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Start by testing FS_METHOD set to direct, then verify that the web server user owns and can write to the WordPress files. If direct access is unsuitable, configure the transport WordPress can actually use: SSH2, the PHP FTP extension, or FTP sockets. Remove any workaround that does not solve the problem, and protect credentials stored in wp-config.php.
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What the WordPress FTP prompt means
WordPress needs to create, replace, and delete files when it installs or updates a plugin, theme, language pack, or core package. It first tries to perform those operations through PHP’s own file I/O. WordPress calls that transport direct.
If PHP cannot write the target files, WordPress tries other filesystem transports. When none can be used automatically, it displays a form requesting FTP credentials. The form does not identify the underlying fault. Common causes include incorrect ownership, restrictive permissions, a disabled PHP extension, an incorrect server path, or a hosting configuration that deliberately prevents direct writes.
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The same underlying problem can appear as “WordPress asking for FTP credentials,” “Can’t install WordPress themes – FTP error,” or an update that returns to the credentials screen without completing.
How WordPress selects a filesystem method
The FS_METHOD constant in wp-config.php accepts four values. WordPress attempts transports in this order:
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- ssh2 — an SSH connection made through the PHP SSH2 extension.
- ftpext — FTP through PHP’s FTP extension.
- ftpsockets — FTP implemented with PHP sockets.
| Method | What it uses | What must be available | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
direct |
PHP file I/O on the local server | The web-server user must be able to write the WordPress files | Best first diagnostic when the installation is correctly owned |
ssh2 |
SSH/SFTP-style file operations | The PHP SSH2 extension, an SSH account, and either a password or key authentication | Hosts that provide SSH and do not permit direct writes |
ftpext |
PHP’s FTP extension | The FTP extension enabled in the PHP version serving WordPress | Standard FTP or encrypted FTP when the extension works |
ftpsockets |
PHP sockets | The sockets class and a reachable FTP service | A fallback when the PHP FTP extension is unavailable or malfunctioning |
The official WordPress configuration guidance treats changing FS_METHOD as a troubleshooting measure for failed updates, not as a universal performance setting. If changing it does not help, remove the constant or restore the previous value.
Before changing anything
Make a recoverable copy
Download a copy of wp-config.php or duplicate it in your hosting file manager before editing. A syntax error in this file can make the site unavailable. Keep the backup outside the public web root and delete temporary copies from publicly accessible locations.
Confirm which PHP installation runs WordPress
Hosting panels often offer several PHP versions, each with different extensions. The FTP or SSH2 extension must be enabled for the PHP version assigned to the site, not merely for a command-line PHP binary or another domain. If you cannot see extension settings, ask the host to confirm whether the required module is loaded for web requests.
Record the exact failure
Note whether the error occurs during a plugin, theme, language, or core operation; whether it happens for every package; and whether the site is on shared hosting, a virtual server, or a self-managed server. A failure affecting every update points to filesystem access, while one package can also be damaged or incompatible.
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Fix 1: test the direct filesystem method
Direct mode is the quickest diagnostic because it does not require an FTP account or a PHP transport extension. It works only when the process running PHP can write to the relevant WordPress directories.
- Open
wp-config.phpin the hosting file manager, SFTP client, or SSH editor. - Find the comment that says WordPress has stopped editing this file. Add the constant immediately before that comment:
define( 'FS_METHOD', 'direct' );- Save the file without adding a second PHP opening tag or placing the line after the stop-editing comment.
- Return to the WordPress dashboard and retry the same operation.
If the update succeeds, the earlier automatic transport selection was the obstacle. If it fails with a permission or ownership message, direct mode has done its job as a diagnostic: the web-server user still cannot write where WordPress needs to write.
Direct mode is not a permission grant. It cannot change ownership, repair a read-only filesystem, create a missing directory, or bypass a host security policy. The WordPress developer guidance also warns that direct access carries security risk on poorly configured hosts. Keep it only when the host’s ownership and isolation model make it appropriate.
Fix 2: repair ownership and write access
On a server, files have an owner and group, and the web process runs as a particular operating-system user. WordPress can write only when that user has suitable access to the target path. A file may appear writable in a control panel while still being owned by a different account, or the web process may be intentionally prevented from modifying it.
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- Which operating-system user runs PHP for this domain?
- Who owns the WordPress directory,
wp-content, plugins, themes, and upgrade-related temporary directories? - Can that PHP user create, modify, and remove a test file in the affected directory?
- Is the filesystem mounted read-only, or is a security layer blocking PHP writes?
- Are the site files located through a symlink or outside the account’s normal document root?
Ask the host to reset ownership using its supported procedure rather than applying broad write access yourself. Do not “solve” an update error by making the entire site world-writable. Excessive access can allow a compromised process to alter more files than necessary.
When the host manages permissions
On managed or shared hosting, customers often cannot change the account owner or the PHP process user. Send support the complete error text, the affected path, the domain, and the time of the failed update. Request an ownership and write-access check, not merely a new FTP password.
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When you administer the server
Compare the owner and group of the WordPress files with the user configured for the site’s PHP handler. Check directory traversal access as well as write access, and inspect the web-server, PHP, and security-module logs for denied operations. Apply the least access required by your hosting model, then retry with direct mode before adding remote credentials.
Fix 3: configure FTP or SSH credentials explicitly
Use an explicit transport when direct writing is unsuitable or prohibited. WordPress reads these constants from wp-config.php:
| Constant | Purpose | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|
FTP_HOST |
FTP or SSH server name, optionally including a port | FTP normally uses port 21; SSH normally uses port 22. Some hosting setups require localhost to avoid a 503 error during updates. |
FTP_USER |
FTP or SSH username | Use the account supplied by the host, which may differ from the WordPress administrator account. |
FTP_PASS |
Password for that account | It can be omitted when SSH public-key authentication is used. |
FTP_PUBKEY |
Full path to the SSH public key | Used with the SSH2 method. |
FTP_PRIKEY |
Full path to the SSH private key | Used with the SSH2 method; the private key must be readable by the process that makes the connection. |
FTP_SSL |
Requests encrypted plain FTP (FTPS) | FTPS is encrypted FTP; it is not SFTP. |
FTP extension configuration
If the host confirms that PHP’s FTP extension is enabled, select ftpext:
define( 'FS_METHOD', 'ftpext' );
define( 'FTP_HOST', 'ftp.example-host.test' );
define( 'FTP_USER', 'account_user' );
define( 'FTP_PASS', 'account_password' );The host name and account values above are examples of the required fields, not credentials to copy. Use the exact server name, username, and password supplied for your hosting account. If the service requires encrypted FTP, add:
define( 'FTP_SSL', true );Encryption does not correct a wrong path, disabled account, blocked port, or ownership problem. Verify those independently.
FTP sockets fallback
If the PHP FTP extension is broken or cannot be enabled, WordPress’s documented fallback is ftpsockets:
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define( 'FS_METHOD', 'ftpsockets' );
define( 'FTP_HOST', 'ftp.example-host.test' );
define( 'FTP_USER', 'account_user' );
define( 'FTP_PASS', 'account_password' );This method still needs a reachable FTP service and valid credentials. It is not a way around a firewall or a disabled hosting account.
SSH2 with keys
For an SSH account and a PHP SSH2 extension, use:
define( 'FS_METHOD', 'ssh2' );
define( 'FTP_HOST', 'ssh.example-host.test' );
define( 'FTP_USER', 'ssh_account' );
define( 'FTP_PUBKEY', '/full/path/to/public_key' );
define( 'FTP_PRIKEY', '/full/path/to/private_key' );Specify a password only if the server uses password authentication. The key paths must be absolute paths visible to the PHP process. A key that works in your desktop SSH client may still fail if the hosting PHP user cannot read it or the host’s SSH policy rejects it.
Set the correct WordPress path
Most installations need only the filesystem method and connection details. Path constants matter primarily when WordPress is installed through symlinks, a nonstandard document root, or a layout in which the detected paths do not match the remote account’s view.
FTP_BASEidentifies the WordPress root, normally the value represented byABSPATH.FTP_CONTENT_DIRidentifies thewp-contentdirectory.FTP_PLUGIN_DIRidentifies the plugins directory.
Define the base path first and add the more specific paths only when the host confirms they are needed. An incorrect path can produce a successful login followed by “file not found” or permission errors because WordPress is looking in the wrong directory.
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These names describe different protocols:
- FTP is the traditional file-transfer protocol, commonly associated with port 21.
- FTPS is FTP protected with TLS. WordPress refers to this with
FTP_SSL. - SFTP runs over SSH, commonly associated with port 22. In WordPress’s configuration this is handled through the
ssh2method, when the PHP SSH2 extension is available.
Entering an SFTP port into an FTP-only setting, or selecting FTPS when the host provides only SFTP, will fail even when the username and password are correct. Ask the host which protocol and port the account supports.
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The credentials form appears immediately
Test direct mode and then check ownership. If the web process cannot write, adding FTP fields may mask the original issue without fixing the server’s file layout. If direct mode is intentionally unavailable, verify the selected remote method and the matching PHP extension.
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Login succeeds but installation fails
Check the remote starting directory and the WordPress root. A login can succeed while the account is confined to a directory that does not contain the site. For symlinked or custom layouts, verify FTP_BASE, FTP_CONTENT_DIR, and FTP_PLUGIN_DIR.
The update returns a 503 error
Ask the host whether FTP_HOST must be localhost for updates. Some server configurations reject a loop from the website to its own public hostname, while a local connection succeeds.
Only one extension fails
Check whether the package is incomplete, incompatible, or already partially installed. Look for a temporary directory or stale files left by an interrupted update. Do not assume every package-specific failure is an FTP connection fault.
SSH2 is rejected
Confirm that the SSH2 PHP extension is loaded for the website’s PHP version, that the SSH account is permitted to access the site directory, and that the public and private key paths are absolute and readable. If the server permits password authentication but not keys, test the supported authentication type rather than mixing both configurations.
FTP times out or is refused
Verify the protocol, port, firewall rules, account status, and host name from the hosting provider. A timeout usually indicates reachability or filtering; an immediate authentication error points more directly to the account details. Your desktop FTP client and the web server may originate from different IP addresses, so a connection that works from home is not proof that server-side PHP can reach the service.
Secure the configuration after the fix
Credentials in wp-config.php are as sensitive as the account itself. Keep the file readable only by the users that require it under your host’s supported permissions model, and ensure the web server does not serve it as plain text. Prefer key authentication when the host supports it, and use an account restricted to the site rather than a server-wide administrator account.
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After the update succeeds, remove temporary passwords, test constants, and diagnostic copies. If you added FS_METHOD only to investigate the problem, remove it or restore the previous setting when the host confirms the proper configuration. Leaving an unnecessary transport override can make future migrations and PHP changes harder to diagnose.
A practical decision path
- Back up
wp-config.php. Preserve a known-good copy before editing. - Test
direct. Add the constant before the stop-editing comment and retry one update. - If direct fails, check ownership. Have the host or server administrator verify the PHP user’s access to the exact WordPress paths.
- If direct is unsuitable, identify the protocol. Choose SSH2, FTP, FTPS, or FTP sockets according to what the host actually provides.
- Confirm the PHP dependency. SSH2 requires the SSH2 extension;
ftpextrequires the FTP extension;ftpsocketsuses PHP sockets. - Add only the necessary constants. Use the correct host, port, account, credentials, keys, and—only for nonstandard layouts—path constants.
- Retry and inspect the specific failure. Separate authentication, reachability, path, and write-access errors instead of changing several settings at once.
- Clean up. Remove ineffective overrides and temporary credentials, then keep the working configuration documented privately.
When to stop troubleshooting in WordPress
Escalate to hosting support when you cannot identify the PHP process user, cannot enable the required extension, cannot reset ownership, or do not control firewall and SSH policies. Include the exact error, the operation that failed, the transport you tested, and the relevant path. That information lets support distinguish an account problem from a server-side filesystem problem.
The decisive test is whether the process performing the update can write to the WordPress files through an approved transport. FS_METHOD selects that transport; it does not repair the access model underneath it.
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