---
title: "getErrorMessage"
description: "Extract a human-readable message from anything thrown - `Error`, `string`, `{ message }` objects, or arbitrary values."
package: "@maz-ui/utils"
url: "https://maz-ui.com/ecosystem/utils/get-error-message"
---

# getErrorMessage

> Extract a human-readable message from anything thrown - `Error`, `string`, `{ message }` objects, or arbitrary values.

- Package: `@maz-ui/utils`
- Import: `import { getErrorMessage } from '@maz-ui/utils/helpers/getErrorMessage'`
- Web: https://maz-ui.com/ecosystem/utils/get-error-message

Especially useful inside `catch` blocks where the caught value is typed `unknown`.

## Usage

```ts
import { getErrorMessage } from '@maz-ui/utils'

try {
  await doSomething()
}
catch (error) {
  console.error(getErrorMessage(error))
}
```

## API

```ts
function getErrorMessage(error: unknown): string
```

## Resolution rules

The helper inspects `error` in this order:

1. `error instanceof Error` → returns `error.message`.
2. `typeof error === 'string'` → returns `error` as-is.
3. `error` is a plain object with a `message` property → returns `String(error.message)`.
4. `error` is otherwise truthy → returns `String(error)`.
5. `error` is falsy → returns `'An unexpected error occurred'`.