File Manager
The File Manager page scans every file and folder in your Joomla installation and checks that permissions are set correctly. Incorrect permissions on files or directories can expose your site to unauthorized access or code execution.
Action bar
The action bar shows:
- Page title - File Manager
- Last check - the time elapsed since the last scan was completed (relative, e.g. "2 hours ago"), or "Never" if no scan has been run.
- Status badge - the current scan state: Idle (secondary), In Progress (blue), or Error (red).
- View Log button - appears after a scan completes. Opens a modal that displays the scan log file and provides a Download Log button.
- Configure button - links to the File Manager tab in Global Configuration.
- Start button - launches a new scan.
A configuration chip beneath the action bar shows the current Scan Executables Only setting.
If your PHP memory_limit is 128 MB or less and no scan has been run yet, a warning badge is displayed. Low memory can cause the scan to fail.
On IIS servers, an informational notice is shown at the top of the page explaining that IIS-specific considerations apply.
Scan metrics
Before the first scan, a prompt card invites you to run your first analysis.
After the first scan completes, three metric cards are displayed:
| Card | Description |
|---|---|
| Files Scanned | Total number of files and folders inspected |
| Files/Folders with Incorrect Permissions | Count of items with permissions outside the recommended range (shown in red when > 0) |
| Time Taken | Duration of the last completed scan |
Results table
The results table lists all files and folders analysed. Filter and search controls include:
- Search field - filter by file or folder name
- Kind filter - File or Folder
- Permissions Status filter - Wrong (default), OK, or Exceptions (items added as exceptions)
Columns
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | File or folder name (without extension) |
| Extension | File extension |
| Kind | File or Folder |
| Path | Full path on the server |
| Size | File size in bytes (files only) |
| Permissions | Permission octal value as a badge: red (wrong), green (OK), yellow (exception) |
| Last Modified | File last-modification timestamp |
Action buttons
When viewing the Wrong permissions filter with items selected:
- Add as Exception - marks the selected items as exceptions; they will not be flagged in future scans
- Repair - attempts to set the correct permissions automatically using chmod or FTP (configured in Global Configuration > File Manager)
When viewing the Exceptions filter:
- Delete Exception - removes the selected items from the exceptions list
If more than 3,000 items have incorrect permissions, a warning alert is shown. This may indicate that the scan root path is set incorrectly. Review the File Manager Path setting in Global Configuration.
