Fix Sublime Text Error Trying to Parse Settings

In this guide, we’re going to cover the following Sublime Text error message: ‘Error trying to parse settings’. We’ll list three simple troubleshooting methods you can use to iron out this error.

Troubleshooting Sublime Text Parse Settings Error

⇒ Quick Fix: Check your syntax to make sure you’re not missing any comma.

If you get the parsing error, ensure there’s either a comma or a closing bracket after each setting. This informs the program there are more configuration parameters remaining.

When adding new settings, double-check your code to make sure all the parameters are separated by commas.

1. Enable default preferences

One way to fix this error is to tweak your Preferences file and bring it to default settings.

Go to Preferences > Settings to locate the file that’s having problems.

Copy over the default settings and check if the error persists.

Your custom user preferences override the default settings. If certain items are not defined in your custom user settings, then your default settings will be used automatically.

As a matter of fact, this is the reason why the default user settings consist in an empty { } JSON dictionary.

2. Return Sublime Text to a freshly installed state

In order to revert the program to a freshly installed state, you need to remove the data folder.

Its location is different depending on the operating system you’re using:

• If you’re on Windows, go to %APPDATA%\Sublime Text
• On Mac computers, go to ~/Library/Application Support/Sublime Text
• If you’re on Linux, go to ~/.config/sublime-text

After you located the data folder, close Sublime Text and then move the data folder to your desktop.

Sublime Text will automatically re-created the data folder when you load it again.

3. Delete the settings file

Other users suggested that deleting the settings file from Packages (C:// Users /Packages/PHP.sublime-settings) solved the problem.

If you choose to use this method, don’t forget to backup that file first.

We hope you managed to fix the parse settings error in Sublime Text.