Title: .htaccess Last modified: August 22, 2016 --- # .htaccess * [olifantje](https://wordpress.org/support/users/olifantje/) * (@olifantje) * [11 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/htaccess-63/) * Does .htaccess in public_html have final say? I thought the .htaccess file in public_html overwrites other .htaccess in other directories. So whatever is in that .htaccess file, it will be applied everywhere. The one in cgi-bin directories only works for the directories and paths inside the cgi-bin directory. Same as the htaccess in wp-admin and others. Is this true? * And what happens when both .htaccess have the same rules, except the htaccess in wp-admin says “allow” and the public_html says “deny”? Will the rules in public_html always overrule? Viewing 7 replies - 1 through 7 (of 7 total) * [leejosepho](https://wordpress.org/support/users/leejosepho/) * (@leejosepho) * [11 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/htaccess-63/#post-5551579) * > I thought the .htaccess file in public_html overwrites other .htaccess in other > directories. * In my own limited experience, a second .htaccess *can* over-rule the first *unless* the first (at least initially) sends a domain on past it. For example, I have my Primary Domain assigned to public_html where it is then re-directed to a sub- folder, and the .htaccess there in public_html tells my domain what to do when it arrives at its sub-folder. But if my domain cannot find at the sub-folder what it was sent there to do, then the .htaccess in my sub-folder takes over to handle the error (404). * [leejosepho](https://wordpress.org/support/users/leejosepho/) * (@leejosepho) * [11 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/htaccess-63/#post-5551588) * > I thought the .htaccess file in public_html overwrites other .htaccess in other > directories. So whatever is in that .htaccess file, it will be applied everywhere. * I just now happened to see this affirming at least that part: * > .htaccess files follow a hierarchy. Whatever directives are in the top-level. > htaccess file flow down and apply to all directories below it. > [http://wordpress.stackexchange.com/questions/20152/cannot-access-non-wordpress-subdirectories-as-wordpress-overrides-them-with-a-40](http://wordpress.stackexchange.com/questions/20152/cannot-access-non-wordpress-subdirectories-as-wordpress-overrides-them-with-a-40) * However, I believe it is still possible for a later ‘`RewriteEngine Off`‘ to stop certain actions. * Thread Starter [olifantje](https://wordpress.org/support/users/olifantje/) * (@olifantje) * [11 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/htaccess-63/#post-5551660) * Thanks, so I can assume that if de top-level htaccess says “no” the ones below that have a htaccess that says “yes”, it wil stil be a “no”. * [leejosepho](https://wordpress.org/support/users/leejosepho/) * (@leejosepho) * [11 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/htaccess-63/#post-5551664) * > …so I can assume that if the top-level htaccess says “no” the ones below that > have a htaccess that says “yes”, it wil stil be a “no”. * Edit: Oops, no, I think the latter will re-write the rule. * [leejosepho](https://wordpress.org/support/users/leejosepho/) * (@leejosepho) * [11 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/htaccess-63/#post-5551665) * Here is a comprehensive tutorial and guide: * [http://perishablepress.com/stupid-htaccess-tricks/](http://perishablepress.com/stupid-htaccess-tricks/) * Thread Starter [olifantje](https://wordpress.org/support/users/olifantje/) * (@olifantje) * [11 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/htaccess-63/#post-5551695) * thanjs for the ‘stupid’ tricks :p will take a look! * About your edit, are you as confused as I am? I think I’m going to try it out to be sure, because I still don’t understand the exact hierarchy. * [leejosepho](https://wordpress.org/support/users/leejosepho/) * (@leejosepho) * [11 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/htaccess-63/#post-5551701) * > About your edit, are you as confused as I am? I think I’m going to try it out > to be sure, because I still don’t understand the exact hierarchy. * I only have one eye that can read, and my edit came about after I had realized I had mis-read what you had posted! * I am just beginning to learn about .htaccess beyond copy-and-paste from other sources, but, and as an example here, I believe ‘`RewriteEngine On`‘ turns it on and it remains that way until Apache might be given a ‘`RewriteEngine Off`‘ order from wherever. More to the point here, I believe a ‘`RewriteRule ...`‘ applies wherever and both in the immediate and well as later either unless or until a new-and-related ‘`RewriteRule ...`‘ is encountered by Apache. Viewing 7 replies - 1 through 7 (of 7 total) The topic ‘.htaccess’ is closed to new replies. ## Tags * [code](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/code/) * [file management](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/file-management/) * [ftp](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/ftp/) * [htaccess](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/htaccess/) * [public_html](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/public_html/) * In: [Fixing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/how-to-and-troubleshooting/) * 7 replies * 2 participants * Last reply from: [leejosepho](https://wordpress.org/support/users/leejosepho/) * Last activity: [11 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/htaccess-63/#post-5551701) * Status: not resolved ## Topics ### Topics with no replies ### Non-support topics ### Resolved topics ### Unresolved topics ### All topics