated issue. It is only a problem because it rewrites the database with null values so if I could just push the site without the database that would also be fine.
No antivirus software.
---
### Author:  [@aidenberzins](https://community.kinsta.com/u/aidenberzins)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2021, 4:35pm UTC](https://community.kinsta.com/t/unable-to-create-directory-wp-content-uploads-is-its-parent-directory-writable-by-the-server-permission-issues/345/4 "2021-02-09T16:35:21Z")
@michael It is the same issue across my sites in DevKinsta.
Even if the folder already exists.
---
### Author:  [@aidenberzins](https://community.kinsta.com/u/aidenberzins)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2021, 4:41pm UTC](https://community.kinsta.com/t/unable-to-create-directory-wp-content-uploads-is-its-parent-directory-writable-by-the-server-permission-issues/345/5 "2021-02-09T16:41:02Z")
I did manage to figure it out.
I needed to restart the Docker DB container: “devkinsta\_db” from Docker Desktop.
And then it had no issues.
---
### Author:  [@michael](https://community.kinsta.com/u/michael)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2021, 5:09pm UTC](https://community.kinsta.com/t/unable-to-create-directory-wp-content-uploads-is-its-parent-directory-writable-by-the-server-permission-issues/345/6 "2021-02-09T17:09:22Z")
That’s fantastic! I’m glad it was an easy fix. Thanks for updating us here!
---
### Author:  [@aidenberzins](https://community.kinsta.com/u/aidenberzins)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2021, 12:45am UTC](https://community.kinsta.com/t/unable-to-create-directory-wp-content-uploads-is-its-parent-directory-writable-by-the-server-permission-issues/345/7 "2021-02-13T00:45:16Z")
This does seem to be a recurring issue and resetting the DB container did not work this time.
Not sure how to troubleshoot this.
---
### Author:  [@jeff](https://community.kinsta.com/u/jeff)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2021, 3:45pm UTC](https://community.kinsta.com/t/unable-to-create-directory-wp-content-uploads-is-its-parent-directory-writable-by-the-server-permission-issues/345/8 "2021-02-15T15:45:09Z")
Hi Aiden,
Can you confirm that your wp-config file does not have any of the following set?
> DISALLOW\_FILE\_EDIT
> WP\_TEMP\_DIR
---
### Author:  [@aidenberzins](https://community.kinsta.com/u/aidenberzins)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2021, 10:33pm UTC](https://community.kinsta.com/t/unable-to-create-directory-wp-content-uploads-is-its-parent-directory-writable-by-the-server-permission-issues/345/10 "2021-02-16T22:33:37Z")
Nope,
Neither of those are in the wp-config file.
---
### Author:  [@michael](https://community.kinsta.com/u/michael)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2021, 11:19pm UTC](https://community.kinsta.com/t/unable-to-create-directory-wp-content-uploads-is-its-parent-directory-writable-by-the-server-permission-issues/345/11 "2021-02-16T23:19:49Z")
> [@aidenberzins](#):
>
> It is the same issue across my sites in DevKinsta.
Sorry for the trouble. Could you clarify whether this occurs on a brand new empty site within DevKinsta?
---
### Author:  [@aidenberzins](https://community.kinsta.com/u/aidenberzins)
#### Post date: [February 17, 2021, 5:33am UTC](https://community.kinsta.com/t/unable-to-create-directory-wp-content-uploads-is-its-parent-directory-writable-by-the-server-permission-issues/345/12 "2021-02-17T05:33:59Z")
All three sites were imported from Kinsta.
It doesn’t just seem to be occuring with images though. It also will not add plugins.
---
### Author:  [@michael](https://community.kinsta.com/u/michael)
#### Post date: [February 17, 2021, 4:16pm UTC](https://community.kinsta.com/t/unable-to-create-directory-wp-content-uploads-is-its-parent-directory-writable-by-the-server-permission-issues/345/13 "2021-02-17T16:16:07Z")
> [@aidenberzins](#):
>
> All three sites were imported from Kinsta.
Thank you. Could you try creating a “New WordPress site” from within DevKinsta and testing the new blank site? As in, one that’s created from within DevKinsta and not imported. I’m curious if perhaps it’s a setting from those imported sites or a system issue.
---
### Author:  [@aidenberzins](https://community.kinsta.com/u/aidenberzins)
#### Post date: [February 17, 2021, 5:28pm UTC](https://community.kinsta.com/t/unable-to-create-directory-wp-content-uploads-is-its-parent-directory-writable-by-the-server-permission-issues/345/14 "2021-02-17T17:28:41Z")
It does seem to be working with the new site that was created from a clean install.
---
### Author:  [@michael](https://community.kinsta.com/u/michael)
#### Post date: [February 17, 2021, 7:53pm UTC](https://community.kinsta.com/t/unable-to-create-directory-wp-content-uploads-is-its-parent-directory-writable-by-the-server-permission-issues/345/15 "2021-02-17T19:53:22Z")
Thanks for testing that. Are you familiar with using Terminal? Could you try the following steps?
**Run the following:**
`docker exec -it devkinsta_fpm bash`
**Then run this:**
`echo "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" | base64 -d | bash`
To translate, this will reset permissions. Here’s whats going on above:
```auto
#!/bin/bash
files=(wp-admin wp-content wp-includes)
echo "Resetting file permissions, this may take a moment..."
echo "Resetting ownership...";
chown www-data:www-data -R /www/kinsta/public/*
for i in "${files[@]}"
do
echo "Recursively setting directory permissions to 755 on $i...";
find /www/kinsta/public -type d -name $i -exec chmod -R 755 {} +
echo "Recursively setting file permissions to 644 on $i...";
find /www/kinsta/public -type f -name $i -exec chmod -R 644 {} +
done
echo "Permissions have been reset.";
```
Let me know if that works for you!
_Edit: Added file and directory settings here on September 1, 2021._
---
### Author:  [@andxdev](https://community.kinsta.com/u/andxdev)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2021, 12:22pm UTC](https://community.kinsta.com/t/unable-to-create-directory-wp-content-uploads-is-its-parent-directory-writable-by-the-server-permission-issues/345/16 "2021-01-31T12:22:06Z")
Is there something I must or can do in terms folder permissions?
WPML is throwing this error:
> WPML String Translation is attempting to write .mo files with translations to folder:
> /www/kinsta/public/domainname/wp-content/languages
>
> This folder appears to be not writable. This is blocking translation for strings from appearing on the site.
>
> To resolve this, please contact your hosting company and request that they make that folder writable.
>
> For more details, see [WPML’s documentation on troubleshooting .mo files generation.](https://wpml.org/faq/cannot-write-mo-files/?utm_source=wpml-plugin&utm_medium=warning-message&utm_campaign=mo-files&utm_term=cannot-write-mo-files&utm_content=doc-link).
---
### Author:  [@andxdev](https://community.kinsta.com/u/andxdev)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2021, 5:54pm UTC](https://community.kinsta.com/t/unable-to-create-directory-wp-content-uploads-is-its-parent-directory-writable-by-the-server-permission-issues/345/17 "2021-02-01T17:54:58Z")
Is there any support here? I guess not.
---
### Author:  [@michael](https://community.kinsta.com/u/michael)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2021, 8:17pm UTC](https://community.kinsta.com/t/unable-to-create-directory-wp-content-uploads-is-its-parent-directory-writable-by-the-server-permission-issues/345/18 "2021-02-01T20:17:52Z")
Hi @andxdev . Welcome to DevKinsta. Apologies for the delay. We do provide support here 🙂
Could you share with us a bit more on your configuration? Are you running Windows or Mac? Does the directory exist? Was this a site that was pulled or created new within DevKinsta?
---
### Author:  [@andxdev](https://community.kinsta.com/u/andxdev)
#### Post date: [February 2, 2021, 9:22am UTC](https://community.kinsta.com/t/unable-to-create-directory-wp-content-uploads-is-its-parent-directory-writable-by-the-server-permission-issues/345/19 "2021-02-02T09:22:32Z")
Thank you @michael.
I have given up ion DevKinsta, possibly until it is more polished and receives speedy support that I need in my work.
Let us close this case.
---
### Author:  [@michael](https://community.kinsta.com/u/michael)
#### Post date: [February 2, 2021, 4:20pm UTC](https://community.kinsta.com/t/unable-to-create-directory-wp-content-uploads-is-its-parent-directory-writable-by-the-server-permission-issues/345/20 "2021-02-02T16:20:42Z")
I’m very sorry for the trouble here @andxdev . We’ll have an update soon on the next release.
---
### Author:  [@fmon](https://community.kinsta.com/u/fmon)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2021, 4:19pm UTC](https://community.kinsta.com/t/unable-to-create-directory-wp-content-uploads-is-its-parent-directory-writable-by-the-server-permission-issues/345/21 "2021-04-15T16:19:49Z")
I just installed devkinsta today, downloaded one of my live sites to test and got the same error. WPML can’t write to /wp-content/languages folder. The folder exists (in Windows), but I don’t know how to check write permissions (I’m new to docker).
[Next page](https://community.kinsta.com/t/unable-to-create-directory-wp-content-uploads-is-its-parent-directory-writable-by-the-server-permission-issues/345.md?page=2)