in using WordPress During the process, some webmasters will suddenly find that the web site root directory or the wp-content A folder appears with the name temp-write-test file. This file may seem strange, but it appears in almost all WordPress environments. So what exactly is it? Is it safe? Does it need to be removed? This post will give you a full breakdown of the ins and outs of this file, from how it works, to common problems, to a complete solution.

What is a temp-write-test file?

1. Temporary files automatically generated by WordPress

temp-write-test is automatically generated by the WordPress core when certain write operations are performed, such as installing plugins, uploading files, or system updates. Provisional test documentsThe
Its main role is to detect whether the server has file write permissions to determine whether the system functions properly.

2. Document generation path

Typically, the file will appear in one of the following directories:

• /wp-content/
• /wp-content/uploads/
• Web site root directory (rare cases)

After the test is complete, WordPress will automatically delete the file. If the file still exists, there is an issue with permissions or caching.

Second, temp-write-test file appears common causes

1. Incorrectly set folder permissions

WordPress performs a write test if the wp-content Insufficient directory permissions (e.g., low permission values or user mismatches) prevent the system from deleting the test file.

Common permission setting questions include:

• Directory permissions are not 755 maybe 775.;
• The file owner is not the owner of the file running PHP of system users;
• Some security plugins prohibit file creation.

2. Server write restrictions or firewall blocking

Some server environments (e.g., shared hosting or hardened secure VPS) will prevent PHP scripts from creating files.
When firewall rules or SELinux security policies are too strict, WordPress write detection may fail, causing the temp-write-test Document residue.

3. Residual copies in caching systems or CDNs

If the site has access to a caching plugin (such as WP Rocket, LiteSpeed Cache) or an external CDN (e.g., Cloudflare), which may place the temp-write-test The file is cached. Even if the source file is deleted, a copy still exists in the caching system.

4. Plug-in or theme conflicts

Some plugins (especially file management and security plugins) intervene in the validation process when WordPress performs a write test, resulting in files not being deleted.

How to determine whether a temp-write-test file is safe or not

1. Document content and path checking

• Normally, the contents of the file are empty or contain only a small number of random characters;
• be situated at wp-content or the root directory of the site;
• The modification time is close to the most recent background operation.

If the file matches these characteristics, it can be determined that it is a secure file automatically generated by WordPress.

2. Recognizing anomalies

If the file appears in a non-conventional directory (e.g. /public_html/tmp/) or contains suspicious code (e.g., Base64 encoding.)JavaScript injection), one needs to be wary of possible malicious modifications.

Is it safe to delete the temp-write-test file?

Deleting the file will not affect the normal operation of the site.
temp-write-test The file is used only for permission testing, if it exists for a long time, it can be considered that there is a configuration problem in the system, and you should further troubleshoot the permissions or plug-in settings.

V. Completely solve the temp-write-test file residual problems

1. Fix folder permissions

Execute the following command in the server (Linux environment):

chmod -R 755 wp-content
chown -R www-data:www-data wp-content

included among these www-data Runs users for Web services, which can be adapted to the hosting environment (e.g., the nginx,apache).
After the modification is completed, refresh the background, WordPress will be able to create and delete temporary files normally.

2. Check for plug-in interference

Deactivate the following types of plug-ins one by one for troubleshooting:

• Security plug-ins (e.g. Wordfence, iThemes Security)
• File management plugins (e.g. FileBird, WP File Manager)
• Caching plug-ins (e.g. LiteSpeed Cache)

If the file no longer appears after deactivation, it means that the plugin prevented the write. An exception directory can be added in the plugin settings.

3. Flushing the Cache and CDN Cache

Perform the following operations:

• Clear the site cache plugin data;
• Log in to the CDN platform to clear the cache (Purge Cache);
• Refresh your browser cache and revisit.

4. Check server security policy

In a VPS or Dedicated Server with SELinux or AppArmor enabled, you can try to temporarily disable write restrictions:

setenforce 0

The security risk needs to be confirmed before modification and the default settings should be restored after testing.

5. Checking automatic updates and write paths

Go to WordPress Backend → Settings → System Health (Site Health) and check if there are any write failure prompts.
If the "Unable to write to temporary file" warning appears, you can add a new file to the wp-config.php file to manually specify the write path:

define('WP_TEMP_DIR', dirname(__FILE__) . '/wp-content/').

Suggestions for preventing the frequent appearance of temp-write-test files

• remain wp-content Directory read and write permissions are correct;
• Avoid frequent plugin or theme changes;
• Clear the cache system regularly;
• Use the official recommended file permissions (directory) 755Documentation 644);
• Verify that PHP has write permissions for the corresponding user.

Summary: temp-write-test is not an exception, but a WordPress detection mechanism.

When the site appears temp-write-test There is no need to panic when it comes to documents.
This is just the normal behavior of WordPress when performing a write test to verify that system permissions are available.
If the file fails to delete automatically, adjusting the permissions, cache or plugin configuration will fix it.

Contact Us
Can't read the tutorial? Contact us for a free answer! Free help for personal, small business sites!	Customer Service
① Tel: 020-2206-9892
② QQ咨詢：1025174874
(iii) E-mail: info@361sale.com
④ Working hours: Monday to Friday, 9:30-18:30, holidays off