In WordPress, the message “Briefly Unavailable for Scheduled Maintenance” shows your site’s temporary unavailability.

A WordPress site shows the message when a site’s core infrastructure is updated automatically.

In this resource – you’ll learn how to fix WordPress showing messages – Briefly unavailable for Scheduled maintenance. Also, WordPress maintenance mode, types of WordPress updates, and plugins used for WordPress maintenance are the ingredients of this resource.

Introduction: Briefly Unavailable for Scheduled Maintenance

WordPress updates have two types – automatic and manual updates.

Automatic Updates

When WordPress automatically initiates an update – it refers to WordPress automatic update. During automatic updates, WordPress creates a .maintenance file in the site’s root – causing WordPress to show a message – Briefly unavailable for Scheduled maintenance.

Manual Updates

When a WordPress site’s admin initiates an update, it refers to manual updates in WordPress. In this case – WordPress showing maintenance mode is caused by a plugin, such as SeedProd.

Note: While WordPress is updating its Core, visitors may still see “Briefly unavailable for Scheduled maintenance” after WordPress has finished an automatic update – causing frustration for WordPress admins.

In such scenarios, fixing WordPress helps admins stop losing visitors, revenue, and business. As described above, fixing WordPress showing Briefly unavailable for Scheduled maintenance is the purpose of this write-up.

How to Fix the “Briefly Unavailable for Scheduled Maintenance: Check Back in a Minute” message in WordPress?

WordPress keeps showing an unavailability message if removing the .maintenance file fails after an update process has finished.

Here are a few reasons why WordPress keeps showing Unavailable message(s) – after it has finished updating its Core package.

• Slow-loading sites can create Server-response issues, which can cause Unavailability issues in WordPress sites.
• If your site’s hosting memory is Full, you may experience Unavailability issues in WordPress. Log into hosting cPanel for more information, or contact your hosting support channel.
• There is a race condition in WordPress – causing WordPress think some updates need completion. Such scenarios occur when too many updates are manually initiated or interrupted while WordPress is running automatic updates. In this case, a race condition refers to a case when a system or CMS struggles to get multiple actions done while their status, priority, or management creates Technical confusion.
• Updating multiple assets at a Time can cause WordPress conflicts. For example – if more than one update is initiated, WordPress can fall into conflict issues, which gives Unavailability
• If manual routines in WordPress are observed, such as maintenance routines or dealing with database values, you may experience WordPress showing unavailability messages. In this case, WordPress may restore standard scenarios once the process has finished. Otherwise, specific scenarios demand the immediate attention of WordPress admins.

Let’s learn how to fix WordPress showing unavailability messages.

Method (1) – Clear your Browser’s Cookies

The apparent reason, Browser’s cookies – may cause WordPress to show an unavailability status – after an update has finished.

In this case, there is no specific reason for the WordPress unavailability message. However – browser cookies may cause old users to see WordPress unavailability message.

Head over to clearing your browser’s cookies and see if the problem has been solved.

For more information on clearing cookies in different browsers, follow the instructions in this detailed resource.

Note: Sometimes, clearing your browser’s cookies doesn’t fix WordPress unavailability issues. In this case, the server’s cache may also cause issues persistence. Contact your Hosting support channel for more information on clearing the cache on the web server.

Method (2) – Remove the .maintenance File (Manually)

Let’s learn how to find, remove, and manage the .maintenance file in WordPress root directory.

There are two ways to log into WordPress site’s root – using an FTP client or by logging into Hosting cPanel File Manager.

Note: In the case of an FTP client, you’ll need to create an FTP account in cPanel options, as well as download the FTP client, such as File Zilla. Similarly – in order to log into Hosting cPanel, use the credentials being supplied after you’ve purchased your site’s Hosting plan.

FTP

Let’s find and remove the .maintenance file with FTP – (File Transfer Protocol). In the coming lines, you’ll learn how to create an FTP account in cPanel options and download the FTP client – File Zilla.

In this case, FTP is the standard protocol to transfer files between two systems – a client’s browser and server.

First – create an FTP account by logging into Hosting cPanel options. Once logged in, look for an option That says FTP Accounts – as shown in the screenshot below.

Once opened, you can create an FTP account in minutes. You can create an account at your site’s domain by entering a username and password for a new FTP account – as shown in the screenshot below.

Note: To this line, you should have created an FTP account. Remember – creating an FTP account requires access to the Hosting cPanel interface. Also – from one to another, Hosting companies’ interfaces may differ. Simply put, you may experience a difference between Hosting interfaces; however, the primary interface and workflow are identical.

Now – let’s learn how to proceed and download an FTP client – File Zilla in this case. Head over to its official website and download a package for your platform.

After you’ve installed File Zilla, you can enter credentials for an FTP account, the one you created in the previous step – as shown in the screenshot below.

Note: If the login process has gone normal, you can see File Zilla showing your site’s files – as shown in the screenshot below.

Now – you’re ready to proceed and take the following steps to find and remove the .maintenance file.

After you’ve logged into File Zilla, under the Remote site, browse to the Public_HTML directory. Once loaded, you can see the directory’s content below – as shown in the screenshot above.

In the Files list, find and remove the .maintenance file. Here – you can right-click on the file and choose Remove or Delete from the short menu.

Once the .maintenance file has been removed, you can proceed and check your site’s home page to see – if the problem has been fixed successfully.

Note: On success, you should see your site’s home page as usual. The message Briefly unavailable for Scheduled maintenance has gone.

Hosting cPanel File Manager

If you don’t prefer using FTP, your site’s Hosting web interface helps you access WordPress Root.

In this case – you’ll need to use your site’s Hosting credentials. If you’re facing issues, look for a post-purchase email from the Hosting Company. You can also contact the Hosting support channel for assistance.

Depending on Hosting interfaces, you may experience differences between Hosting portals. However, as described above, the basic workflow is similar.

Let’s proceed and learn how to log into the hosting cPanel interface, find File Manager, and access your site’s Root directory in the web browser.

Head over to the official website of the site’s hosting company. Here – look for a Sign In or Login option to proceed.

On successful login, you should see a pack of options – called the cPanel area, as shown in the screenshot below.

Here – look for an option That says, File Manager. Once the File Manager has loaded, you should see a list of files and directories on the screen.

Now – click the Public_HTML and find the .maintenance file on the next screen. Once located successfully, you can select and click on Delete on the top bar.

Note: After you’ve removed the .maintenance file, you can proceed and see if the problem has been fixed successfully. Visit your site’s home page to see if restored to its original status.

Note 2: If you don’t see the .maintenance file, ensure you have shown the hidden files. Clicking on the Settings icon helps you show hidden files in the Public_HTML directory, as shown in the snapshot below.

Method (3) – Edit the WP-activate.PHP File

If, for example, you can’t find the .maintenance file in WordPress’ root directory – the Public_HTML, you can fix the Briefly unavailable for Scheduled maintenance message by making changes in the WP-activate.PHP file.

Let’s learn how to find and make changes to the WP-activate.PHP file in the WordPress root directory – Public_HTML.

Note: For an updated list of files in the Hosting cPanel File Manager, we recommend logging into the Hosting cPanel interface and getting into the Public_HTML directory from scratch.

Once located the WP-activate.PHP file, select and click on the Edit option on the top bar – helping you make changes to the File’s content.

Inside the file’s content, look for a line That says define(‘WP_INSTALLING’, true); – helping you make necessary changes in the File.

Next – change the value from TRUE to FALSE – as shown in the screenshot below.

Here – make sure you’ve saved changes after making the necessary changes in the WP-activate.PHP file.

Note: Head over to see your site’s home page and see if the changes have fixed the problem.

Professional Tips: Briefly Unavailable for Scheduled Maintenance

Here is a list of Tips and best practices while you’re making intelligent moves handling briefly unavailable for Scheduled maintenance messages in WordPress.

• You should always clear your browser’s cookies before fixing WordPress unavailability message. After you’ve made changes, check your site’s home page for approval for the next step.
• Ensure you’ve turned off the plugins’ automatic updates to avoid brief unavailability issues in WordPress. See the Plugins page for more information on turning off automatic updates.
• Don’t close the browser’s windows if a WordPress update hasn’t finished yet. In this case, incomplete updates can cause WordPress maintenance issues, such as file updating errors, .maintenance updation and removal, and conflicts between WordPress assets.
• If possible, use a staging site for updates before making changes live on WordPress. In this case – a staging site helps you build a TESTING environment for updates, changes, and WordPress maintenance. Once the changes are met expectations, you can proceed and go online with recent changes if approved on a staging website.
• Always – take your site’s backup before you make changes to the WordPress infrastructure.
• Don’t initiate multiple updates at a Time. For example, clicking manual Update for various plugins at a Time can create WordPress maintenance issues.
• As clarified above, automatic updates are initiated by WordPress – automatically. However, you should check your site’s assets more often, To see if a specific Theme or Plugin needs updating. Such maneuvers help admins avoid issues like briefly unavailable for Scheduled maintenance. In simple words, you should take proactive measures to prevent WordPress from falling victim to unavailability issues.
• You can also check if file permissions, low memory, or culprit scripts are causing WordPress issues regarding .maintenance In this case, contact your Hosting support channel for assistance if Things seem strange. You can also log into Hosting cPanel for more information on memory usage, file permissions, or error logs.

Note: Last but not least, don’t make changes to WordPress if you don’t know what you’re doing. In this case, contact your Hosting support channel for assistance. You can also contact your site’s Support Team for more information on how to deal with specific scenarios in WordPress, such as FTP issues, unavailability messages, or dealing with the browser’s cache.

How to Turn on WordPress Maintenance Mode?

While clearing ground for manual updates, you can put WordPress on maintenance mode in Two ways – create a manual page for maintenance mode or use a WordPress plugin.

Create a Maintenance Page manually

Creating a maintenance page manually is handy but requires little knowledge of Hosting cPanel, as well as HTML.

In this case – once you’ve logged into the Hosting cPanel area, you’ll need to use the Create a New File option inside the WordPress root directory.

Here – while adding content to the File, you can write a message That lets visitors know – your site is going through scheduled maintenance – as shown in the snapshot below.

Note: After creating a new File, make sure you’ve saved the File with .HTML extension. In this case, the final name of the File should look like index.html.

Note 2: Once created a manual maintenance page, you can see your site’s home page showing your message for maintenance routines. Similarly, once the maintenance routine is over, you can remove the index.html file.

Use a WordPress Plugin for Maintenance mode

If you don’t prefer manual routines, use a plugin for WordPress maintenance mode.

In this case – you can choose between diverse candidates for maintenance mode, including WP Maintenance Mode, Manage WP, and Coming Soon and Maintenance Mode.

Most of the plugins are available on the WordPress official directory. Users can easily install one by landing on Dashboard -> Plugins page.

Once you’ve installed a plugin, you can follow the on-screen instructions to create a maintenance message page for WordPress visitors.

In this case – the plugin’s built-in options are point-and-click – helping you quickly create and set up maintenance mode in WordPress. You can choose from available templates, make changes, and save changes in the end.

Here is a list of Top plugins for WordPress maintenance mode. If you’re a Support Team and need maintenance mode regularly, you can also sign up for a premium plan, helping you gain more options for turning on WordPress maintenance mode.

Maintenance

The Maintenance plugin is available in the WordPress plugins directory – which helps users quickly set up maintenance mode in WordPress.

The plugin helps admins set specific errors – too. For example, you can apply errors like 503 Service Unavailable along with entire background colors.

See the plugin’s page for more information.

Light Start

Another free option for small site owners, Light Start, helps users quickly set up maintenance mode, a coming soon page, or a custom page in WordPress.

Light Start provides full customization, coming soon pages, landing page templates, and SEO options.

Light Start is developed by the famous Themeisle Team. You can obtain more information on its official page in WordPress directory.

CMP – Coming Soon plugin

CMP has unique options, helping users setup maintenance mode in WordPress.

In this case, CMP provides enabling maintenance mode on specific pages in WordPress. Along with basic features, CMP can put your site in maintenance mode with a single click.

Read about CMP’s features and options on the WordPress official plugins directory.

Note: After working in WordPress, you can remove the maintenance page by deactivating the plugin. If you’d like to remove the plugin, you can proceed.

Wrapping up

Fixing WordPress unavailability issues is undeniable if WordPress has finished updating its Core with automatic updates. Especially – if your site is getting traction, you can lose business, revenue, and conversions.

To this line – you’ve learned how to fix briefly unavailable for Scheduled maintenance messages in WordPress. In this case, the message doesn’t pose severe complexities in WordPress; however, it requires immediate attention from WordPress admins.

In this case, pay attention to best practices regarding how to deal with unavailability issues in WordPress. For more information on fixing WordPress issues, maintenance gaps, or access level errors, contact our support channel for assistance, one-Time fixes, or initiate a live chat on request.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the Maintenance mode in WordPress?

WordPress maintenance mode is a freezing moment for WordPress sites and helps visitors understand if a site is going through maintenance routines.

Once a site is put on Maintenance mode, users see a message, warning, or coming soon page – instead of a regular home page. In WordPress, such scenarios are referred to as Maintenance mode.

How can we enable Maintenance mode in WordPress?

By default, WordPress doesn’t provide maintenance mode to regular users. However, if putting WordPress on maintenance mode is undeniable, users need to go through the manual or WordPress plugins-way procedures.

For example, users can create a manual page for maintenance mode – as described above. In the same manner, by using a plugin for maintenance mode, users can put their WordPress sites on maintenance mode.

How to turn off Maintenance mode in WordPress?

Removing the manual page for maintenance mode turns off the WordPress maintenance mode. Similarly – if you’ve used a plugin, you can deactivate it or remove it, helping you turn off Maintenance mode in WordPress.

How do I fix briefly unavailable for Scheduled maintenance messages?

In simple words, deleting the .maintenance file helps you fix the message briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance. As described above, you can find the mentioned file in the WordPress root directory on the web server.

In the above lines, you’ve learned how to fix the message with FTP, cPanel File Manager, or make changes to the WP-activate.PHP file.

Why does my site say Briefly unavailable for Scheduled maintenance?

When a WordPress site runs automatic updates, it shows the message (Briefly unavailable for Scheduled maintenance).

Users are presented with the message – when they are visiting the WordPress site’s home page. After WordPress has finished updating its Core, the message is turned off automatically; the way is turned on automatically.

How to prevent WordPress message (Briefly unavailable for Scheduled maintenance)?

WordPress showing an Unavailable message is automatic. However, users can avoid such scenarios by checking WordPress dashboard for updates.

In this case, the more quickly you can update WordPress assets manually, the more WordPress wouldn’t be able to run automatic updates.

How to fix WordPress issues, maintenance gaps, and errors?

WordPress issues are best handled with maintenance routines, updates, and assistance from support specialists.

For example – you should update, take care of WordPress assets, security, and management of WordPress on a regular basis, helping you avoid WordPress errors and gaps. On the other hand – if you’re not Technical enough, you can ask for support from WordPress specialists.