When Elementor initiates a version rollback it attempts to download a zip file, extract it, and replace existing plugin files. The process requires write access to the plugin directory and the temporary upload folder. If the server blocks any of these actions WordPress stops the rollback and displays the error message.
Typical triggers include folder permissions that deny write operations, ownership that does not match the web‑server user, or a missing writable temporary directory. Additional factors such as a disabled PHP zip extension, active security rules that block file writes, or a full disk also prevent the rollback.
The result is a stalled rollback button, unchanged plugin version, and possible site instability. WordPress may show a critical error page if the incomplete rollback leaves corrupted files.
Debug logs often contain entries like “Filesystem error: Could not access filesystem” or “Permission denied” when the rollback attempt runs. Server error logs may also record denied file creation attempts.