# Debug events

Source: https://catalystgroup.gg/docs/email-delivery/debug-events/
Updated: 2026-10-19 · By Duane Garner

Use Tools → Debug Events to see email sending errors and detailed diagnostics, control how long they are kept, and share them safely with support.

**Debug Events** is CRM-NG SMTP's technical diary. It records every email sending error and, when you ask it to, a detailed trace of how each email was sent. This article explains what is recorded, how to read and filter it, and how to share an event with support without exposing secrets. It is for administrators and developers diagnosing sending problems.

 

## Open the page

 

Go to **CRM-NG SMTP → Tools → Debug Events**. At the top are the settings, under **Event Types**. Below them is the list of recorded events.

 

## Event types

 

### Email Sending Errors

 

**This debug event is always enabled and will record any email sending errors in the table below.** Every time a mailer refuses an email or cannot be reached, the full error is saved here. You cannot switch this off.

 

### Debug Email Sending

 

Tick this to record much more detail: each email request, steps in the background queue, and, for SMTP-based mailers, the conversation between your site and the mail server when a send fails.

 

The screen advises: **This setting should only be enabled for shorter debugging periods and disabled afterwards.** Debug mode writes an entry for every email, which grows the table quickly on a busy site.

 

Test emails from **Tools → Email Test** always collect the SMTP conversation, even with debugging off, so a failed test usually gives you the detail you need.

 

## Events Retention Period

 

Choose how long events are kept: **1 Week**, **1 Month**, **3 Months**, **6 Months**, **1 Year** or **Forever**. **Debug events older than the selected period will be permanently deleted from the database.** The cleanup runs as a background task. See [Scheduled actions](https://catalystgroup.gg/docs/email-delivery/scheduled-actions/).

 

Press the save button after changing any setting.

 

You can fix the retention in `wp-config.php` with `CRMNG_SMTP_DEBUG_EVENTS_RETENTION_PERIOD`, in seconds. See [Securing settings with wp-config constants](https://catalystgroup.gg/docs/email-delivery/secure-settings-constants/).

 

## Reading the list

 

| Column | What it shows |
| --- | --- |
| Event | A short title. Click it to open the full event. |
| Type | Error for sending failures, Debug for extra detail. |
| Content | The start of the message, cut at 100 characters. |
| Source | The plugin or file that tried to send the email, so you can tell a contact form from a shop or a backup plugin. |
| Date | When it happened. |

 

Click an event's title to open a window with the full text, the source file and line, and, when debugging was on, the chain of code that led to the send.

 

### Filtering

 
- The links above the list (**All**, **Error**, **Debug**) show one type at a time.
- **Search Events** finds events whose text contains your words, such as `535` or `timed out`.
- You can also narrow to a date or date range.

 

The active filters are listed above the table, such as **where event contains** "535". Click the small cross next to a filter to remove it.

 

**Screen Options** at the top right sets the **Number of events per page:**.

 

## Clearing events

 

Press **Delete All Events** above the list. You are asked **Are you sure you want to permanently delete all debug events?** Press **Yes** to confirm. This only clears debug events. Your email log is not touched.

 

## Sharing an event with support

 

When you contact support, an event is often the fastest way to show what went wrong.

 
1. Reproduce the problem
  Send a test from **Tools → Email Test** so the newest event is the right one. Tick **Debug Email Sending** first if you want more detail.
2. Open the event
  Click its title in the list.
3. Copy the text
  Select the full text in the window and copy it. The failed-send banner also has a **Copy error log** button that does this for the latest failure.
4. Remove secrets
  Read through before sending. See the warning below.
5. Send it
  Paste it into your message to `https://catalystgroup.gg/support/`.

 

> **Check for passwords before sharing:** SMTP conversations can contain your username and password in encoded form, usually on lines right after `AUTH LOGIN` or `AUTH PLAIN`. Encoded is not the same as hidden: anyone can decode it. Delete those lines, and any API keys, before you share an event. If you have already shared one, change the password.

 

## When the page shows an error

 

If you see **Debug Events are Not Installed Correctly**, the database table is missing. Follow the link **create the missing DB tables by clicking on this link**. If that does not help, see [Site Health checks](https://catalystgroup.gg/docs/email-delivery/site-health-checks/).

 

## Related

 
- [Debugging sending issues](https://catalystgroup.gg/docs/email-delivery/debugging-sending-issues/)
- [Viewing the email log](https://catalystgroup.gg/docs/email-delivery/viewing-the-email-log/)
- [Sharing credentials with support safely](https://catalystgroup.gg/docs/email-delivery/sharing-credentials-safely/)
- [Scheduled actions](https://catalystgroup.gg/docs/email-delivery/scheduled-actions/)
- [Site Health checks](https://catalystgroup.gg/docs/email-delivery/site-health-checks/)