Merge pull request #10707 from MicrosoftDocs/main

Auto Publish – main to live - 2026-02-10 22:00 UTC

Author: learn-build-service-prod[bot]

support/developer/webapps/aspnet/development/disable-debugging-application.md

@@ -1,68 +1,45 @@
 ---
 title: Disable Debugging for ASP.NET Application
 description: This article discusses how to disable debugging for ASP.NET applications.
-ms.date: 03/26/2025
+ms.date: 02/10/2026
 ms.custom: sap:General Development
 ms.topic: how-to
-ms.reviewer: paulboc
+ms.reviewer: paulboc, v-shaywood
 ---
 # Disable debugging for ASP.NET applications
 
-This article discusses how to disable debugging for ASP.NET applications running on .NET Framework.
+This article explains how to disable debugging for ASP.NET applications running on .NET Framework.
 
 _Original product version:_   ASP.NET  
 _Original KB number:_   815157
 
 ## Summary
 
-ASP.NET supports compiling applications in a special debug mode that helps developer troubleshooting. Debug mode causes ASP.NET to compile applications with extra information. The information enables a debugger to closely monitor and control the execution of an application. Applications that are compiled in debug mode execute as expected. However, the performance of the application is affected. To avoid the effect on performance, it's a good idea to enable debugging only when a developer is doing interactive troubleshooting.
+ASP.NET supports compiling applications in a special debug mode that helps developers troubleshoot. Debug mode causes ASP.NET to compile applications with extra information. The extra information enables a debugger to closely monitor and control the execution of an application. Applications that are compiled in debug mode execute as expected. However, the performance of the application is affected. To avoid the effect on performance, enable debugging only when a developer is doing interactive troubleshooting.
 
-Debugging is disabled by default. Debugging is frequently enabled to troubleshoot a problem. But it's frequently not disabled after the problem is resolved. This article describes how to disable debugging for an ASP.NET application.
+Debugging is disabled by default. Developers frequently enable debugging to troubleshoot a problem but don't disable it after the problem is resolved. This article describes how to disable debugging for an ASP.NET application.
 
-To disable debugging, modify the **Web.config** file or the **Machine.config** file, as detailed in the following sections.
+To disable debugging, modify the `Web.config` file or the `Machine.config` file, as detailed in the following sections.
 
-## Method 1: Modify the Web.config file
+## Modify the Web.config file
 
-To disable debugging, add the compilation element to the **Web.config** file of the application by following these steps. The **Web.config** file is located in the application directory.
+To disable debugging, add the compilation element to the `Web.config` file of the application by following these steps. The `Web.config` file is located in the application directory.
 
-1. Open the **Web.config** file in a text editor, such as Notepad. The file is typically located in the application directory.
-2. In the **Web.config** file, locate the compilation element. Debugging is enabled when the debug attribute in the compilation element is set to `true`.
-3. Change the debug attribute to `false` to disable debugging for that application.
+1. Open the `Web.config` file in a text editor, such as Notepad. The file is typically located in the application directory.
+1. In the `Web.config` file, locate the compilation element. Debugging is enabled when the debug attribute in the compilation element is set to `true`.
+1. Change the debug attribute to `false` to disable debugging for that application.
 
     The following code sample shows the compilation element with debug set to `false`:
 
     ```xml
     <compilation debug="false"/>
     ```
 
-4. Save the **Web.config** file. The ASP.NET application automatically restarts.
+1. Save the `Web.config` file. The ASP.NET application automatically restarts.
 
-## Method 2: Modify the Machine.config file
+## Use IIS Manager (if the web application is hosted on IIS)
 
-You can also disable debugging for all applications on a system by modifying the **Machine.config** file. To confirm that debugging isn't enabled in the **Machine.config** file, follow these steps:
-
-1. Open the **Machine.config** file in a text editor, such as Notepad. The file is typically located in the following folder:  
-
-   `%SystemRoot%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\%VersionNumber%\CONFIG\`
-
-   For 64-bit versions of the .NET Framework, the file is in the following folder:
-
-   `%SystemRoot%\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\%VersionNumber%\CONFIG\`
-
-1. In the **Machine.config** file, locate the compilation element. Debugging is enabled when the debug attribute in the compilation element is set to `true`.
-1. If the debug attribute is `true`, change the debug attribute to `false`.
-
-   The following code sample shows the compilation element with debug set to `false`:
-
-   ```xml
-   <compilation debug="false"/>
-   ```
-
-1. Save the **Machine.config** file.
-
-## Method 3: Using IIS Manager (if the web application is hosted on IIS)
-
-1. Open IIS Manager on the computer where the website is hosted (you can select <kbd>Windows</kbd> + <kbd>R</kbd> and type **inetmgr**):
+1. Open IIS Manager on the computer where the website is hosted. You can select <kbd>Windows</kbd> + <kbd>R</kbd> and type **inetmgr**:
 
    :::image type="content" source="media/disable-debugging-application/type-inetmgr-run-window.png" alt-text="Screenshot of typing inetmgr in the Run window.":::
 
@@ -74,7 +51,7 @@ You can also disable debugging for all applications on a system by modifying the
 
    :::image type="content" source="media/disable-debugging-application/net-compilation-icon.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the .NET Compilation icon." lightbox="media/disable-debugging-application/net-compilation-icon.png":::
 
-1. Within the list of parameter values displayed in the middle pane of IIS Manager, set the value of **Debug** under the **Behavior** category to:
+1. In the list of parameter values displayed in the middle pane of IIS Manager, set the value of **Debug** under the **Behavior** category to:
 
    - **True**: Enable debug mode.
    - **False**: Disable debug mode.
@@ -84,3 +61,29 @@ You can also disable debugging for all applications on a system by modifying the
 1. Select the **Apply** button from the right-hand side pane of IIS Manager to save the changes to the IIS configuration:
 
    :::image type="content" source="media/disable-debugging-application/apply-button-iis-manager.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the Apply button in IIS Manager." lightbox="media/disable-debugging-application/apply-button-iis-manager.png":::
+
+## Modify the Machine.config file
+
+> [!CAUTION]
+> Be careful when editing `Machine.config`. This file applies globally to all .NET applications on the server, and a misconfiguration can break other applications. To target only specific sites, prefer setting `debug="false"` in the application’s Web.config or via IIS Manager.
+
+You can also disable debugging for all applications on a system by modifying the `Machine.config` file. To confirm that debugging isn't enabled in the `Machine.config` file, follow these steps:
+
+1. Open the `Machine.config` file in a text editor, such as Notepad. The file is typically located in the following folder:  
+
+   `%SystemRoot%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\%VersionNumber%\CONFIG\`
+
+   For 64-bit versions of the .NET Framework, the file is in the following folder:
+
+   `%SystemRoot%\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\%VersionNumber%\CONFIG\`
+
+1. In the `Machine.config` file, locate the compilation element. Debugging is enabled when the debug attribute in the compilation element is set to `true`.
+1. If the debug attribute is `true`, change the debug attribute to `false`.
+
+   The following code sample shows the compilation element with debug set to `false`:
+
+   ```xml
+   <compilation debug="false"/>
+   ```
+
+1. Save the `Machine.config` file.