How to Export WordPress Error Logs

WP Debug Toolkit (WPDT) gives you three ways to export your WordPress error logs data out of the Error Logs view: press D to download the visible entries as a file, press C to copy all visible entries to the clipboard, or press X on a specific entry to copy that one entry. All three methods export exactly what you see. Any active filters and search terms you have enabled determine what is included.

Step 1: Download the Visible Entries as a File

Apply your filters and search terms first. The download reflects whatever is currently visible in the viewer at that moment, and WPDT excludes any entries hidden by filters or search from the file.

Press D or click the Export button in the toolbar. WPDT downloads a file containing all entries currently visible in the viewer.

✅ What You Should See: Your browser starts a file download. The file contains the log entries that matched your active filters and search at the moment you pressed D.

Step 2: Copy All Visible Entries to Clipboard

Press C. WPDT copies all currently visible entries to the clipboard as plain text. You can paste them directly into an email, a support ticket, or an AI assistant without saving a file first.

Step 3: Copy a Single Entry

Hover over the entry you want. Press X, or click the copy icon that appears on hover. WPDT copies that entry to the clipboard. Use this when you need to share one specific error without the surrounding context.

Note: The export contains only the entries visible in the viewer at the time of export. Apply filters and search before exporting to control what is included.

Four situations where exporting comes in handy:

• Sharing with another developer: export the filtered view or copy a specific entry to share relevant errors without sending the entire log.
• Attaching to a support ticket: filter to the relevant errors, export, and attach the file so support teams get the context they need without unrelated noise.
• Archiving before clearing: export the current entries before pressing Shift+R to clear the log. This is especially important when the Delete cleanup method is active, which removes entries permanently with no archive.
• Analyzing with AI: export filtered errors and paste them into an AI assistant for pattern analysis and fix suggestions.

Common Issues and How to Fix Them

The Downloaded File Contains More Entries Than Expected

Likely cause: Filters or search terms were not active at the time of export. The download always reflects the full visible set, which defaults to all entries when no filters are applied.

Fix: Apply the relevant filters and search terms in the Error Logs view, confirm the entry count in the header, then press D to download.

Exporting WordPress Error Logs — Frequently Asked Questions

Do the Keyboard Shortcuts for Exporting Error Logs Work Everywhere in the Viewer?

D and X work in both the Error Logs view and the Database Queries view, but they behave differently in each. C copies all visible entries to the clipboard in the Error Logs view, while in Database Queries, it opens an export dialog instead. For the complete list of keyboard shortcuts across the viewer, see the Keyboard Shortcuts article.

Can I Export Query Log Data the Same Way?

The shortcuts exist in the Database Queries view as well, but they do not behave the same way as in Error Logs.

• D opens an Export Queries dialog where you choose a format (JSON, TSV, or CSV) before the export runs. It does not trigger an immediate file download the way it does in the Error Logs view.
• C opens the same Export Queries dialog. There is no copy-all-to-clipboard feature for query data.
• X copies the SQL of the focused query row to the clipboard. The viewer confirms this with a “SQL query copied to clipboard” message. It does not copy the full formatted entry.

Exporting WordPress Error Logs — Related Documentation

How to Filter and Search WordPress Error Logs – Scope your log to exactly the entries you need before you export. The +include and -exclude operators give you precise control.

WordPress Error Log Rotation and Retention – Export the current log before clearing it; the Delete cleanup method removes entries permanently with no archive.

Keyboard Shortcuts – The complete shortcut reference for the viewer, including every export key covered in this article.