chmod 446 Permission Explained
Summary: chmod 446 gives the owner read, the group read, and everyone else read/write.
| Class | Read (4) | Write (2) | Execute (1) | Octal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner (u) | 4 | |||
| Group (g) | 4 | |||
| Others (o) | 6 |
chmod 446 filename
chmod 446 Breakdown
| Class | Digit | Symbolic | On a file | On a directory |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner (u) | 4 |
r-- |
Read only | Can list names, but not enter |
| Group (g) | 4 |
r-- |
Read only | Can list names, but not enter |
| Others (o) | 6 |
rw- |
Read and write | Can list names, cannot enter |
Is chmod 446 Safe?
Critical Risk
- Anyone on the system can modify or replace this file.
- Any user can read this file — never use it for secrets such as keys or .env files.
- Even the owner cannot modify this file without changing permissions first.
- Unusual: a lower class has permissions the class above it lacks.
Common Use Cases
446 is uncommon in standard Linux setups. The closest widely used permission is chmod 444.
chmod 446 Command Examples
# Apply using octal mode
chmod 446 filename
# Apply using equivalent symbolic mode
chmod u=r,g=r,o=rw filename
# Recursive command warning:
chmod -R 446 /path/to/dir
# Note: -R applies the same mode to files and directories. Use find to treat them separately:
find /path/to/dir -type f -exec chmod 446 {} +
# Verify permissions
stat -c '%a %A %n' filename # Linux
stat -f '%Lp %Sp %N' filename # macOS
# Example ls -l output:
-r--r--rw- 1 alice staff 1024 Jan 15 10:00 example.txtumask Relationship
A umask of 331 makes new directories 446 and new files 446. Test umask values with our interactive Umask Calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does chmod 446 mean?
chmod 446 gives the owner read, the group read, and everyone else read/write. In octal notation, the owner receives 4 (read), the group receives 4 (read), and others receive 6 (read/write).
Is chmod 446 safe?
chmod 446 is classified as Critical Risk. Anyone on the system can modify or replace this file.
What is chmod 446 in symbolic notation?
In symbolic notation, chmod 446 is represented as r--r--rw-. You can apply this permission using the equivalent symbolic command "chmod u=r,g=r,o=rw filename".
Related Permissions
Change one bit: