Changing File and Directory Access Permissions in Plesk File Manager

Effectively managing file and directory access permissions is crucial for maintaining the security and functionality of your website. In Plesk Obsidian, the File Manager provides a straightforward interface to modify these permissions, allowing you to control who can access, read, write, or execute specific files and folders. This guide will walk you through the process for both Linux and Windows-based Plesk installations.

Changing Permissions in Plesk for Linux

To adjust the access permissions for a file or directory within your Plesk for Linux environment, follow these detailed steps:

1. Navigate to the Websites & Domains section, select your specific domain name, and then click on File Manager.
2. Locate the file or directory for which you wish to modify permissions. Click on its corresponding row, and then select the Change Permissions button.

   Note: The Change Permissions button will not be visible for files and directories that are not owned by your subscription user (e.g., those owned by root or apache). Permissions for such files and directories cannot be altered through the File Manager interface.

3. A dialog box will appear, allowing you to select the desired permissions. Grant or deny specific access rights to different user groups as needed.
4. If you are modifying permissions for a directory and wish for these changes to apply to all files and subdirectories contained within it, enable the "Change permissions recursively" checkbox. This ensures consistent permission settings throughout the directory structure.
5. Once all the necessary permission adjustments have been made, click Save to apply your changes.

Changing Permissions in Plesk for Windows

For Plesk installations running on a Windows server, the process of modifying file and directory permissions involves a few additional options for finer control. Here’s how to proceed:

1. Begin by going to Websites & Domains, selecting your domain name, and then accessing the File Manager.
2. Identify the file or directory whose permissions require modification. Click its row and then click the Change Permissions button.
3. Within the permissions interface, you will find several options to configure:
   • To enable the file or folder to inherit permissions from its parent directory, select the checkbox labeled Allow inheritable permissions from the parent to propagate to this object and all child objects. Include these with entries explicitly defined here.
   • To ensure that all files and subfolders within the current directory adopt the permissions you define here, check the box for Replace permission entries on all child objects with entries shown here that apply to child objects. This is useful for enforcing uniform permissions.
   • To modify or remove permissions for an existing group or user, select the relevant name from the Group or user names list. If the desired group or user is not listed, use the menu above the list to add them, then select their name.

     To allow or deny specific permissions for the selected user/group, check the appropriate boxes under the Allow or Deny columns. If these checkboxes appear grayed out, it signifies that the permissions are currently being inherited from a parent folder.

   • Should you need to deny permissions that are otherwise inherited as allowed from a parent object, simply select the relevant checkboxes under Deny. This action will override the inherited permissions specifically for this file or folder.
   • Conversely, to allow permissions that are inherited as denied from a parent object, first clear the Allow inheritable permissions from the parent to propagate to this object and all child objects. Include these with entries explicitly defined here checkbox to remove inherited permissions. Afterward, you can explicitly select the desired checkboxes under both Allow and Deny.
   • To completely remove access permissions for a specific group or user, select their name in the Group or user names list and click the accompanying icon.
4. For advanced permission configurations, click the "Advanced" button and perform the following actions:
   • To establish a new permission entry for a group or user, select their name from the Group or user names list and click the icon.
   • To set or adjust file/folder permissions for a group or user, select their name from the Group or user names list. Then, choose the appropriate Allow and Deny checkboxes corresponding to the permissions listed under Permissions for <user/group name>.
   • To delete a permission entry for a group or user, select their name from the Group or user names list and click the icon.
   • To ensure that child objects within a folder inherit its permissions, as defined under Permissions for <user/group name>, select the Replace permission entries on all child objects with entries shown here that apply to child objects checkbox. Following this, choose the specific objects from the Apply to list that should inherit these permissions.
5. After completing all advanced permission configurations, click OK to finalize your changes.

By following these steps, you can effectively manage and secure your website's files and directories within Plesk Obsidian, ensuring optimal access control for your web content.