If you’re running a WordPress site, encountering errors is almost inevitable. Whether it’s a broken plugin, a theme conflict, or another issue, understanding how to identify and resolve these errors is crucial for maintaining a smooth user experience. One of the best ways to diagnose problems is by accessing WordPress error logs.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through the steps to find and analyze error logs, so you can troubleshoot effectively and keep your website running smoothly.
What Are WordPress Error Logs?
WordPress error logs are files that help monitor issues on your website. Those files contain all errors that occur on your website and can help you troubleshoot anything. These logs contain valuable information about errors, warnings, and notices triggered by plugins, themes, or the WordPress core itself.
There are two main types of logs you might encounter:
- PHP Error Logs: These track issues with PHP code, such as syntax errors or failed function calls and others.
- WordPress Debug Logs: These logs specifically capture issues related to WordPress itself.
WordPress error logs can help you identify issues in your site, making them essential for troubleshooting any errors you may face.
How to enable WordPress Error Mode?
- Using a WordPress Debugging Plugin
By default, WordPress does not enable error logging as debugging is turned off. To initiate error logging, the initial step is to install a WordPress debugging plugin such as the WP Debugging plugin or any other.
Once you have successfully activated the plugin, it automatically enables WordPress to debug mode, allowing error messages on your website to be recorded and logged for analysis and troubleshooting purposes.

- Using WordPress Debug mode with code
If you’re not a fan of using plugins, you still can enable error logging and WordPress debug mode. This can be achieved by modifying the wp-config.php file.
The wp-config.php file contains important configuration details for your site, including database connection settings and other essential code. It is located in the root directory of your WordPress site, this file can be found in the public_html folder on WPX hosting.
Before you proceed with the steps below, be sure to back up your website to ensure you can restore it if anything goes wrong.
- Enable WordPress Error Mode
This is a user-friendly option offered by nearly every hosting provider. In this example, we’ll be using WPX File Manager and our site wpxexample.net.

Alternatively, access wp-config using FTP. However, if you decide on that, you would have to download the file to alter it and then upload it again. At WPX, you can easily create an FTP User and use FTP software like FileZilla to connect to your site using these credentials.
- Edit the wp-config.php file
Open the wp-config.php file using FTP or WPX File Manager. Look for the following line define( ‘WP_DEBUG’, false);
To enable debug mode, just change false to true and save the changes. It should look like this:

Note that this will display errors directly on your site. When you’re done, you can simply disable wp-debug mode by setting true to false.
define( ‘WP_DEBUG’, false);
How to check WordPress Error Logs in WPX?
Of course, we at WPX thought of an easier option for our customers to check their WordPress errors and access logs from the Control Panel.
Go to the Manage Websites (1) menu, locate your site from the list, and click on the Logs (2) dropdown menu.
You will see two options: Access Logs and error logs.

What types of logs are there?
What types of errors you can see in the WPX error log:
- ModSecurity entries in the Error log: Various error logs indicate different blocks that are implemented to your website from external bad reputation requests or malicious bots. They can be ignored since they are strictly being logged for protection and to track the activity of these malicious requests/bots.
- PHP Warning entries in the Error log: Warnings that are being sent from your websites regarding errors that have happened but are fixed or are connected to the functionality of third-party plugins/themes. They can be ignored since they do not affect your website in any way and are not fatal.
- Access entries in the Access log: Access logs are essential for monitoring the interactions between users and your WordPress site. These logs typically record various entries, including timestamps for each visit, the IP addresses of users, and the specific pages they accessed. You can also find details about the types of requests made, such as GET or POST requests, and the HTTP status codes that indicate whether the requests were successful or resulted in errors. Analyzing these entries can help you identify patterns in user behavior, detect unauthorized access attempts, and pinpoint issues such as slow-loading pages or broken links. By regularly reviewing your access log, you can gain valuable insights into your site’s performance and security, allowing you to make informed decisions for optimization and improvement.
How long do we keep the logs?
We store both Access and Error logs for up to 30 days from the date of request. The Error and Access Logs you see in your WPX account are the last marked ones. If you wish to preview logs that date back further in time, for example, two weeks ago, you can contact our support, so that they can provide them.
Conclusion
Navigating the complexities of WordPress error logs is essential for maintaining a healthy website. By familiarising yourself with the various types of entries—such as PHP errors, access logs, and ModSecurity alerts—you can effectively diagnose and resolve issues that may arise. Regularly monitoring these logs not only helps you identify immediate problems but also empowers you to enhance your site’s overall performance and security. Analyzing these entries will lead to a smoother user experience, improved site reliability, and greater peace of mind. With this knowledge, you can tackle WordPress errors head-on, ensuring your website remains robust and fully functional.