Home » Blog » How to Change Permissions of All Files in a Folder in Linux?
Ubuntu
Jannatul Ferdousi Sylvie March 23, 2023
In Linux, permissions restrict access to files and directories. There are three categories of users for whom permissions can be set: the file’s owner, the members of the group that owns the file, and all others. Changing the permissions for all files in a folder can be helpful in various circumstances, such as when you want to grant a group of users read, write, and execute permission or limit access to specific files. In this article, I will demonstrate how to change the permissions of all files in a folder in Linux.
Table of Contents Expand
Key Takeaways
- Learning about read, write & execute permission in Linux.
- Different methods of modifying permission using GUI & CLI.
- Knowing about frequently asked questions and their answers regarding file permission.
Requirements
- You must be a root user or have root/sudo access to Ubuntu.
- You need to determine the desired permission for all the files.
Read, Write & Execute Permissions in Linux
File and directory permissions are used in Linux to control resource access. Read, write, and execute permissions, which are denoted by the letters “r,” “w,” and “x,” respectively, are three basic forms of permissions. These permissions can be assigned to 3 types of users: the file or directory’s owner, the group that owns the file or directory, and others.
- Read permission (r): Allows a user to view the contents of a file or lists of a directory, but cannot modify them.
- Write permission (w): Allows a user to modify the contents of a file or to create, delete, or rename files in a directory. For example, a user with only written permission on a file can modify its contents but can’t view or execute it.
- Execute permission (x): Allows a user to run an executable file or change into a directory, but can not view or write onto it.
Read, write, and execute permissions can be represented using either octal or binary numbers. The table below shows octal representation, binary representation, file permission set, and corresponding permissions of any file/directory.
| Octal Representation | Binary Representation | File Permission Set | Permission | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 000 | — | No permission | ||
| 1 | 001 | –x | Execute | ||
| 2 | 010 | -w- | Write | ||
| 3 | 011 | -wx | Write | Execute | |
| 4 | 100 | r– | Read | ||
| 5 | 101 | r-x | Read | Execute | |
| 6 | 110 | rw- | Read | Write | |
| 7 | 111 | rwx | Read | Write | Execute |
Process Flow Chart
Distro Used Throughout the Tutorial: Ubuntu 22.04.1 LTS
4 Methods to Change Permissions of All Files in a Folder in Linux
Here, I’ve shown you four methods to change the permissions of all files in a folder which include one method using GUI & three methods using CLI in Linux.
You can read our Comparative Analysis of Methods to distinguish between these two methods and best pick one for your needs.
Method 1: Change Permissions of All Files Using GUI
I have demonstrated how to change the permissions of all files in a folder using GUI for beginners. Just follow all the steps below to change permissions using GUI in Linux.
Steps to Follow >
➊ At first, go to your desired directory.
➋ Then select all the files in the folder and right-click to view the properties.
➌ After that, select the properties to view the permissions of all the files.
❹ Now, go to the permissions and select read and write permission.
❺ Uncheck the checkbox to remove the execute permission of all the files in the directory.
Method 2: Using the chmod Command to Change Permissions in Linux
Here, you will learn how to change the permissions of all files in a folder using the chmod command in Linux. Follow the instructions below for a better understanding.
Steps to Follow >
➊ To initiate, press CTRL+ALT+T to open the Ubuntu Terminal.
➋ Then, copy the command below to see your present working directory and press the ENTER button.
pwdEXPLANATION
- pwd: Shows the present working directory.
➌ After that, execute the following command.
cd /home/sylvie/SummerEXPLANATION
- cd: Used to change directory.
- /home/sylvie/Summer: Path of the directory.
As you can see, the directory is changed from home to Summer.❹ To view the current permissions of all the files in the Summer folder run the command below and hit the ENTER button.
ls -lEXPLANATION
- ls: Shows all the files in a specific folder.
- option -l: Long listing format.
In the image above, you can view the permission for all the files in the Summer folder.❺ Now, execute the following command to change the permissions for all the files in the Summer folder.
chmod 764 *EXPLANATION
- chmod: Changes file permissions.
- 764: Read, Write & Execute permission.
- *: Indicates all files in the folder.
❻ Finally, run the command below to check if the permissions of all the files in the Summer folder are changed.ls -lEXPLANATION
- ls: Shows all the files in a specific folder.
- option -l: Long listing format.
As you can see in the above image, the permission of all the files in the folder is changed using the chmod command.Method 3: Change Permissions With the find & chmod Commands
In this method, you will learn to change the permissions of all files in a folder using the chmod command along with the find command in Linux. Follow the following procedure for better understanding.
Steps to Follow >
➊ At first, open the Ubuntu Terminal.
➋ Then, copy the command below to see your present working directory and press the ENTER button.
pwdEXPLANATION
- pwd: Shows the present working directory.
➌ After that, type the following command and tap the ENTER button to navigate to the desired folder.
cd /home/sylvie/SummerEXPLANATION
- cd: Used to change directory.
- /home/sylvie/Summer: Path of the directory.
As you can see, the directory is changed from home to Summer.❹ To view the current permissions of all the files in the Summer folder run the command below and hit the ENTER button.
ls -lEXPLANATION
- ls: Shows all the files in a specific folder.
- option -l: Long listing format.
In the image above, you can view the permission for all the files in the Summer folder.❺ Now, execute the following command to change the permissions for all the files in the Summer folder.
find . -type f -exec chmod 467 {} \;EXPLANATION
- find: Used to perform search operations.
- (.): Means the current folder.
- –type f: Specifies only regular files.
- -exec: Used to execute the chmod command on each file found by the find command.
- chmod: Changes file permissions.
- 467: Read, Write & Execute permission.
- {}: Placeholder for the current pathname.
- \: Used before (;) to treat it like an argument rather than a separator.
- ;: Indicates the end of the command.
❻ Finally, run the command below to check if the permissions of all the files in the Summer folder are changed.ls -lEXPLANATION
- ls: Shows all the files in a specific folder.
- option -l: Long listing format.
As you can see in the above image, the permission of all the files in the folder is changed using the find command and the chmod command.Method 4: Change Permissions in Linux Using the xargs & chmod Commands
You will get to know how to change all the files’ permissions using the chmod command along with the xargs command in Linux. For a better understanding, follow the process below.
Steps to Follow >
➊ At first, open the Ubuntu Terminal.
➋ Then, copy the command below to see your present working directory and press the ENTER button.
pwdEXPLANATION
- pwd: Shows the present working directory.
➌ After that, type the following command and tap the ENTER button to navigate to the desired folder.
cd /home/sylvie/SummerEXPLANATION
- cd: Used to change directory.
- /home/sylvie/Summer: Path of the directory.
As you can see, the directory is changed from home to Summer.❹ To view the current permissions of all the files in the Summer folder run the command below and hit the ENTER button.
ls -lEXPLANATION
- ls: Shows all the files in a specific folder.
- option -l: Long listing format.
In the image above, you can view the permission for all the files in the Summer folder.❺ Now, execute the following command to change the permissions for all the files in the Summer folder.
ls | xargs chmod 750EXPLANATION
- ls: Used to perform search operations.
- xargs: Used to pass one command’s output to another command’s input.
- chmod: Changes file permissions.
- 750: Read, Write & Execute permission.
❻ Finally, run the command below to check if the permissions of all the files in the Summer folder are changed.ls -lEXPLANATION
- ls: Shows all the files in a specific folder.
- option -l: Long listing format.
As you can see in the image above, the permissions of all the files in the folder are changed using the exec command along with the chmod command.Comparative Analysis of Methods
Since this article offers multiple approaches for a single task, you may be confused about which one to choose. For your convenience, I have provided a comparison of the two different ways that use GUI and CLI in this section.
| Methods | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Change permission using GUI |
|
|
| Change permission using CLI |
|
|
Thus, it can be considered that both approaches have perks and drawbacks of their own. The right approach differs from user to user. If you are a beginner, I would suggest you use the GUI to change the permission but for an advanced user, the use of CLI would be best in my opinion.
Complementary Information
You will find the following information helpful along with learning how to change the permissions of all the files in a specific folder in Linux.
Change Folder Permissions in Linux to 755
You can change folder permissions to 755 in Linux. Follow the instructions below for a better understanding.
Steps to Follow >
➊ Start by pressing CTRL+ALT+T to open the Ubuntu Terminal.
➋ Now, view the current permissions of the Summer folder, run the following command in the command prompt:
ls -lEXPLANATION
- ls: Shows all the files in a specific folder.
- option -l: Long listing format.
As you can see, the output shows the folder permissions.➌ Then, change the permission to 755, execute the following command in the command prompt:
chmod 755 SummerEXPLANATION
- chmod: Changes file permissions.
- 755: Read, Write & Execute Permission.
- Summer: The folder to change permission.
❹ Finally, run the command below to check if the permissions of the Summer folder are changed.ls -lEXPLANATION
- ls: Shows all the files in a specific folder.
- option -l: Long listing format.
As you can see in the above image, the permission of the folder is changed using the chmod command.Change Permission of Directory and Subdirectory Using the chmod Command Recursively
You can change a directory and subdirectory’s permission at once using the chmod command in recursive mode. For this, you need to add the -R option to the chmod command. You can do this by following the procedure below.
Steps to Follow >
➊ Open the Terminal in Ubuntu.
➋ To view the current permissions of the Summer directory and its subdirectory Fruits, run the following commands in the command prompt:
ls -lls -l SummerEXPLANATION
- ls: Shows all the files in a specific folder.
- option -l: Long listing format.
- Summer: The folder to change permission.
In the image above, you can view the current permission of the Summer directory.
In the snapshot above, you can view the current permission of the subdirectory Fruits of the Summer directory.➌ Now, change the permission of the directory and subdirectory concurrently, execute the following command in the command prompt:
chmod -R 764 SummerEXPLANATION
- chmod: Changes file permissions.
- -R option: Enables recursive mode.
- 764: Read, Write & Execute Permission.
- Summer: The folder to change permission.
❹ Finally, run the following commands to check if the permissions of the Summer directory and Fruits subdirectory are changed:ls -lls -l SummerEXPLANATION
- ls: Shows all the files in a specific folder.
- option -l: Long listing format.
- Summer: The folder to change permission.
As you can see in the image above, the permission of both the directory and subdirectory changed at the same time with a single command.Conclusion
In Linux system administration, changing the permissions of all the files in a folder is a common task. In this tutorial, I’ve discussed the four most commonly used methods for modifying the permissions of all files in a folder in Linux. Choose the method that suits you best. While changing permissions, keep in mind to proceed with caution to avoid unwanted consequences.
People Also Ask
What are the 3 types of permissions?
In Linux, there are three different permission types: read, write, and execute. These permissions determine what operations can be performed on a file or directory.
What do the letters in the chmod command mean?
The letters in the chmod command stand for the various operations and permission levels. The initial three letters, “u,” “g,” and “o,” stand for the owner, the group, and the others, respectively. The second letter ‘r’, ‘w’, and ‘x’ indicate read, write, and execute permissions. The third letter ‘+’ and ‘-‘ are used to add and delete permissions.
How do I give read/write access to a specific user on a file?
To give a specific user read/write access to a file, use the “chown” command to change the file’s ownership to that user, then use the “chmod” command to give that user read and write permissions.
How do I change the owner of a file in Linux?
To change the owner of a file in Linux, use the “chown” command, followed by the new owner’s username and the file name. For instance, “sudo chown newOwner fileOne” would make “newOwner” the owner of “fileOne”.
How do I view the current permissions of a file in Linux?
In Linux, use the “ls” command, followed by the “-l” option and the file name, to view the current permissions of a file. This will show a detailed list of the file’s information, including the owner, group, and others and their respective permissions.
How do I add execute permission to a file in Linux?
In Linux, use the “chmod” command, followed by the permission level and the file name, to add execute permission to a file. For instance, “sudo chmod +x fileOne” would give the file “fileOne” execute permission.
How do I set default permissions for newly created files in a directory?
You can use the “umask” command followed by the desired permissions to specify default permissions for newly created files in a directory. For instance, “umask 002” would change the default permissions to allow read, write, and execute permissions for the owner and group, and read and execute permissions for others.
FAQs
How to give full permission to all files in a folder in Linux? ›
chmod o-rwx foldername
To change directory permissions for everyone, use “u” for users, “g” for group, “o” for others, and “ugo” or “a” (for all). chmod ugo+rwx foldername to give read, write, and execute to everyone. chmod a=r foldername to give only read permission for everyone.
root user run the chmod -R 777 / command and all file permissions for the entire system have read/write/execute for every user.
How to change ownership of all files in a directory in Linux? ›0 Comments. In Linux, only root or superusers have access to all files and directories. If you are a normal user, then you can not access files and directories created by other users. In this case, you can use the chmod and chown command to change the permissions or ownership of those files and directories.
What is chmod 777 for all files and folders Ubuntu? ›chmod 777: Everything for everyone
This command will give read, write and execute permission to the owner, group and public. chmod 777 is considered potentially dangerous because you are giving read, write and execute permission on a file/directory to everyone (who is on your system).
- Access the Properties dialog box.
- Select the Security tab. ...
- Click Edit.
- In the Group or user name section, select the user(s) you wish to set permissions for.
- In the Permissions section, use the checkboxes to select the appropriate permission level.
- Click Apply.
- Click Okay.
Changing permissions with chmod
To modify the permission flags on existing files and directories, use the chmod command ("change mode"). It can be used for individual files or it can be run recursively with the -R option to change permissions for all of the subdirectories and files within a directory.
To give the owner all permissions and world execute you would type chmod 701 [filename]. To give the owner all permissions and world read and execute you would type chmod 705 [filename].
What does chmod 7777 mean? ›7777 means that everyone regardless of who is accessing the system has access to read, write, and execute.
How do I set all directories to 755 and all files to 644? ›This can work too: chmod -R 755 * // All files and folders to 755. chmod -R 644 *. * // All files will be 644.
How do I change the owner of all files in a folder? ›- Become superuser or assume an equivalent role.
- Change the owner of a file by using the chown command. # chown new-owner filename. new-owner. Specifies the user name or UID of the new owner of the file or directory. filename. ...
- Verify that the owner of the file has changed. # ls -l filename.
How do I change the owner and group of all files in Linux? ›
To change the file owner and group, we use the chown command in the Linux operating system. We know that Linux is a multiuser operating system so every file or directory belongs to an owner and group. To change ownership of files or directories we use chown command in the Linux system.
How do I change the owner of all files and subfolders in Linux? ›To change the ownership of all files and directories in the current directory to the user bob and the group developers , you would use the following command: chown -R bob:developers .
What is the difference between chmod 755 and 777? ›A 777 permission on the directory means that everyone has access to read/write/execute (execute on a directory means that you can do an ls of the directory). 755 means read and execute access for everyone and also write access for the owner of the file.
What is the difference between permissions 666 and 777 in Linux? ›A text file has 666 permissions, which grants read and write permission to everyone. A directory and an executable file have 777 permissions, which grants read, write, and execute permission to everyone. Typically, users override the system defaults in their /etc/profile file, . cshrc file, or .
What is the difference between chmod 0777 and 777? ›Note. It is worthy to note that if you're using chmod (the command line program), then there is no difference between 777 and 0777. This is because chmod interprets all numeric arguments as octal.
How do I change permissions on a lot of files at once? ›- Click the Windows orb, click All Programs, Accessories, Command Prompt.
- Navigate to the directory for which you want to change permissions and ownership. (e.g. Type "c:\Users\Bob\Documents".) This should take you to the right directory.
- Type the command "dir /on /b /s >list.txt"
Open an elevated command prompt. Run the following command to reset permissions for a file: icacls "full path to your file" /reset. To reset permissions for a folder: icacls "full path to the folder" /reset.
How do I override folder permissions? ›- Login to your computer as an admin. ...
- Right-click on the file or folder you want to change permissions and select Properties. ...
- Select the Security tab. ...
- Select the user you want to modify permissions and then click Edit.
- To add a new user or group click on Edit and then Add.
- Click Advanced and then Find now.
Permissions of 644 mean that the owner of the file has read and write access, while the group members and other users on the system only have read access.
How do I list all files and file permissions? ›Listing File Permissions
Type the command ls -l to list the files and directories with file permissions for your current location. The first character denotes whether an item is a file or a directory. If 'd' is shown, it's a directory, and if '-' is shown, it's a file.
What is chmod 755? ›
$ chmod 755 file.txt. Will give: Read, write, and execute permissions to the owner of the file; which is the user account that created the file or has been assigned ownership of the file.
What is chmod 777 using? ›Understanding CHMOD 777
The 777 file permission implies that all user classes can read, write, and execute. If you run the chmod 777, you are making the file or directory accessible to all user classes in your system. Such permission should be avoided and only used when you trust all the users in your system.
- Read (r) Read permission is used to access the file's contents. ...
- Write (w) Write permission allows you to modify or change the contents of a file. ...
- Execute (x) Execute permission allows you to execute the contents of a file. ...
- Read (r) ...
- Write (w) ...
- Execute (x)
To change file and directory permissions, use the command chmod (change mode). The owner of a file can change the permissions for user ( u ), group ( g ), or others ( o ) by adding ( + ) or subtracting ( - ) the read, write, and execute permissions.
What is chmod 1777 in Linux? ›The command "chmod 1777 filename" is a user sticky bit which allows only the user to have write access.
What does chmod 2775 mean? ›chmod 2775 ourdirectory does two helpful things to the directory's file permissions. First, it means that people in your group can create new files in that directory, but other people cannot.
What does chmod R 775 mean? ›775 is read write execute for user and group and read + execute for everyone else. So yes it's recursive looking at the command they really just mean all directories rather than all files and directories. Follow this answer to receive notifications. answered Jan 5, 2020 at 10:31.
How do I set chmod only to files? ›Use chmod +X (as opposed to +x ) which will make only directories executable and leave files alone. That will make all your files writeable by you and the server, but not executable, but will also make directories executable (i.e., listable).
How do I list all files with 777 permissions in Linux? ›find /home/ -perm 777 -type f
This command will list all the files inside the home directory with 777 permissions.
chmod 775. The user and groups can read, write and execute the file. Others can read and execute but cannot write.
What is the command to set permissions of files and directories? ›
The chmod command enables you to change the permissions on a file. You must be superuser or the owner of a file or directory to change its permissions.
How do I change ownership of all subfolders? ›- Right-click on a file or folder.
- Select Properties.
- Click the Security tab.
- Click Advanced.
- Click "Change" next to the owner name.
- Click Advanced.
- Click Find Now.
- Select your username and click OK.
Go to the File Audit tab, and under File Audit Reports, navigate to the Folder Permission Changes report. The details you can find in this report include the: File/folder name and its location in the server. Name of the user who modified the permission.
How do I change ownership in Linux? ›The chown command stands for change owner is a Linux command-line tool used to change the file and directory ownership. In Linux, only root and admin users can access all files and directories in the file system. Each file and directory is associated with an owner and group owner.
How do I check permissions on a directory in Linux? ›If you prefer using the command line, you can easily find a file's permission settings with the ls command, used to list information about files/directories. You can also add the –l option to the command to see the information in the long list format.
What is the ownership command in Linux? ›The chown command changes the owner of the file or directory specified by the File or Directory parameter to the user specified by the Owner parameter. The value of the Owner parameter can be a user name from the user database or a numeric user ID. Optionally, a group can also be specified.
What Linux command will change file ownership? ›Change the owner of a file by using the chown command. Specifies the user name or UID of the new owner of the file or directory.
How do I change owner and group owner in Linux? ›The chown command changes the owner of a file, and the chgrp command changes the group. On Linux, only root can use chown for changing ownership of a file, but any user can change the group to another group he belongs to. The plus sign means “add a permission,” and the x indicates which permission to add.
How do I take ownership of all folders and subfolders? ›Input cmd in your search box and open Command Prompt with elevated rights by selecting Run as administrator. Type in this takeown command: takeown /F "C:\Program Files\WindowsApps” Press the Enter keyboard key to take ownership of the folder.
What are 755 and 644 permissions? ›755 - owner can read/write/execute, group/others can read/execute. 644 - owner can read/write, group/others can read only.
What does chmod 766 mean? ›
About Chmod
766 is the mode we are changing the directory to, it means that the directory is readable and writable by WordPress and any and all other users on your system.
The chmod numerical format accepts up to four digits. The three rightmost digits define permissions for the file user, the group, and others. The optional leading digit, when 4 digits are given, specifies the special setuid, setgid, and sticky flags.
What are 4 2 1 permissions in Linux? ›The chmod command
Octal notation assigns 4 "points" to read, 2 to write, and 1 to execute. If we want to assign the user read permissions, we assign 4 to the first slot, but if we want to add write permissions, we must add 2. If we want to add execute, then we add 1.
The permission 777 means that any user on your operating system can modify, execute, and write to the files posing a significant security risk to your system. An unauthorized user could use this to modify files to compromise your system.
What is 600 permissions? ›Permission 600 is a common setting for data files that the owner wants to keep private. The owner may read and write a file. All others have no rights.
What is 555 permission in Linux? ›What Does Chmod 555 Mean? Setting a file's permissions to 555 makes it so that the file cannot be modified at all by anyone except the system's superuser (learn more about the Linux superuser).
How to use chmod 640? ›Using Binary References to Set permissions
A sample permission string would be chmod 640 file1, which means that the owner has read and write permissions, the group has read permissions, and all other user have no rights to the file.
757 allows read, write, execute by owner + read, execute by owner group + read, write, execute by others.
What does chmod 700 mean? ›To remove all permissions for group and world you would type chmod 700 [filename]. To give the owner all permissions and world execute you would type chmod 701 [filename]. To give the owner all permissions and world read and execute you would type chmod 705 [filename].
What is 777 permission in Linux? ›| 777 | anyone can do anything (read, write, or execute) |
|---|---|
| 755 | you can do anything; others can only read and execute |
| 711 | you can do anything; others can only execute |
| 644 | you can read and write; others can only read |
How do I allow all permissions in Linux? ›
To give the owner all permissions and world execute you would type chmod 701 [filename]. To give the owner all permissions and world read and execute you would type chmod 705 [filename].
What is chmod 711? ›$ chmod 711 .file. This command will give read, write, execute permissions to the user (owner), execute permission to the group and execute permission to others.
What does chmod 022 mean? ›For example, while the chmod 022 command grants write permission to group and others, the umask 022 command denies write permission for group and others. The following table shows some typical umask settings, and the effect on an executable file.
What is 666 permission in Linux? ›A text file has 666 permissions, which grants read and write permission to everyone. A directory and an executable file have 777 permissions, which grants read, write, and execute permission to everyone. Typically, users override the system defaults in their /etc/profile file, . cshrc file, or .
What is 444 permission in Linux? ›...
File permissions.
| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
| chmod 444 apple.txt | You can only read apple.txt, as everyone else. |
...
Chmod Numeric Permissions Notation Linux / Unix Command.
| Octal Mode Number | Description |
|---|---|
| 0004 | Allows everyone or the world to read |
| 0002 | Allows everyone or the world to write |
| 0001 | Allows everyone or the world to execute files and search in the directory |
| 1000 | Sets the sticky bit |
What Does Chmod 555 Mean? Setting a file's permissions to 555 makes it so that the file cannot be modified at all by anyone except the system's superuser (learn more about the Linux superuser).
What is 775 permission? ›The chmod 775 is an essential command that assigns read, write, and execute permission to a specific user, group, or others.
What is 755 permission? ›755 - owner can read/write/search, others and group can only search. Common permissions settings: 777 - directories with proper permissions on files in directory, use this one very carefully.