How to Turn Off Error Display in PHP: Simple Guide

To turn off error display in PHP, use ini_set('display_errors', '0') and set error_reporting(0). This stops PHP from showing errors on the screen but still allows logging if configured.

Syntax

Use the ini_set function to change the display_errors setting at runtime. Use error_reporting to control which errors are reported.

• ini_set('display_errors', '0'): Turns off showing errors on the screen.
• error_reporting(0): Tells PHP not to report any errors.

php

<?php
ini_set('display_errors', '0');
error_reporting(0);
?>

Example

This example shows how to turn off error display. The code tries to use an undefined variable, but no error message will appear.

php

<?php
ini_set('display_errors', '0');
error_reporting(0);

// This will cause a notice normally, but it won't show
echo $undefined_variable;

// Output a message to confirm script runs
echo "Script ran without showing errors.";
?>

Output

Script ran without showing errors.

Common Pitfalls

Many beginners forget to disable error display in production, which can expose sensitive information. Also, setting display_errors in the wrong place or after errors occur won't hide them.

Remember to set these at the start of your script or in your php.ini file.

php

<?php
// Wrong: setting display_errors after error occurs
echo $undefined_var; // Notice shown here
ini_set('display_errors', '0');
error_reporting(0);

// Right: set before any code that may cause errors
ini_set('display_errors', '0');
error_reporting(0);
echo $undefined_var; // No notice shown
?>

Output

Notice: Undefined variable: undefined_var in ... (only in wrong example, no output in right example)

Quick Reference

Setting	Purpose	Example
ini_set('display_errors', '0')	Turn off error display on screen	ini_set('display_errors', '0');
error_reporting(0)	Disable reporting of all errors	error_reporting(0);
php.ini setting	Permanent change in config file	display_errors = Off

Key Takeaways

Use ini_set('display_errors', '0') and error_reporting(0) at the start of your PHP script to hide errors.

Turning off error display helps keep error details hidden from users in production.

Set these configurations early to avoid showing errors before they are disabled.

For permanent changes, update the php.ini file with display_errors = Off.

Remember error logging can still be enabled separately to track issues without showing them.