"Trying to access array offset on value of type X" in PHP — What It Means and How to Fix It

What the PHP error "Trying to access array offset on value of type X" means and how to fix it.

Published October 31, 2026

"Trying to access array offset on value of type X" occurs when array-style bracket access ([]) is used on a value that isn't an array, like a string, int, or null.

Key points

  • Check that the variable actually holds an array before indexing into it, especially after a function call that might return null
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