How to Turn Off PHP Errors in WordPress

When developing or maintaining a WordPress website, you might encounter PHP errors displayed on your pages. While these errors can be useful for debugging, they can also be distracting or revealing sensitive information to visitors. Turning off PHP errors in WordPress helps to keep your site looking professional and secure. Here’s a straightforward guide on how to turn off PHP errors in WordPress.

Why Turn Off PHP Errors?

1. Improve User Experience: PHP errors can disrupt the user experience and make your site look unprofessional.
2. Prevent Information Leakage: Error messages can reveal details about your server and site structure, which could be exploited by malicious users.
3. Maintain Clean Design: Turning off errors ensures that your site’s design remains clean and user-friendly.

Methods to Turn Off PHP Errors in WordPress

1. Modify wp-config.php File

The wp-config.php file is the main configuration file for your WordPress installation. You can control error reporting by editing this file.

Access Your Site Files: Connect to your site using an FTP/SFTP client or cPanel File Manager.

Locate wp-config.php: Find the wp-config.php file in the root directory of your WordPress installation.

Edit wp-config.php: Download the file to your computer and open it in a text editor. Add the following lines before the line that says /* That's all, stop editing! Happy publishing. */:

// Turn off PHP error reporting
error_reporting(0);
@ini_set('display_errors', 0);

Save Changes: Upload the modified wp-config.php file back to your server, replacing the old one.

2. Update .htaccess File

You can also control error reporting through the .htaccess file. This method works if your server supports Apache.

Access .htaccess File: Connect to your site via FTP/SFTP or cPanel File Manager and locate the .htaccess file in your WordPress root directory.

Edit .htaccess: Download the file and open it in a text editor. Add the following lines:

# Turn off PHP error reporting
php_flag display_errors off
php_value error_reporting 0

Save Changes: Upload the modified '.htaccess' file back to your server.

3. Adjust Error Reporting in PHP.ini

If you have access to the php.ini file (the PHP configuration file), you can disable error reporting there.

Access php.ini File: This is usually located in your server’s configuration directory. If you have cPanel access, you might find it in the “Select PHP Version” section.

Edit php.ini: Open the 'php.ini' file and find the following lines. Update them as shown:

display_errors = Off
error_reporting = 0

Save Changes: Save the file and restart your web server if required.

4. Use a WordPress Plugin

If you prefer not to modify files manually, you can use a WordPress plugin to control PHP error reporting.

1. Install a Plugin: Search for plugins like “WP Debugging” or “Error Log Monitor” in the WordPress plugin repository.
2. Configure Plugin Settings: Install and activate the plugin. Follow the plugin’s instructions to configure error reporting settings.

Conclusion

Turning off PHP errors in WordPress is an important step in maintaining a professional and secure website. By following these methods, you can hide error messages from your visitors and avoid revealing sensitive information. Remember to turn error reporting back on during development or troubleshooting to catch and resolve any issues.

If you need further assistance or have any questions, feel free to reach out!