View your PHP error log directly in the WordPress dashboard without FTP, SSH, or file manager access.

Error Log Viewer

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The Error Log Viewer provides a convenient way to view your site's PHP error log (debug.log) directly from the WordPress admin dashboard. No more digging through FTP clients or SSH terminals to check for errors.

What It Displays

The viewer shows the last 100 lines of the active PHP error log file. Log entries are displayed in a read-only text area within the Settings > Version Info > Error Log tab.

Log File Detection

Version Info automatically detects the error log file by checking the following locations in order:

  1. WP_DEBUG_LOG constant - If set to a custom file path
  2. WP_CONTENT_DIR/debug.log - The WordPress default debug log location
  3. PHP error_log ini setting - The server's PHP error log configuration

For the error log viewer to display data, WordPress debugging must be enabled. Add the following to your wp-config.php if not already present:

define( 'WP_DEBUG', true );
define( 'WP_DEBUG_LOG', true );
define( 'WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', false );

Security Features

The Error Log Viewer includes built-in security measures:

  • Path masking: All file paths containing ABSPATH are replaced with [ABSPATH] to prevent disclosure of the server's directory structure.
  • Capability check: Only users with the manage_options capability can access the log viewer.
  • Nonce verification: The download endpoint is protected with WordPress nonces.

Downloading the Log

You can download the full error log as a ZIP file:

  1. Navigate to Settings > Version Info > Error Log.
  2. Click the Download Log button.
  3. The log file will be downloaded as a compressed ZIP archive.

The download is handled securely via an AJAX endpoint (wp_ajax_version_info_download_log) with capability and nonce checks.

The error log may contain sensitive information about your server configuration and file paths. The built-in path masking helps, but exercise caution when sharing log files with third parties.

Use Cases

  • Quick debugging: Check for PHP errors after a plugin update without leaving the WordPress admin.
  • Client support: View error logs on a client's site without requesting FTP or SSH credentials.
  • Pre-launch checks: Verify no PHP warnings or notices exist before launching a site.