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Set up custom error handling

Written by Owner

Updated at August 20th, 2025

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Table of Contents

Set up an error handler Create a new error handler Delete steps in an error handler Use error messages in later steps Availability Limitations

Available on plans:

A green checkmark

Free

A green checkmark

Pro

A green checkmark

Team

A green checkmark

Enterprise

Use the error handler to customize how your Zap runs if it encounters an error. These steps will have a Stopped/Errored or Stopped/Halted status. When you add an error handler to a step in your Zap, the Zap will run the error handler as an alternative workflow. This gives you more granular control over your workflows so you can quickly troubleshoot and recover from errors.

Custom error handling setup in Zap editor

Set up an error handler

Create a new error handler

You can add an error handler to any step of your Zap.

  1. In the Zap step where you want to add an error handler, click the three dots icon .
  2. A dropdown menu will open.
  3. Select Add error handler.
  4. The error handler will appear below the existing step and the Zap will split into two paths.
    • On the left, any pre-existing steps will appear as one path under the Success label. This path will run if no errors occur in the step where you added the error handler.
    • On the right, a new error handler path will appear under the Error label. This path will only run if an error occurs in the step where you added the error handler.
  5. In the error handler path, click the action step to set up your Zap action.
  6. (Optional) Add additional action steps to the error handler path.
  7. (Optional) Rename a step in the error handler, by clicking the three dots icon .
    • A dropdown menu will appear.
    • Click Rename.
    • A dialog box will appear above the error handler.
    • Enter a new name for the error handler, then click the check mark to save.

When an error handler runs, the original errored step does not count towards the Zap’s error ratio.

Delete steps in an error handler

You can delete a single step in an error handler path.

  1. On the step in the error handler path, click the three dots icon . A dropdown menu will open.
  2. To duplicate, select Duplicate. The duplicate step will appear directly below.
  3. To delete, select Delete. 
  4. Complete deletion by clicking Really delete?.
Tip

When an error handler runs, the Zap run details will display it as a path branch run with a "Success" status. Error handling step run shown as a successful path branch in Zap history

Use error messages in later steps

When a step errors, the app used in the step will return an error message to Zapier. If the step has an error handler set up, you can use the error message as a field that can be mapped to subsequent steps in the error handler.

  1. Open a step in the error handler.
  2. Select a field that you want to map the error message field to. The dropdown menu to insert or select data will open.
  3. Select the original step where the error handler originates from to expand it.
  4. Search for and select the Error Message field.

Mapping the error message field from an errored step to a subsequent step

Availability

You can:

  • Add an error handler to any step in your Zap except for the trigger and any Paths step.
    • You can add them to steps within a path.
  • Have multiple error handlers in a Zap, but only 1 per Zap step.
  • Add an error handler to a step within an existing error handler.
  • Add Paths within an error handler path.
  • Copy and paste a step from within an error handler path to any other step in the Zap.
  • View error handler runs in Zap history.
    • They will have a “Stopped/Handled” status.
Tip

When an action step errors, any error handler added to it will always run. This is different from Paths, which will not run if it depends on fields mapped from a previous step that errored.

Limitations

  • If you downgrade to a Free plan:
    • Your Zap will turn off if it contains any existing error handlers.
    • You cannot add any new error handlers.
  • You cannot copy and paste entire error handler paths.
  • You can have up to 100 steps in your Zap, including any steps in an error handler path.
  • Once published, autoreplay for the Zap will turn off to enable error handling.
    • Autoreplay settings at the account level will not be affected.
  • You cannot manually replay Zap runs that have error handlers.
    • You can replay an entire Zap run instead.
  • Zapier will not send any error notification emails when an error handler runs.
  • When a step errors, it will not generate any output.
    • Any fields in subsequent steps that are mapped to the errored step will not receive any data, including any error handlers.
  • Any Zap that uses Zapier Manager to trigger from errors in a Zap will still trigger even when custom error handling is enabled.
  • If you add a filter or a path to your error handler but the actual error message does not match the filter or path conditions, the status of the run will be "handled" instead of "errored".

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