Handle Errors

Learn about how to handle and trigger errors.

Errors

Buyer checkout error

If an error prevents buyer checkout, alert the user that an error has occurred with the buttons using the onError callback:

paypal.Buttons({
  onError: function (err) {
    // For example, redirect to a specific error page
    window.location.href = "/your-error-page-here";
  }
}).render('#paypal-button-container');

Note: This error handler is a catch-all. Errors at this point are not expected to be handled beyond showing a generic error message or page.

Script not loading error

If null pointer errors prevent the script from loading, provide a different checkout experience:

if (window.paypal && window.paypal.Buttons) {
  // render the buttons
} else {
  // show a fallback experience
}

Test error conditions

To test your onError function, you can reject a promise in the createOrder and onApprove callbacks. This can be done on click of the button or when the order is captured.

Button click

paypal.Buttons({
  // Set up the transaction
  createOrder: function(data, actions) {
    // Manually trigger the OnError callback
    throw new Error('force the createOrder callback to fail');
  },
  onError: (err) => {
    console.error('error from the onError callback', err);
  }
}).render('#paypal-button-container');

Finalize transaction

paypal.Buttons({
  // Finalize the transaction
  onApprove: function(data, actions) {
    // Manually trigger the OnError callback
    throw new Error('force the onApprove callback to fail');
  },
  onError: (err) => {
    console.error('error from the onError callback', err);
  }
}).render('#paypal-button-container');