How to Fix WordPress Stuck in Maintenance Mode (Easy Guide)

Sometimes, when updating WordPress, themes, or plugins, your site may get stuck in Maintenance Mode. You will see this message:

"Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance. Check back in a minute."

If your site remains stuck, follow these simple steps to fix it.

Why Does WordPress Get Stuck in Maintenance Mode?

• An update was interrupted (due to slow internet or server issues).

• A plugin or theme conflict occurred during the update.

• The .maintenance file wasn’t removed automatically.

How to Fix WordPress Stuck in Maintenance Mode

1. Delete the .maintenance File (Quickest Fix)

1. Log in to your cPanel or connect via FTP.

2. Open your website’s root directory (public_html).

3. Find the .maintenance file.

4. Delete it and refresh your website.

2. Manually Update WordPress, Themes, or Plugins

If your site is still broken:

1. Go to wp-content/upgrade/ and delete any leftover files.

2. Update WordPress, plugins, and themes manually.

3. Refresh your website.

3. Deactivate Faulty Plugins

If the issue happened after a plugin update:

1. Go to wp-content/plugins/ via FTP.

2. Rename the suspected plugin folder (e.g., plugin-name_old).

3. Check if your site is back.

4. If the problem is fixed, update or replace the faulty plugin.

4. Increase PHP Execution Time

If updates take too long and cause maintenance mode issues, try increasing the PHP execution time:

1. Edit your .htaccess file in public_html.

2. Add this code:

   php

    

   php_value max_execution_time 300


3. Save the file and retry the update.

Conclusion

Fixing the WordPress Maintenance Mode issue is simple! Just delete the .maintenance file, check for faulty plugins, or increase the PHP execution time. If you need more help, feel free to ask on Tech Fix Forum! 😊