Is your WordPress website stuck showing the dreaded error message: “Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance. Check back in a minute.”? Don’t panic! In this tutorial, I’ll walk you through a quick fix to resolve the issue and provide tips to prevent it from happening again.
What Does the “Briefly Unavailable for Scheduled Maintenance” Message Mean?
This message appears when WordPress enters Maintenance Mode during updates to the core software, plugins, or themes. It’s a temporary state that should resolve itself within a minute or two once the update process is complete.
The WordPress Maintenance page may vary in appearance depending on your web host, but the result is always the same: neither you nor your visitors can access the website’s front end.
However, if the update is interrupted – for instance, due to server timeouts, memory issues, or browser missteps – your site can get stuck in maintenance mode. When this happens, visitors cannot access your website, and you’ll be locked out of the WordPress admin dashboard.
How to Fix the “Briefly Unavailable for Scheduled Maintenance” Issue
The key to resolving this issue is to delete the .maintenance file from your WordPress folder. Follow these steps to remove it safely:
Step 1: Access Your WordPress Files
Since you can’t log into the WordPress dashboard, you’ll need to access your website’s files directly. Use one of the following methods:
- An FTP/SFTP client like FileZilla.
- The File Manager in your web hosting control panel (e.g., cPanel, DirectAdmin or Plesk).
In this tutorial, we’ll use the cPanel File Manager as an example.
Step 2: Locate the WordPress Folder
Navigate to the folder where your WordPress files are stored. This folder usually contains files like wp-config.php and wp-cron.php. Common folder names include public_html or public.
Here’s an example of a WordPress folder located in “public_html”. If you see the wp-config.php file, you’re in the right place!
Step 3: Delete the .maintenance File
Find the file named .maintenance and delete it. And that’s it! Once you’ve deleted the .maintenance file, your website will be back online, and you’ll regain access to the WordPress dashboard.
Can’t see the .maintenance file?
The leading dot in the filename indicates it’s a hidden file. Some file managers hide these by default. To display hidden files in cPanel, click the Settings button (top-right corner) and enable Show Hidden Files and save your settings. You can show hidden files in most file managers and FileZilla.
How to Prevent This Issue in the Future
To ensure your site doesn’t get stuck in maintenance mode again, follow these best practices when performing updates:
1. Wait for Updates to Finish Completely
Patience is a virtue. Avoid closing the browser tab or navigating away during updates. Look for the confirmation message:
“Disabling maintenance mode. All updates have been completed.” before you leave.
2. Ensure Your Site Has Sufficient Resources
Insufficient memory can interrupt updates. Make sure that your web host settings meets the WordPress requirements and increase your WordPress memory limit to 256M if necessary.
3. Update in Small Batches
Update plugins in smaller groups, followed by themes, and finally the WordPress core. Dividing the updates in several steps reduces the risk of errors during the update process.
That’s all for today!
You’ve successfully removed the “Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance” message and learned how to prevent it in the future.
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