How to Fix “WordPress Stuck in Maintenance Mode” Error: Quick & Easy Solutions

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Are you looking for a solution to fix the “WordPress stuck in maintenance mode” error? Don’t worry; it is a common problem faced by WordPress site owners that can be easily solved.

Every CMS has its own issues that can occur at any time, and this is one of them in WordPress. If you are tired of searching for the right solutions to this error, then this post is just for you. After reading this guide, you will learn how to fix maintenance mode errors on your WordPress site.

In this guide, we will discuss the various causes of this error and different methods and solutions to resolve the problem.

So, without further ado, let’s get started!

What is WordPress Maintenance Mode?

Before we learn how to solve the ‘maintenance mode‘ error in WordPress, let’s understand what WordPress maintenance mode is. We all know that updates are important for your WordPress blog. Whether it’s a theme, plugin, or the WordPress core itself, updates bring useful features and enhance security. It is generally recommended not to skip any updates unless you have a strong reason.

When you update a theme, plugin, or WordPress core to a newer version, your site automatically enters a default maintenance mode provided by WordPress. This mode helps protect your site from external threats during the update process. The maintenance mode is activated quickly, but you may not even notice it happening.

In the image below, you can see how WordPress automatically enables maintenance mode when updating.

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WordPress Stuck During Upgrading

When this mode is activated, WordPress creates a file named .maintenance in the root folder of your site. If the update is successfully completed, WordPress will remove this auto-generated file from the root folder. Afterward, users can easily access your website.

What Causes “WordPress Maintenance Mode Error”?

As we discussed earlier, the maintenance mode process usually takes a few seconds to finish. During this time, you won’t know when your website is in maintenance mode.

However, there are instances when things don’t go as planned, and even after the update is complete, you may still see a message saying, “Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance. Check back in a minute.”

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WordPress is Briefly Unavailable for Scheduled Maintenance

Here are some reasons that cause this error:

  • You are trying to update a large number of plugins at once.
  • You accidentally closed the browser in the middle of an update.
  • You are getting a slow server response.
  • Your database doesn’t have enough memory or storage.
  • You can also have some compatibility issues.

How to Fix the “WordPress Stuck In Maintenance Mode” Error?

Now that you know what maintenance mode is and why you are stuck in it, it’s time to learn how you can easily fix this problem.

Here are the major causes why this error occurs:

  • If the .maintenance file is still located in the root folder
  • If the plugin or theme failed while updating

Now, let’s see how to solve these errors with their in-depth solutions.

How to Solve Issue if the .maintenance File is Still Located in the Root Folder

The most frequent reason why WordPress is stuck in maintenance mode is because of the auto-generated .maintenance file. You have to remove this file to get your site back live to the users.

Here is the solution that can help you delete this file:

You can delete this file from your site’s root folder, which can be achieved using any FTP software like FileZilla, Transmit, and Cyberduck. If you don’t want to use any FTP app, you can use your web hosting’s file manager, available under the cPanel.

Here in this article, we recommend you to use cPanel as it is easy to use as compared to the FTP client apps.

First, log in to your cPanel using your username and password.

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Login to Your cPanel Hosting

Now, under the Files, open the File Manager as shown in the image below.

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Open Your cPanel’s File Manager

After accessing the File Manager, you need to open the public_html folder, locate the .maintenance file, and delete it. Now, go back to your website and refresh the browser tab. The error message should be gone now.

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Delete .maintenance File

How to Solve Issues if The Plugin or Theme Failed While Updating

If the problem still persists, then it might be an issue with your theme or plugin. This happened when the updating process was interrupted in the middle. To check if this is the right issue, you need to rename the themes or plugins folders.

To do that, we will again use the FTP software to connect to our site and access the root folder.

Once you are in the root folder of your site, open the “wp_content” folder, locate the “plugins” and change the folder name to anything else like “old-plugins”. With this rename, WordPress will deactivate all of your site plugins.

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Delete “Old-Plugin” Folder

After that, you can refresh the site to check if it is accessible. If the site loads, then it means the error is related to the plugins. Now, go back to the “wp_content” folder and revert back the “old plugins” to “plugins”. After that, go to wp_admin > plugins and activate every plugin one by one to find out which plugin has a fault. Once you find that specific plugin, delete and reinstall it.

If the problem is still not resolved after changing the plugin’s folder name, then this time you need to change the themes folder name. Go to “wp_content” and rename the “themes” folder to anything like “old-themes”.

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Delete “Old-Themes” Folder

Again, reload your site, and if it loads, then the issue is related to the current activated theme. Now, you need to go back to the “wp_content” folder and change “old-themes” to “themes”. After this step, delete the activated theme folder from the “themes” folder (Before deleting, I recommend you to take a backup of your WordPress site using this method). After deleting, try to reinstall the same theme. Now, check if the site loads or not, if not then you should contact the theme’s developer.

Ways To Prevent a Site From Getting Stuck in “WordPress Maintenance Mode Error”

Even if this problem is not very hard to solve, it can still hamper your user’s experience.

Hence, it is a good practice to take some precautions that decrease the chances of your site getting stuck in WordPress maintenance mode error again.

1- Check Themes/Plugins Compatibility

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Always Check Plugin Compatibility

Before installing any theme or plugin, you should always check if they are compatible with your current WordPress version or not.

Checking this is pretty simple; you can check the compatibility from the download page of the plugin or theme like below:

2- Avoid Updating Plugins in Bulk

Try to avoid updating too many plugins at once. It is also a major cause why people get a “WordPress stuck in maintenance mode” error. You can decrease the number of plugin updates every time.

Of course, everyone loves frequent updates and especially when it comes to themes or plugins, as this enhances your overall website. But, update them one by one, don’t rush.

3- Check Pre-Installed Elements

You should always check your theme to see if there are any plugins that are already installed on your site. Especially, check if there is any maintenance mode plugin installed as it can override the default WordPress maintenance operations.

If you find any in-built maintenance plugin with your theme, it’s recommended to delete it as it can interrupt the default WordPress maintenance operations and can cause WordPress maintenance mode errors.

Frequently Asked Questions

You may still have some queries related to solving the maintenance mode error. Here, I am sharing several frequently asked questions to clear your doubts:

Q. How long does maintenance mode last?

The maintenance mode lasts until the update process of themes or plugins is completed. The time varies based on the number of updates and operations.

For example, if you are customizing your website, then the maintenance mode can last for a long time.

Q. How do I get my website out of maintenance mode?

You will automatically get out of maintenance mode after the update process is completed. However, after successful completion, if you are still in maintenance mode, then you have to manually get out of it.

To do this, you can remove the default .maintenance file created by WordPress from your site’s root folder. To do this, you can use the FTP client app or cPanel’s File Manager. After the issue is related to the faulty themes or plugins.

To learn more about how to get out of the maintenance mode, please read the guide above.

Q. How do I stop a website from being under maintenance mode?

There are some precautions you can take to ensure your site is not under maintenance mode.

For example, you should avoid updating too many plugins at a time and also check the theme or plugin-compatible versions before installing them.

Q. Is there any plugin to solve maintenance mode errors?

No, there is no plugin that solves the maintenance mode error. You have to manually resolve this problem.

Wrapping Up!

In this guide, we shared multiple ways that can help you solve the “WordPress stuck in maintenance mode” error. I just recommend you to take regular backups of your website to get rid of data loss. Also, you can use a staging site, if possible, that helps you do various tests without affecting the main site.

From the above methods, you can use any of them to get back your site live. However, if you face any difficulties in the process, then you can comment below your questions, and I will answer them.

Don’t forget to share this article to help other WordPress users.

Avatar of Sunny Kumar
Sunny Kumar
Hello! I’m Sunny Kumar from New Delhi, India, a tech enthusiast and blogger with an IT degree from IIT-D. My expertise lies in SEO, Cloud Computing, Telecom & Networking, and CEH. I specialize in SEO, WordPress Development, and PC Building. And being a proficient WordPress user, I’m dedicated to delivering quality content and a remarkable user experience.

4 thoughts on “How to Fix “WordPress Stuck in Maintenance Mode” Error: Quick & Easy Solutions”

  1. This article is a comprehensive guide on troubleshooting the ‘WordPress stuck in maintenance mode’ issue. The step-by-step process with screenshots made it extremely easy to understand and implement. Keep sharing such informative content!

    Reply
  2. Thanks for this comprehensive guide. It’s hugely beneficial for WordPress users who are battling the ‘maintenance mode’ error. Your step by step instructions and precautionary tips are very well articulated.

    Reply
  3. This is an excellent guide on resolving WordPress stuck in maintenance mode error. The step-by-step solution with supporting visuals makes it easy for any user to follow. Thanks for also highlighting the reasons behind this error.

    Reply
  4. Fantastic guide on fixing the ‘WordPress stuck in maintenance mode’ issue! The detailed steps, precautions, and FAQ truly make this a comprehensive resource. Thanks for simplifying such a tricky situation.

    Reply

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