When you update a plugin, theme, or your WordPress installation, WordPress temporarily triggers Maintenance Mode. During this period, your visitors will see the following message until the update is complete:
“Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance. Check back in a minute.”
How maintenance mode works
During the update process, WordPress pauses some backend processes briefly, often just for a few seconds, depending on the size and number of updates. WordPress uses the wp_maintenance() function to create a temporary .maintenance file on your site. This file contains the maintenance alert message. Once the updates are completed, the file is automatically removed, and your site returns to normal.
Why your site might get stuck in maintenance mode
Occasionally, WordPress can get stuck in Maintenance Mode. This happens when there is a conflict, causing the .maintenance file to think that some operations are still pending. As a result, the file doesn't remove itself and the maintenance message persists. Fortunately, this issue is easy to prevent and fix.
How to ensure your site doesn’t get stuck in maintenance mode
To avoid getting stuck in Maintenance Mode, follow these tips:
- Don’t refresh or navigate away during an update. Stay on the update screen until the process finishes.
- Avoid updating multiple plugins at once. Updating plugins one by one minimizes potential conflicts.
- Update your plugins immediately. Ensure that plugins are always running their latest version to reduce the chances of conflicts.
- Consider setting plugins to auto-update. This ensures that updates happen in the background without manual intervention.
How to fix a stuck maintenance mode
If your site does get stuck in Maintenance Mode, the solution is simple: delete the .maintenance file. Here’s how you can do it:
-
Connect via SFTP or SSH.
- If you are unfamiliar with this, here is how to connect.
- Navigate to the wp-live/ folder of your site.
- This is the folder that contains your wp-config.php file.
- Locate and delete the .maintenance file.
Once deleted, your site will exit Maintenance Mode and function normally.
How to customize the maintenance mode notice
The default maintenance message “Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance. Check back in a minute.” is functional but basic. If you want the Maintenance Mode page to align with your site's branding, you can customize it.
To enhance the maintenance page:
- Search for a Maintenance Mode plugin from the WordPress.org plugin repository.
- From your 10Web Dashboard, search for “Maintenance” in the plugin repository.
- Install and configure a plugin of your choice to customize the appearance and messaging of the Maintenance Mode page.