---
title: Enabling console logging
description: You can edit the <pf_install>/pingfederate/server/default/conf/log4j2.xml file to enable console logging.
component: pingfederate
version: 13.1
page_id: pingfederate:administrators_reference_guide:pf_enabling_debug_message_and_console_logging
canonical_url: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingfederate/13.1/administrators_reference_guide/pf_enabling_debug_message_and_console_logging.html
llms_txt: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingfederate/llms.txt
docs_for_agents: https://developer.pingidentity.com/build-with-ai/docs-for-agents.md
revdate: September 21, 2022
section_ids:
  about-this-task: About this task
  steps: Steps
  result: Result
  related-links: Related links
---

# Enabling console logging

You can edit the `<pf_install>/pingfederate/server/default/conf/log4j2.xml` file to enable console logging.

## About this task

For troubleshooting purposes, you can enable console logging or [verbose messages](help_logsettingstasklet_logsettingsstate.html).

|   |                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
| - | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
|   | When you no longer require console logging or verbose messages, turn them off. On Windows, never highlight the console output because it might slow or stop PingFederate from processing requests. |

To enable console logging:

## Steps

1. Edit the `<pf_install>/pingfederate/server/default/conf/log4j2.xml` file.

2. Look for the `Set up the Root logger` section as shown in the following example.

   ```
   ...
   <!-- ======================= -->
   <!-- Set up the Root logger  -->
   <!-- ======================= -->
   ...
   <AsyncRoot level="INFO" includeLocation="false">
       <!-- <AppenderRef ref="CONSOLE" /> -->
       <AppenderRef ref="FILE" />
   </AsyncRoot>
   ```

   Then, update as shown in bold in the following snippet.

   ```
   ...
   <!-- ======================= -->
   <!-- Set up the Root logger  -->
   <!-- ======================= -->
   ...
   <AsyncRoot level="INFO" includeLocation="false">
        <AppenderRef ref="CONSOLE" />
       <AppenderRef ref="FILE" />
   </AsyncRoot>
   ```

   |   |                                                                                                                               |
   | - | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
   |   | When you no longer require console logging, comment out the `<AppenderRef ref="CONSOLE" />` entry for the `AsyncRoot` logger. |

3. Save any changes made.

4. In a clustered PingFederate environment, repeat these steps on each applicable node.

## Result

PingFederate activates the changes within half a minute. You don't need to restart PingFederate.

## Related links

* [Log4j 2 logging service and configuration](pf_log4j_2_loggin_service_and_config.html)