How to Monitor WordPress Error Logs via cPanel

How to Monitor WordPress Error Logs via cPanel

📌 Why Monitor WordPress Error Logs?

• Detect PHP errors, warnings, and notices
• Troubleshoot plugin or theme issues
• Improve site performance and security
• Prevent downtime or data loss

🔧 Step-by-Step: Accessing WordPress Error Logs via cPanel

Step 1: Log Into cPanel

1. Go to your hosting provider’s cPanel login URL (e.g., yourdomain.com/cpanel).
2. Enter your username and password.

Step 2: Locate the “Metrics” Section

1. Scroll to the Metrics section.
2. Click on “Errors” to view the last 300 error messages.

Step 3: View Raw Error Logs via File Manager

1. Go back to the cPanel dashboard.
2. Click on File Manager under the Files section.
3. Navigate to public_html and locate the error_log file.
4. Right-click it and choose View or Edit.

Step 4: Enable WP_DEBUG to Generate Detailed WordPress Logs

1. Open wp-config.php in File Manager.
2. Edit the file and add the following lines:

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

• WP_DEBUG: Enables debug mode
• WP_DEBUG_LOG: Saves logs to /wp-content/debug.log
• WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY: Prevents errors from showing on the site front-end

Step 5: Check the WordPress Debug Log

1. Navigate to public_html/wp-content/.
2. Open debug.log to view WordPress-specific issues.

🛠 Optional: Download Logs for Offline Analysis

1. Right-click on error_log or debug.log.
2. Select Download.
3. Use a text editor or log viewer to analyze the file.

🧹 How to Clear Error Logs

1. Open the log file.
2. Delete the content and save it as an empty file (do not delete the file).

🔒 Security Tip: Restrict Access to Debug Logs

Add this code to your .htaccess file to protect debug.log:

<Files "debug.log">
  Order allow,deny
  Deny from all
</Files>

✅ Final Thoughts

Monitoring WordPress error logs via cPanel is a proactive way to maintain your site’s health and prevent critical issues. Follow these steps regularly to ensure smooth performance and quick troubleshooting.