Cannot write to cache directory /tmp/horde

If you see the error "Cannot write to cache directory /tmp/horde" when using Horde webmail, it means the temporary directory that Horde uses to store session data is either missing or has incorrect permissions. This is a quick fix in most cases.

01. What This Error Means

Horde is one of three webmail applications available through cPanel (alongside Roundcube and SquirrelMail). When Horde loads, it writes temporary cache files to a directory inside your account's tmp folder. If this directory does not exist or has restrictive permissions, Horde cannot write its cache and throws this error.

This typically happens when:

• The tmp/horde directory was never created - New accounts may not have this directory by default.
• Permissions were changed - If you or a script changed permissions on your tmp directory, Horde may have lost write access.
• The directory was deleted - A cleanup script or manual file management may have removed it.
• Disk quota reached - If your account is out of disk space, Horde cannot create new files in the cache.

02. How to Fix It

Method 1: Via cPanel Terminal

1. Log into cPanel at my.ultrawebhosting.com
2. Open Terminal (under the Advanced section in cPanel)
3. Run these commands:

mkdir -p ~/tmp/horde
chmod 700 ~/tmp/horde

The mkdir -p command creates the directory (and the tmp parent if needed). The chmod 700 sets permissions so only your account can read, write, and access the directory.

Method 2: Via cPanel File Manager

1. Open File Manager in cPanel
2. Navigate to your home directory (one level above public_html)
3. Look for a tmp folder. If it does not exist, click "+ Folder" and create it.
4. Open the tmp folder and create a subfolder named horde
5. Right-click the horde folder > Change Permissions > set to 700

Method 3: Via SSH

If you have SSH access enabled, connect to your account and run:

mkdir -p ~/tmp/horde && chmod 700 ~/tmp/horde

03. If It Still Does Not Work

If you created the directory with the right permissions and still see the error:

• Check disk space - Run quota in Terminal or check the right sidebar in cPanel. If you are at or near your limit, Horde cannot write cache files. See Understanding and Managing Disk Space for cleanup steps.
• Check ownership - The tmp/horde directory must be owned by your cPanel user. Run ls -la ~/tmp/ and verify the owner matches your username. If it shows root or a different user, open a support ticket and we will fix the ownership.
• Check for a .htaccess issue - In rare cases, a restrictive .htaccess file in your home directory can interfere with Horde. This is uncommon but worth checking if nothing else works.

04. Consider a Different Webmail Client

If Horde continues to give you trouble, cPanel includes two other webmail options:

To switch, go to cPanel > Email > Webmail, then choose Roundcube from the application list.

Quick Recap

1. The error means Horde's cache directory is missing - It needs ~/tmp/horde to exist with 700 permissions
2. Create it via Terminal or File Manager - mkdir -p ~/tmp/horde && chmod 700 ~/tmp/horde
3. Check disk space if it persists - A full account cannot write cache files
4. Check ownership - The directory must be owned by your cPanel user
5. Consider Roundcube - A more modern alternative that avoids this issue entirely

Users found this fix helpful · Last updated March 2026 · Browse all Email articles