When WordPress is stuck in maintenance mode, every visitor sees "Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance. Check back in a minute." WordPress shows this message while it installs updates, using a temporary .maintenance file. If the update is interrupted, that file stays behind and the site stays offline until you remove it.
Before you start
- cPanel access (open it from Services in the MdmHost dashboard) or FTP/SSH.
- Do not start more updates until the site is back.
Why WordPress gets stuck in maintenance mode
- You closed the browser tab or lost connection during an update.
- Several plugins were updated at once and one timed out.
- The update hit a PHP memory or execution time limit.
- A file permission or disk space problem stopped the update.
How to fix WordPress maintenance mode
- Open cPanel → Files → File Manager.
- Click Settings (top right) and tick Show Hidden Files (dotfiles).
- Open the WordPress folder (usually
public_html). - Find the file named
.maintenance, right-click it and choose Delete. - Reload the site. It should load normally.
Over SSH the same fix is one command in the WordPress folder:
rm -f .maintenanceFinish the interrupted update
- Log in to wp-admin → Dashboard → Updates.
- Check which plugin, theme or core update did not complete and run it again, one at a time.
- If a plugin now appears broken or missing, reinstall it. If the site shows a critical error, follow critical error and recovery mode.
Tip: Update plugins one or two at a time instead of all at once, and keep the tab open until WordPress says the update is complete. JetBackup daily backups on MdmHost hosting give you a restore point if an update goes wrong.
If deleting .maintenance does not help
- Clear the cache. LiteSpeed Cache or Cloudflare may still serve the maintenance page; purge it.
- Check for a maintenance plugin. Plugins like "Coming Soon" or "Maintenance" show their own page; deactivate them by renaming their folder in
wp-content/plugins. - Check disk space and errors in cPanel → Metrics → Errors; a full disk stops updates.
FAQ
How long should maintenance mode last?
Normally a few seconds per update. If it lasts more than a few minutes, it is stuck.
Is it safe to delete .maintenance?
Yes. It only contains a timestamp. Deleting it simply turns maintenance mode off.
Why can I not see the file?
Files starting with a dot are hidden. Enable hidden files in File Manager settings.