<!--
{
  "availability" : [
    "macOS: -"
  ],
  "documentType" : "symbol",
  "framework" : "AppKit",
  "identifier" : "/documentation/AppKit/NSDocumentController/presentError(_:)",
  "metadataVersion" : "0.1.0",
  "role" : "Instance Method",
  "symbol" : {
    "kind" : "Instance Method",
    "modules" : [
      "AppKit"
    ],
    "preciseIdentifier" : "c:objc(cs)NSDocumentController(im)presentError:"
  },
  "title" : "presentError(_:)"
}
-->

# presentError(_:)

Presents an error alert to the user as a modal panel.

```
func presentError(_ error: any Error) -> Bool
```

## Parameters

`error`

An object containing the error to present.

## Return Value

Returns <doc://com.apple.documentation/documentation/Swift/true> if error recovery was done; otherwise, <doc://com.apple.documentation/documentation/Swift/false>.

## Discussion

This method does not return until the user dismisses the alert and, if the error has recovery options and a recovery delegate, the error’s recovery delegate is sent an `attemptRecoveryFromError:optionIndex:` message.

The default `NSDocumentController` implementation of this method is equivalent to that of `NSResponder` while treating the application object as the next responder and forwarding error presentation messages to it. (The default `NSDocument` implementation of this method treats the shared `NSDocumentController` instance as the next responder and forwards these messages to it.) The default implementations of several `NSDocumentController` methods call this method.

The default implementation of this method calls [`willPresentError(_:)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSDocumentController/willPresentError(_:)) to give subclasses an opportunity to customize error presentation. You should not override this method but should instead override [`willPresentError(_:)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSDocumentController/willPresentError(_:)).

---

Copyright &copy; 2026 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. | [Terms of Use](https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/terms/site.html) | [Privacy Policy](https://www.apple.com/privacy/privacy-policy)