# Serverless does not recognize useDotEnv

**URL:** <https://forum.serverless.com/t/serverless-does-not-recognize-usedotenv/17531>\
**Category:** Serverless Framework\
**Tags:** variables\
**Created:** [August 22, 2022, 2:37pm UTC](https://forum.serverless.com/t/serverless-does-not-recognize-usedotenv/17531 "2022-08-22T14:37:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![amilliken-bb](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/forum.serverless.com/amilliken-bb/32/7022_2.png) [@amilliken-bb](https://forum.serverless.com/u/amilliken-bb)\
**Post date:** [August 22, 2022, 2:37pm UTC](https://forum.serverless.com/t/serverless-does-not-recognize-usedotenv/17531/1 "2022-08-22T14:37:15Z")

</div>

When trying to set `useDotEnv: true` I get `unrecognized property 'useDotEnv'` error, and the `.env` file does not load:

 ![Screen Shot 2022-08-22 at 7.33.59 AM](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/serverless/original/2X/4/4d993935a93caf409bf3ad2bcd0de9857c28e04e.png)

Serverless version: 3.21.0

serverless.env:

```auto
useDotEnv: true
service: cocoa
frameworkVersion: "3"

provider:
  name: aws
  runtime: nodejs16.x
  architecture: arm64
  region: ${opt:region, 'us-west-2'}
  environment:
    APP_NAME: ${self:service}
    LOG_LEVEL: ${env:LOG_LEVEL, 'UNDEFINED'}

custom:
  serverless-offline:
    noPrependStageInUrl: true

plugins:
  - serverless-plugin-typescript
  - serverless-offline

```

What am I doing wrong?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![achronister](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/forum.serverless.com/achronister/32/7058_2.png) [@achronister](https://forum.serverless.com/u/achronister)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2022, 5:02pm UTC](https://forum.serverless.com/t/serverless-does-not-recognize-usedotenv/17531/2 "2022-09-12T17:02:17Z")

</div>

useDotenv: true

works for me.