WordPress Stuck in Maintenance Mode How to Fix
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WordPress Stuck in Maintenance Mode How to Fix

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WordPress, when stuck in maintenance mode, is a headache. Let’s learn how to fix WordPress when it is stuck in maintenance mode.

Such scenarios often occur when trying to improve your site’s health, fix errors, or put it into maintenance mode. The process is technical and may create WordPress issues if you don’t know what to do.

So, if you’ve put WordPress into maintenance mode by using a plugin or performing manual routines, here is what you may have faced when trying to recover your site.

In this resource, we’re going to learn about various angles of the subject, including:

  • How do you fix WordPress if it is stuck in maintenance mode?
  • What is maintenance mode, in general, regarding WordPress health?
  • What causes WordPress to get stuck in Maintenance Mode?
  • Professional advice around WordPress maintenance stuck mode

So, let’s start without further ado.

What is WordPress Maintenance Mode?

As its name suggests, WordPress is put into maintenance mode during routine maintenance.

The duration of maintenance depends on the site. Users can identify a site under maintenance using a landing page or a simple message on the screen.

WordPress maintenance includes simple tune-ups to advance changes, including:

  • Error removal
  • Scanning for malware
  • Site backups
  • Uptime monitoring
  • … and Speed Optimization

Why do users see WordPress stuck in Maintenance mode?

There are various reasons why users might experience WordPress being stuck in maintenance mode.

By default, WordPress implements auto-updates when needed. During the process, WordPress automatically activates its maintenance mode.

Here is what we need to clarify.

For some reason, if the WordPress auto-updates are not completed, WordPress is stuck in maintenance mode, and users may see the following error message on the screen.

WordPress Stuck in Maintenance Mode

This detailed tutorial provides more information on how to fix the error (Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance).

How to fix WordPress Stuck in Maintenance Mode?

1. .Maintenance File in the WordPress Root

So, let’s assume you’re experiencing WordPress being stuck in maintenance mode. Let’s get started and learn how to move forward.

As clarified above, WordPress enters maintenance mode during automatic updates. The process is initiated by creating specific files in the root of WordPress.

Here, we’re referring to the .maintenance file in the WordPress root, which is automatically created when WordPress initiates automatic updates. As we can see, the file may be hidden in the WordPress root, as implied by its extension.

So, what do we need to do? Let’s take our first step forward.

As the file is in the Hosting cPanel, File Manager Root, you’ll need to find a way to log into Hosting files.

You can do so by:

  • Having an FTP account and logging into Hosting File Manager via an FTP client, such as File Zilla
  • Having access to the web version of the Hosting cPanel File Manager

Either way, find and delete the file immediately after accessing the File Manager.

If you’re accessing the interface with an FTP client, do so accordingly. If, for example, you can’t find the .maintenance file, you can unhide the hidden files. The option is on the upper toolbar in the Hosting cPanel area. There is no need to go through complex routines.

So, what do you do once you’ve deleted the .Maintenance file?

Check if your site is behaving normally. If yes, you’re good.

Second, if things seem incorrect, you can clear your browser’s cache. This can help you restart your browser and see if the problem has been fixed. This detailed tutorial can help you learn how to clear cache in different web browsers.

Web hosting cPanel options provide dedicated possibilities for clearing the browser cache. For example, Kinsta users can clear the cache right from the dashboard. Similarly, if you need to learn how to proceed, ask the Hosting Support representatives. They can help better.

2. Deactivate WordPress Plugins

Sometimes, once plugins have been updated, WordPress maintenance mode lasts longer for unknown reasons. It may happen for several reasons, including:

  • WordPress conflicts between plugins
  • Incompatibility, version support errors with the WordPress core, or mismanagement of WordPress/plugin cache

In this case, deactivating WordPress plugins can help users fix issues like maintenance stuck in WordPress.

You cannot access the WordPress dashboard if your site is experiencing maintenance mode errors. So, what should you do next? Let’s discuss this in more detail.

There are two ways to deactivate WordPress plugins.

  1. Deactivate WordPress plugins by renaming the “plugins” directory on Hosting File Manager
  2. Deactivate suspicious plugin(s) one by one by renaming the concerned directory

For both kinds of deactivation, if you’re not able to access the WordPress dashboard, you’ll need:

  • To have access to the cPanel File Manager via an FTP account or by having access to the web version interface

So, once you’ve deactivated the plugin(s), here is what you should do next.

  • Check your site. Its home page, if accessible as usual, will tell you if the problem has been fixed successfully.
  • If, for example, you find your site stuck in maintenance mode, you should clear your browser cache.

However, two kinds of caches can significantly affect your site’s behavior after making changes.

Server cache

Ask your web host support representatives to help clear your website’s server cache. If you can find an option to do so in the Hosting interface, you can proceed.

Web Browser cache

Clearing a browser cache is a local thing. Depending on your web browser, you can clear your browser cache and see if the problem has been fixed successfully.

Note: So, we’ve addressed the matter this way. Keep in mind the order of steps.

  1. First, try deactivating the WordPress plugin(s) and see if you can find the culprit. This will help you fix the maintenance mode stuck issue in WordPress.
  2. Second, if the problem persists, try checking your site after you’ve cleared two kinds of caches—the server cache and the local browser cache.

3. WP-Activate.PHP file

Using the wp-activate.php file, you can fix the WordPress issue that is stuck in maintenance mode. Here is what we need to do.

Note 1: Like the .maintenance file in WordPress root, the wp-activate.php file can be found. However, remember that its existence may depend on rare situations, platforms, or how WordPress has been set up. So, be careful.

Note 2: Second, use this method to fix the issue after you’ve tried the two methods addressed above. This is necessary and can help you after you’ve taken the previous precautions.

The wp-activate.php file contains a code snippet that we need to alter. Altering this code can help you fix the WordPress maintenance stuck mode. Here is the specific line of code we need to fix.

define(‘WP_INSTALLING’, true)

We need to change the value to “false”. Here is what happens to the code snippet.

define(‘WP_INSTALLING’, false)

What to do next?

Save changes and exit after you’ve made changes to the wp-activate.php file.

Check your site and see if the problem has been fixed successfully.

Note: Again, if you can’t find the wp-activate.php file in WordPress root, you should skip this step and find another way to fix the problem.

4. Manual page for Maintenance message

Developers can place a manual page for maintenance mode in WordPress while working on WordPress.

The end users need to be made aware of the issue after developers forget to remove the file after making changes. End users will see the WordPress maintenance mode if the manual file still exists.

While this is not an error from the WordPress backend, the way it creates issues while updating multiple assets can still overwhelm end users and admins.

So, here is what you should do next.

  • Ask your site’s developers if they’ve put a file in the WordPress root. If so, removing the file will surely fix the issue. Ask the developers if they’ve recently managed your site’s developmental routines.

Here, there are two cases.

  1. If the developers have renamed the WordPress index.php file in the root, let them handle the entire situation. You should wait and see if the problem has been fixed successfully.
  2. Second, if developers have created a manual HTML file in the root, removing the file will fix the WordPress stuck-in maintenance mode issue.

First, discussing the matter with developers will clarify the situation and help you take the correct step forward. However, only make changes if you know what you’re doing to WordPress backend files. It is much better to replicate the issue on a staging website; otherwise, you can affect WordPress, lose data, or take your site down if you need to know the correct maneuvers.

5. Restore your site with a stable Backup plan

Backup plans help you rescue your site from disasters and restore it to a previous, more stable version when something goes wrong.

If you can access your site dashboard, you can look for permanent solutions to the maintenance stuck mode issue. Then, you can proceed and restore your site to a stable position.

On the other hand, there are more chances that “you are not able to access your site’s dashboard” and you are continuously seeing the “WordPress stuck in maintenance mode” issue.

Here, let’s discuss what should you do next.

Ask your Hosting Support team to restore your site.

If the web hosting company takes regular backups, the hosting support agents can quickly restore WordPress from the cPanel backend. This doesn’t need access to the WordPress regular dashboard.

Look for an option in the Hosting cPanel.

Suppose you can access your site’s cPanel area; you can look for an option that helps you restore your site to a backup.

There are two cases here. If you can find an option, there is no need to ask the web hosting support team for assistance. On the other hand, if you can find one, you can proceed if you know what you’re doing to WordPress.

Here, please note:

  • The whole psychology of restoring your WordPress site to a previous version is to ensure the problem is fixed—the problem of WordPress being stuck in maintenance mode. All the new changes will be lost; however, you can start over again if you want to make new changes to WordPress.
  • The WordPress restoration process is a detailed phenomenon. Depending on what’s available and accessible, you can take different approaches to restore a WordPress website. For example, if you can access the WordPress dashboard, a simple restoration process with a plugin can help you fix WordPress to a previous, more stable position. On the other hand, if you cannot access the dashboard, you can ask the web hosting support agents for assistance. Then, there is an option of manual restoration, which requires extensive expertise, technical know-how of how WordPress backend works, and developers’ aid to see if you need manual or custom help in the restoration process.

Test the results

Once the site has been restored to a stable position, you can check your site and see if the WordPress stuck mode in maintenance has been fixed successfully.

Note: The restoration process will only work:

  • You can access the WordPress dashboard or the cPanel interface to run the restoration process.
  • You can also initiate the restoration process even if everything fails and you cannot access anything. Access to the cPanel File Manager and manual expertise can help you better. For more information on how WordPress restoration works, don’t forget to read the official recommendations for the cPanel interface if you’re using a dedicated platform to host your WordPress website, such as the web hosting platform that offers extra support for WordPress users, right inside the account dashboard.

6. Reconfirm you’ve performed the previous actions correctly

If you have taken all the steps described above and still see WordPress stuck in maintenance mode, here is what you need to consider.

  • Reconfirm the deletion of .Maintenance file

Sometimes, it happens. The .Maintenance file is automatically created after you’ve removed it. To confirm, you should check twice to see if the file has been removed successfully.

Make sure you have unhid the hidden files in the WordPress root. There are two cases:

Case 1: If you can see the file again, delete it and check your site.

Case 2: You don’t see the file even if you have unhidden the hidden files. All clear.

  • Clear different types of Caches

As we have discussed above, there are different kinds of caches.

Local web browser cache

The browser cache is quickly cleared by using the option in the browser settings. No matter which web browser you use, clearing the cache is a click away.

Server cache

The server cache is technical and requires support assistance. Ask your hosting support agents to clear your site cache. This will help you fix your site problems.

So, ensure the two types of caches are appropriately cleared to see if the WordPress stuck mode and maintenance have been fixed successfully.

  • Increase the PHP memory limit

PHP memory limit can also cause WordPress to stay stuck in maintenance mode. This happens.

WordPress needs to update its infrastructural support, such as the PHP memory limit, for better, error-free, and seamless performance as it grows.

The PHP memory limit provides space for running PHP applications. Thus, increasing the PHP memory limit can help if plugins, core updates, or theme versions need more processing space. Ask your site’s web hosting support agents for more information on increasing the PHP memory limit.

  • Check file permissions for WordPress

Sometimes, WordPress file permissions are mishandled, and malware affection can cause problems in most cases.

In this case, your only chance is to ask for expert support. Because changing file permissions will cost you more if you don’t know what to do, ask your site’s developers or web hosting support team for a fix.

Ensuring that WordPress file permissions are set correctly will help you proceed to the next step. When everything fails, the last step to fix the WordPress stuck-in maintenance mode issue is checking for file permissions.

Head to this detailed tutorial to learn how WordPress file permissions work.

  • Complete the Updates (Manually)

Incomplete updates can cause WordPress to get stuck in maintenance mode. Here is what happens.

There are different road maps for updating WordPress assets. For example, some plugins have auto-updates enabled, some are updated manually, and some are updated automatically depending on specific conditions. Then, premium themes are updated manually.

All the road maps to update WordPress themes, core files, and plugins cause WordPress to be stuck in maintenance mode if:

Specific theme files, plugin updates, or core versions are not correctly installed.

So, in this scenario – you should check if you can restore and finish the updating process manually.

What to do next?

Land on the Updates page in the WordPress dashboard and see if you see some messages. Here, you can find the assets that need updating to the newer versions.

Similarly, land on the Themes page to see if a theme has a new version available. You should manually update a theme if the option is available. Here, you need to consider one thing. If a theme you bought requires manual updates, you must follow a specific routine. For example, themes bought from Theme Forest require manual updates. So, you will need to log into your Theme Forest account, download the updated theme version, and manually install or upload the package to WordPress. This is how manual updating works for premium themes.

Similarly, land on the Plugins page and see if a plugin needs updating. Some plugins do update automatically, while some are not set to update automatically. If you can see manual notifications to update plugins, proceed and do so individually. Ensure you don’t click on the update button for all plugins simultaneously. It can create problems and cause WordPress to stay stuck in maintenance mode.

Note: Once no updates are left, check to see if the problem has been fixed. Make sure you observe and note if a specific action is making sense. If some action helps resolve the issue, you don’t need to proceed with other maneuvers. Take notes for the future.

Professional Advice

  • Never run multiple update instances at a time in WordPress. For example, initiating multiple updates for themes, core files, and plugins can cause WordPress to get “stuck in maintenance mode.” While going through multiple update instances, WordPress fails to determine if it should terminate or initiate automatic maintenance mode.
  • If WordPress automatically creates the .maintenance file, you should immediately ensure that an unfinished update instance needs your attention. Once all the updates are finished, WordPress will kill the .maintenance file automatically. At that point, you should have fixed the problem automatically. If the scene still doesn’t make sense, you can proceed to the other methods to resolve the issue.
  • Backing up WordPress will only fix the stuck mode problem if you can access the WordPress dashboard or the backend system through the web hosting interface or the support team’s assistance. In this case, the phenomenon circles taking WordPress to the past version, which was more stable when there was no problem with stuck mode maintenance.
  • Always perform new actions, custom developments, or updates on a staging website. This helps you apply changes to the live site after you test your site on a staging environment. It also keeps you safe regarding updates, custom modifications, changes to the WordPress core, web hosting infrastructure, or innovations in WordPress.

Summing up

That’s it.

This resource teaches you how to fix WordPress if stuck in maintenance mode. The “stuck in maintenance mode” leaves no tracks behind. Sometimes, the scenario occurs due to WordPress automatic updates, sometimes due to incomplete update instances.

Here is the deal.

Regardless of which road you must take to put WordPress into maintenance mode, having more problems in WordPress is a different story. Thus, depending on which routine seems more suitable, we’ve described several fixes for the problem.

If you think you’re less technical and need more expertise, we can help. Contact us for WordPress fixes, speed improvements, or SEO strategies, and we’ll help you convert visitors into paying subscribers.

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