How to Find and View WordPress Error Logs
Are you looking for a quick and easy way to find and view your WordPress error logs?
Error logs are vital for troubleshooting problems on a WordPress site. Without them, diagnosing what’s wrong can be very difficult or even impossible.
In this article, we will explain where your WordPress error logs are stored and show you the easiest way to find and view them. You will also learn how to read the log entries to troubleshoot and fix issues on your site, whether you are a beginner or an experienced WordPress user.
Let’s jump in!
Table of Contents
Where are WordPress Error Logs Stored?
WordPress error logs are generally stored in your site’s root directory. The file that records all captured WordPress errors, the debug.log file, is usually found in the /wp-content/ folder. It only appears there when debugging mode is enabled.
Some hosting providers, however, store WordPress error logs in other locations. Some have a dedicated /logs/ folder or other custom locations that you can access through your cPanel dashboard.
If you cannot find your WordPress error log file in the standard place, you can refer to your hosting provider’s documentation or contact customer support for help.
The easiest and safest way to access your WordPress error logs is by using a dedicated debugging plugin. We’ll show you how to use WP Debug Toolkit first, then cover manual methods for those who prefer them.
How to Find and View WordPress Error Logs with WP Debug Toolkit
WP Debug Toolkit is the best debugging plugin that makes WordPress error management simple. It allows you to view every PHP and WordPress error in real-time and includes several powerful features for efficient troubleshooting.
The plugin works by installing a dedicated log viewer app right on your server. This means even if your site crashes and you can’t access your WordPress dashboard, the plugin’s standalone viewer app keeps working. This means you can always identify the problem and take action, whether it’s a plugin conflict, theme issue, or PHP error.
Here’s what makes WP Debug Toolkit different from other debugging plugins:
- Activate WordPress debug mode with a single click, eliminating the need to edit the
wp-config.phpfile manually. - See PHP warnings, notices, and fatal errors as they happen, not hours later.
- Include or exclude logs in the viewer app using built-in filters.
- Recover from website crashes by disabling plugins and themes in one click through the viewer app.
- Get the full context for each error on your site, with access to the exact file and code line number where the issue is occurring.
- Switch between interface themes so that debugging always feels familiar.
- Navigate through the viewer app quickly using keyboard shortcuts, and much more.
The modern interface displays all your errors in one organized view, making it simple to spot patterns and identify the root cause of issues.
Now, let’s walk through how to use WP Debug Toolkit to easily find and view your WordPress error logs.
Install & Activate WP Debug Toolkit
WP Debug Toolkit is a premium debugging plugin, so you’ll need to purchase a license and download the plugin to your computer first.
Once you have the plugin zip file, go to your WordPress admin dashboard and navigate to Plugins › Add Plugin, then click Upload Plugin.
Next, click Choose file to select the WP Debug Toolkit plugin file from your PC, and then click Install Now › Activate Plugin.
This installs and activates the plugin on your site. You’re now ready to start finding and viewing your WordPress error logs effortlessly.
Set up Your WP Debug Toolkit Account
To set up the WordPress Debug Toolkit plugin, select Debug Toolkit from your WordPress Admin menu. On the dashboard that appears, ensure both WordPress Debug Mode and Error Logging are enabled by checking the options. Enabling them automatically activates debug mode in the wp-config.php file.
Next, you’d need to install the viewer app. To do this, you must first activate your license by clicking ‘Pro Feature – Activate License’. This takes you to the license activation page, where you enter the license key provided when you purchased the plugin.
After that, the ‘Install Viewer’ button will appear on the Overview page. Click it to install the viewer app on your site. You can also toggle Password Protection to set a password that secures access to the log viewer.
View Your WordPress Error Logs Using the Log Viewer App
Now it’s time to see your WordPress error logs in action. To access the viewer app, simply click Open Viewer from your WP Debug Toolkit dashboard.
The viewer app opens in a new tab with a clean, organized interface that displays all your WordPress errors in real-time. The main screen shows a continuous stream of logged errors, with the most recent entries appearing at the top.
- Main error log display – Shows all errors with timestamps, error types, and brief descriptions
- Filter bar at the top – Lets you search for specific errors or filter by error level (Fatal, Warning, Notice, etc.)
- Action buttons – Include options to clear logs, download entries, or refresh the display
- Error details panel – Opens when you click on any specific error
The real-time display updates automatically as new errors occur on your site. You can watch problems develop as they happen, which is especially useful when testing new plugins or themes.
The filtering system allows you to focus on what matters most. You can show only fatal errors, hide deprecation notices, or display errors from a specific time range. This helps you cut through the noise and concentrate on critical issues.
The color-coded error levels make it easy to spot problems at a glance. Fatal errors appear in red, warnings in yellow, and notices in blue, so you can immediately identify the severity of each issue.
It also comes with keyboard shortcuts to speed up your workflow:
- Press ‘O’ to open the viewer
- Press ‘F’ to focus on the search bar
- Press ‘C’ to clear all logs
- Press ‘Q’ to view details of the selected error
- Press ‘Escape’ to close detail panels
Now that you know the easiest way to find and view WordPress error logs, let’s cover manual methods for users who prefer not to use plugins.
How to Enable WordPress Error Logs in the wp-config.php File
This method requires more technical steps but works well for experienced users. Before you begin, create a backup of your wp-config.php file. This way, if you make mistakes, you can easily restore your site to its original state.
To enable debug mode, open your wp-config.php file and scroll to the part of the code that reads “/That’s all, stop editing! Happy blogging./” and insert the following above it:
define( 'WP_DEBUG', true );
define( 'WP_DEBUG_LOG', true );
define( 'WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', false );If you see an existing line of code that reads define('WP_DEBUG', false);, simply delete it.
Be sure to save your changes. Debug mode will activate on your site immediately, and errors will begin logging to the debug.log file in your /wp-content/ folder.
Finding & Viewing WordPress Error Logs Using FTP
Once you enable debug mode, you can view the logged errors either through your site’s File Manager or using an FTP client.
For this guide, we’ll use an FTP client. FileZilla is one of the most popular options due to its cross-platform compatibility and user-friendly interface, but you can use any FTP client you prefer.
Below are the basic steps to follow:
- Download and install FileZilla (or your preferred FTP client) on your computer.
- Connect your website to the FTP software using your FTP username and password (found in your hosting provider’s cPanel dashboard).
- Once connected, navigate to the /wp-content/ folder and locate the debug.log file.
- Right-click on the file and choose Download, View, or Edit to open it and review your WordPress error logs.
The debug.log file will only appear if your site has logged new errors since enabling debug mode. If you don’t see the file, try reproducing an error on your site first.
How to Troubleshoot with WordPress Error Log Data
Simply locating and viewing WordPress error logs is not enough to resolve an issue on your site. Knowing how to troubleshoot using the log data is equally important.
If you are not a WordPress developer or an advanced user, you might find the information in the log file too technical. The solution is to follow a systematic set of steps to interpret the error and identify a fix.
Here’s how to do that:
- Identify the error message associated with the error you want to resolve.
- Note the error code linked to the issue. The three most common types of codes you’ll encounter are Fatal errors, PHP notices, and Warnings.
- Search for the error code and the error message to find resources and guides that explain how to fix the specific issue. You can also copy and paste the error in ChatGPT to give you a better understanding of the error.
Once you find some insights related to the error, fixing it should be easy. However, if you still can’t find a fix, consider sending the error details to a WordPress expert who can help with a solution.
After the error is resolved, be sure to turn off debug mode to conserve server resources and keep your site secure.
Conclusion: Find and View WordPress Error Logs Quickly
While you can manually enable debug mode and access error logs through your wp-config.php file, this approach involves technical steps and risks if mistakes are made. Manual log review in a text editor can also be time-consuming and difficult to read.
Using WP Debug Toolkit is the safer and easier choice for most WordPress users. Its modern interface and debugging features make error log management straightforward, even for beginners. The plugin’s independent viewer app and crash recovery system provide extra peace of mind when troubleshooting critical issues.
With WP Debug Toolkit, your debugging and website development process remains consistently streamlined and efficient. Give it a try today if you’re ready to start debugging your WordPress site like a professional!
WordPress Error Logs — Frequently Asked Questions
1. How to fix error logs in WordPress
To fix error logs in WordPress, you need to access, read, and decode the error log data. The easiest way is using WP Debug Toolkit, which displays errors in a user-friendly interface. Alternatively, you can manually review the debug.log file for the same information, though this requires more technical steps.
2. How to solve WordPress critical error
You can fix a WordPress critical error, which is essentially a fatal PHP error, by checking your site’s error log for specific details about it. Once you have this information, you’ll be able to identify the cause of the error and resolve the issue quickly.
3. How to enable WP_DEBUG mode
WP_DEBUG mode can be enabled in two ways. The easiest method is using WP Debug Toolkit, which lets you enable debug mode with one click from your dashboard. Alternatively, you can do it manually by adding “define( 'WP_DEBUG', true ); define( 'WP_DEBUG_LOG', true );” to your wp-config.php file, though this requires code editing.
4. How do I show all errors in WordPress
To view all errors in WordPress, you need access to your error logs. WP Debug Toolkit displays all errors through a clean interface with filtering options, making it easy to find specific issues. You can also see all WordPress errors by manually locating and reviewing the debug.log file in your site’s cPanel dashboard, though this involves more technical steps.
