How to enable and disable PHP error messages

Using the display_errors directive in a php.ini file, this article explains how to activate and disable PHP error messages.

Only certain hosting account types are covered by the information in this article. To find out if the details listed below relate to your account

It is assumed in this post that your website already has a custom php.ini file. If one hasn’t previously configured a personalized PHP.ini file

Error messages and the display_errors directive

By default, PHP displays error messages in a user’s web browser. This feature is very useful when you are initially developing and debugging your website. However, when website development is complete, displaying error messages can be a security risk. Error messages can reveal information about your website, such as path information and variables, that should be kept private.

The display_errors directive controls whether or not PHP displays error messages in users’ web browsers. To prevent PHP from displaying error messages, use a text editor to modify the display_errors directive in the php.ini file as follows:

display_errors = off

To allow PHP to display error messages, modify the display_errors directive in the php.ini file as follows:

display_errors = on

To verify the current value of the display_errors directive and other directives, you can use the phpinfo() function. For more information

More Information

• To view a complete list of php.ini directives, please visit http://www.php.net/manual/en/ini.list.php.
• For more information about the display_errors directive, please visit http://www.php.net/manual/en/errorfunc.configuration.php#ini.display-errors.