chmod 746 Permission Explained
Summary: chmod 746 gives the owner read/write/execute, the group read, and everyone else read/write.
| Class | Read (4) | Write (2) | Execute (1) | Octal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner (u) | 7 | |||
| Group (g) | 4 | |||
| Others (o) | 6 |
chmod 746 filename
chmod 746 Breakdown
| Class | Digit | Symbolic | On a file | On a directory |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner (u) | 7 |
rwx |
Full access | Full access: list, enter, create, delete |
| 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 746 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.
- Unusual: a lower class has permissions the class above it lacks.
Common Use Cases
746 is uncommon in standard Linux setups. The closest widely used permission is chmod 744.
chmod 746 Command Examples
# Apply using octal mode
chmod 746 filename
# Apply using equivalent symbolic mode
chmod u=rwx,g=r,o=rw filename
# Recursive command warning:
chmod -R 746 /path/to/dir
# Note: -R applies the same mode to files and directories. Use find to treat them separately:
find /path/to/dir -type d -exec chmod 746 {} +
# Verify permissions
stat -c '%a %A %n' filename # Linux
stat -f '%Lp %Sp %N' filename # macOS
# Example ls -l output:
-rwxr--rw- 1 alice staff 1024 Jan 15 10:00 example.txtumask Relationship
A umask of 031 makes new directories 746. Test umask values with our interactive Umask Calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does chmod 746 mean?
chmod 746 gives the owner read/write/execute, the group read, and everyone else read/write. In octal notation, the owner receives 7 (read/write/execute), the group receives 4 (read), and others receive 6 (read/write).
Is chmod 746 safe?
chmod 746 is classified as Critical Risk. Anyone on the system can modify or replace this file.
What is chmod 746 in symbolic notation?
In symbolic notation, chmod 746 is represented as rwxr--rw-. You can apply this permission using the equivalent symbolic command "chmod u=rwx,g=r,o=rw filename".
Related Permissions
Change one bit: