Search our ENTIRE knowledgebase

In this guide we'll learn how to activate debugging in WordPress

Why activate debugging?
Debugging makes it easier to find and solve issues with your website by displaying a more detailed explanation of the issues directly on your website when they occour.

Debugging can be activated through the File Manager or the Terminal.

Activating debugging through the File Manager

Step 1:
Log in to cPanel and click "File Manager" as shown on the picture below:

Step 2:
Double click the"public_html" folder:

Step 3:
Right click "wp-config.php" and choose "Edit":

Step 4:
Click "Edit" when prompted:

Step 5:
Scroll down until you see "define( 'WP_DEBUG', false );"

Step 6:
Change "false" to "true" so that it looks identical to the picture below:

Step 7:
Click "Save Changes" in the top right corner:

Done

You have now activated debugging in wordpress.
To deactivate debugging, change "true" to "false" as shown in the picture in Step 5.

Activating debugging through the Terminal
 

Step 1:

Click the "Terminal":

Step 2:

In the terminal, write "cd public_html" and   press enter:

Step 3:

Write "nano wp-config.php" and press enter:

Step 4:

Use the arrow keys to scroll down until you see "define( 'WP_DEBUG', false );":

Step 5:

Change "false" to "true" as shown in the picture below:

Step 6:

Hold the ctrl button and press the letter "O" on your keyboard. When the white line with "File Name to Write: wp-config.php" appears, press enter:

Done

You have now activated debugging in wordpress.
To deactivate debugging, change "true" to "false" as shown in the picture in Step 4.