Fix WordPress Could Not Create Directory Error

How to Fix WordPress “Could Not Create Directory” Error

If you’re encountering the frustrating “Update failed: Could not create directory” error in WordPress, don’t worry. This comprehensive guide will walk you through all possible solutions, explaining each step in detail to ensure you can resolve this issue permanently.

Understanding the Error

This error typically occurs when WordPress lacks proper permissions to create or modify directories during updates, plugin/theme installations, or file operations. The main causes include:

• Incorrect file/folder permissions
• Improper ownership settings
• Server configuration issues
• Security plugin conflicts
• Insufficient disk space

1. Checking and Correcting File Permissions

Detailed Explanation: WordPress requires specific permissions to manage files. The most secure recommended settings are:

• 755 for directories – Allows reading, writing and executing for owner, and reading/executing for others
• 644 for files – Read/write for owner, read-only for others

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Connect to your server using FTP (FileZilla, WinSCP) or your hosting control panel’s File Manager
2. Navigate to your WordPress root directory (usually public_html or www)
3. Right-click the wp-content folder and select “File Permissions” or “CHMOD”
4. Set to 755 and check “Recurse into subdirectories”
5. Repeat for wp-content/uploads, wp-content/plugins, and wp-content/themes
6. For all files inside these directories, set permissions to 644

2. Adjusting File Ownership via SSH

When This is Needed: If permission changes don’t work, the web server might not own the files.

Detailed SSH Commands:

# First, identify your web server user:
ps aux | grep httpd
ps aux | grep apache
ps aux | grep nginx

# Then change ownership (replace www-data with your server user):
sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/your_site_directory/
sudo find /var/www/your_site_directory/ -type d -exec chmod 755 {} \;
sudo find /var/www/your_site_directory/ -type f -exec chmod 644 {} \;

Important Notes:

• Never use 777 permissions as it’s a security risk
• On shared hosting, you might need to contact your host for ownership changes

3. Modifying wp-config.php

Why This Works: This directive forces WordPress to use direct file system access instead of FTP.

Complete Guide:

1. Access your wp-config.php file via FTP or File Manager
2. Look for this line near the bottom: /* That's all, stop editing! Happy publishing. */
3. Add this line ABOVE that comment:

   define('FS_METHOD', 'direct');

4. Save the file and refresh your WordPress admin

4. Checking Disk Space

How to Check:

• Via SSH: Run df -h to see disk usage
• In cPanel: Check “Disk Space Usage” under Metrics
• In Plesk: Look at “Disk Usage” in the statistics panel

If You’re Out of Space:

1. Delete unused plugins/themes
2. Clear WordPress and server caches
3. Remove old backups
4. Optimize your database
5. Consider upgrading your hosting plan

5. Handling Plugin Conflicts

Advanced Troubleshooting:

1. Deactivate all plugins via FTP by renaming the plugins folder
2. Create a new empty plugins folder
3. Reactivate plugins one by one to identify the culprit
4. Check security plugins first (Wordfence, Sucuri, iThemes Security)
5. Consider alternative plugins if conflicts persist

Additional Solutions

For Advanced Users:

• Check PHP error logs for specific permission errors
• Verify safe_mode is off in php.ini
• Ensure open_basedir restrictions aren’t blocking access
• Test with default WordPress themes
• Contact your hosting provider for server-side restrictions

Preventive Measures

• Implement regular site backups
• Monitor disk space usage
• Keep WordPress core, plugins and themes updated
• Use a staging site for major changes
• Consider managed WordPress hosting for automatic maintenance

Final Tip: Always make changes in a test environment first if possible, and never forget to backup your site before making any modifications to file permissions or configurations.