Sometimes when you’re updating WordPress, a theme, or a plugin, the process can get stuck. You might see a message like:
“Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance. Check back in a minute.”
Don’t panic — this is a common issue and it’s usually easy to fix!
🔍 Why Does This Happen?
When WordPress performs an update, it temporarily puts your site into “maintenance mode” by creating a hidden file called .maintenance. Normally, this file gets deleted after the update is done.
But if something interrupts the update — like a timeout, server crash, or loss of connection — the .maintenance file can remain, causing your site to look stuck.
✅ How to Fix It
1. Access Your Site Files
You’ll need to access your website files using:
- File Manager from your hosting control panel (like cPanel), or
- FTP software like FileZilla.
2. Delete the .maintenance File
Go to the root folder of your WordPress site (where files like wp-config.php are located) and find the file named .maintenance.
Delete that file. This will instantly take your site out of maintenance mode.
3. Refresh Your Site
Go back to your website and refresh the page. You may need to clear your browser cache or press Ctrl+F5 to fully reload.
🔄 Re-run Any Incomplete Updates
After restoring access to the dashboard, check if:
- WordPress core update finished
- Any plugins or themes are still showing as “updating”
If needed, re-run those updates manually from the dashboard.
🧼 Optional: Clean Up the Database
If the update was interrupted halfway, it’s a good idea to:
- Clear transients or database bloat using a plugin like WP-Optimize or Advanced Database Cleaner
💡 Tips to Avoid This Problem
- Always make a backup before updates.
- Avoid updating multiple plugins at once on slow servers.
- Make sure your PHP settings (like memory limit and execution time) are sufficient.
- Disable caching plugins before updating.
That’s it! You’ve just unstuck your WordPress update like a pro. 🎉
If you run into any other issues, feel free to ask or contact your hosting support.