Title: error: “cannot update that file/template”
Last modified: August 18, 2016

---

# error: “cannot update that file/template”

 *  [wlb82](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wlb82/)
 * (@wlb82)
 * [21 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/error-cannot-update-that-filetemplate/)
 * I just installed WordPress after using LiveJournal for a while, and now can’t
   figure out how to edit my templates. When going to the “Templates” tab, i’m asked
   to CHMOD my files to something above 666. Here’s the thing…most all of my files
   are above CHMOD 700…does anyone know why WordPress will still not allow me to
   edit templates? Thanks for your help!

Viewing 2 replies - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)

 *  [iconoplast](https://wordpress.org/support/users/iconoplast/)
 * (@iconoplast)
 * [21 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/error-cannot-update-that-filetemplate/#post-142916)
 * I’m hoping this is the problem; if not, hopefully it’ll help someone who searches
   for this and doesn’t understand.
 * Don’t think of chmod numbers as six-hundred-sixty-six… think of them as 6-6-6.
   It’s a numeric (added) expression of who has permission to do what; it’s read
   as your permissions, groups permissions, and other (global) permissions. The 
   numbers add up to permissions: 4 to read, 2 to write, 1 to execute — so over 
   700 may mean you can do anything (7) to the file, but doesn’t necessarily give
   wordpress permissions to write (2, 6, or 7) or execute (1, 5, or 7). [http://www.perlfect.com/articles/chmod.shtml](http://www.perlfect.com/articles/chmod.shtml)
   might be of some help, or from a unix shell, type ‘man chmod’ (without the quotes).
 *  Moderator [James Huff](https://wordpress.org/support/users/macmanx/)
 * (@macmanx)
 * [21 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/error-cannot-update-that-filetemplate/#post-142926)
 * Like Iconoplast said, a CHMOD setting of 700 allows only you to read, write, 
   and execute the file in question. This prevents WordPress and your readers from
   accessing the file. Try either 666 or 755, I use 666.

Viewing 2 replies - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)

The topic ‘error: “cannot update that file/template”’ is closed to new replies.

 * In: [Fixing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/how-to-and-troubleshooting/)
 * 2 replies
 * 3 participants
 * Last reply from: [James Huff](https://wordpress.org/support/users/macmanx/)
 * Last activity: [21 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/error-cannot-update-that-filetemplate/#post-142926)
 * Status: not resolved

## Topics

### Topics with no replies

### Non-support topics

### Resolved topics

### Unresolved topics

### All topics