debug = false is not working

are these entries in config/app.php stock or have you edited them?

they are from .env config/app.php is left as it is during installation (it's taking all values from .env file)

use php artisan config:clear

This will clear the cached variables and use the new ones.

Unfortunately not working

try php artisan config:cache

that should clear and then recache.

Still not working this is what I get. This "debug" part is killing me

{
  "error": {
    "message": "Parse error: syntax error, unexpected '=>' (T_DOUBLE_ARROW), expecting ']'",
    "status_code": 500,
    "debug": {
      "line": 103,
      "file": "E:\\xampp\\htdocs\\app\\Api\\V1\\Controllers\\Messages\\MessageController.php",
      "class": "Symfony\\Component\\Debug\\Exception\\FatalThrowableError",
      "trace": [
        "#0 E:\\xampp\\htdocs\\vendor\\composer\\ClassLoader.php(322): Composer\\Autoload\\includeFile('E:\\\\xampp\\\\htdocs...')",
        "#1 [internal function]: Composer\\Autoload\\ClassLoader->loadClass('App\\\\Api\\\\V1\\\\Cont...')",
        "#2 [internal function]: spl_autoload_call('App\\\\Api\\\\V1\\\\Cont...')",
      ]
    }
  }
}

If php artisan config:cache still not working, simple try to restart your server. Maybe you should try to change that variable manual in app.php.

I've tried all of that :/

Are you running on Homestead? If so destroy the box and re-provision.

Are you still having that trouble after 3 years? I am on Laravel 7.x and have the same problem. Only thing that works for me is to edit the \config\app.php.

Change 'debug' => env('APP_DEBUG', false), to 'debug'=false, and then in console type

'php artisan config:cache'.

If anyone have solutions to make the .env working, I am happy.