How to find mail error in php

In PHP, there are several ways to find and troubleshoot mail errors. Here are some steps you can follow:

  1. Check the PHP error log: PHP logs errors to a file, which can be configured in your php.ini file. Check the error log for any errors related to mail sending. You can do this by:
    • Checking the error_log file in your PHP installation directory (e.g., /var/log/php_errors.log on Linux).
    • Using the error_reporting function in your PHP script to log errors to a file.
  2. Use the mail() function's return value: The mail() function returns a boolean value indicating whether the mail was sent successfully. If the return value is false, it means there was an error. You can check the return value like this:
    $result = mail('[email protected]', 'Subject', 'Message');
    if (!$result) {
     echo 'Mail sending failed';
    }
  3. Check the mail server logs: If you're using a mail server like Sendmail, Postfix, or Exim, check the logs for any errors related to mail sending. The logs are usually located in the /var/log directory (on Linux).
  4. Use a mail debugging tool: There are several PHP libraries and tools that can help you debug mail errors. Some popular ones include:
    • PHPMailer: A popular PHP library for sending emails that includes debugging features.
    • SwiftMailer: Another popular PHP library for sending emails that includes debugging features.
    • Mailhog: A tool that captures and displays emails sent by your PHP script, allowing you to inspect the email headers and body.
  5. Check the email headers: When sending an email, you can include headers that provide information about the email, such as the sender, recipient, and any errors that occurred during sending. You can check the email headers using a tool like mailhog or by inspecting the email headers in your email client.
  6. Check the email body: The email body can also provide clues about the error. Check the email body for any error messages or debugging information.
  7. Use a PHP debugger: If you're using a PHP debugger like Xdebug or Zend Debugger, you can set breakpoints and inspect the variables and error messages to troubleshoot the issue.

Some common mail errors in PHP include:

By following these steps, you should be able to find and troubleshoot mail errors in your PHP script.