Need to Check PHP Code? Here's How to Find Hidden Errors Without Breaking Your Website

Your website is running smoothly one minute, and then suddenly—a blank white screen. Or maybe you see a strange error message that makes no sense. Maybe a form stopped working, or your checkout page just spins and spins.

If you’ve ever stared at a broken site and felt that knot in your stomach, you know the frustration. You want to fix the problem, but you’re afraid to touch anything because you might make it worse. Especially if someone told you the issue is in the “PHP code.”

This post is for you. I’m going to explain exactly what that means in plain language, and then give you a step‑by‑step way to safely check PHP code errors on your own—without breaking your site in the process.

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Why Your Website Has PHP Errors (and Why They Happen)

Think of PHP as the engine under the hood of your website. It’s a programming language that runs behind the scenes—processing forms, pulling content from your database, delivering pages to visitors. When that engine has a problem, your site can slow down, show errors, or stop working altogether.

Common causes:

• An update to a plugin, theme, or WordPress itself that conflicts with something else.
• A small mistake in a piece of custom code you (or a developer) added.
• A hosting environment that changes settings without warning.

If ignored, these errors can cost you real money: abandoned shopping carts, lost leads, damage to your search rankings, and a frustrated audience. But checking PHP code sounds scary when you’re not a developer. The good news is there are safe ways to do it.

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How to Safely Check PHP Code on Your WordPress Site

The safest method is to turn on a diagnostic mode that shows errors only to you—not to your visitors. This way you can see what’s broken without your customers ever seeing a scary message. For WordPress (the most common platform for small business owners), here’s exactly what to do.

Step 1: Enable WP_DEBUG Mode

WP_DEBUG is a built‑in WordPress setting that logs errors. It doesn’t change anything on the front end of your site unless you also turn on display mode (which we’ll do carefully).

How to do it (even if you’ve never touched a code file):

1. Log into your hosting control panel (usually cPanel).
   If you don’t have cPanel, ask your host for a file manager tool that lets you edit files.

2. Find the public_html folder (or the folder where your WordPress is installed).

3. Locate the file called wp-config.php. Make a backup copy first—right‑click and download it to your computer.

4. Open wp-config.php in the file manager’s built‑in editor.

5. Look for a line that says define('WP_DEBUG', false); – if you see it, change false to true.
   If you don’t see that line, add this just before the line that says /* That's all, stop editing! Happy blogging. */:

   define('WP_DEBUG', true);
   define('WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', false); // errors won't show on your live site
   define('WP_DEBUG_LOG', true);     // errors go into a log file
   

6. Save the file.

What this does: WordPress now writes all PHP errors to a file called debug.log inside the /wp-content/ folder. Visitors still see your site normally—no errors displayed. You can later download that log file and read the error messages.

Caution: Never leave WP_DEBUG enabled on a live site. Turn it off by changing true back to false after you’ve identified the issue.

Step 2: Use the “Health Check & Troubleshooting” Plugin

If you’d rather not touch code at all, this plugin is the best tool for non‑developers. It lets you test your site by temporarily disabling plugins and switching themes without affecting what visitors see.

How to use it:

1. In your WordPress admin dashboard, go to Plugins → Add New.
2. Search for “Health Check & Troubleshooting” (by the WordPress.org team).
3. Install and activate it.
4. Go to Tools → Site Health and click the Troubleshooting tab.
5. Click Enable Troubleshooting Mode.
6. You’ll see a screen where you can turn plugins on and off one by one, and change themes, all in a “private” session that only you can see.
7. Turn off all plugins, then turn them back on one at a time, checking your site after each action. When the error reappears, you’ve found the culprit.
8. When you’re done, click Disable Troubleshooting Mode to return everything to normal.

This method lets you check PHP code conflicts without any risk to your live site.

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When You Need to Check PHP Code on Other Types of Sites

If your site is not WordPress (for example, a custom‑built e‑commerce platform or a home‑grown booking system), the exact steps vary. But the general principles are the same:

• Look for error‑logging settings in your hosting control panel. Most hosts provide a feature called “error log” under the “Logs” or “Metrics” section. It records PHP errors automatically.
• Ask your host to enable a “maintenance mode” while you test changes. This hides errors from visitors.
• If you have custom code, ask whoever built the site for a way to turn on debugging. They may have a config file or a toggle in an admin panel.

Because there’s no universal admin UI for custom sites, I can’t give you “click here, then click there” steps. But if you follow the same principle—isolate changes, test in a private mode—you’ll be far safer than guessing.

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What to Do Once You Find the Error

After you’ve enabled logging or used the troubleshooting plugin, you’ll see a message like “PHP Fatal error: Uncaught TypeError …” or something similar. Don’t panic. Write down the exact error text—it’s like a clue.

For WordPress users:

• If the error points to a specific plugin, try updating or replacing that plugin.
• If it points to a line in your theme’s functions.php file, you can remove that line (or comment it out) and then contact the theme developer.
• For simple errors, you can often copy the error message and search Google. Many business owners have solved their own issues this way.

For non‑WordPress sites:

• Share the error text with your hosting support or the developer who built the site.
• Use it as a starting point for a fix.

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The Real Cost of Ignoring PHP Errors

Let’s be honest—you’re busy running your business. Poking around in code files isn’t how you want to spend your afternoon. But leaving a PHP error unchecked can silently eat your revenue.

• A broken checkout form that nobody reports can lose thousands over a weekend.
• A slow‑to‑load page caused by a PHP warning can drop your SEO ranking.
• A white screen of death can make you look unprofessional and drive customers to competitors.

Taking 20 minutes to safely check PHP code today can save you from a much bigger headache tomorrow.

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If you followed the steps above and it’s still broken (or you’d rather not do it yourself), that’s exactly when DevCev Digital can help. We handle the technical side so you can focus on your business.