WordPress Maintenance Mode: Easy Ways to Enable It (2 Methods)

Imagine this: you are updating your WordPress site with a new design, installing essential plugins, or fixing a major bug, but visitors land on a broken or incomplete page. Not ideal, right? That is where WordPress Maintenance Mode becomes your best friend.

Maintenance Mode enables you to temporarily take your site offline in a professional manner. Instead of seeing errors or unfinished content, your visitors will be greeted with a clean message like “Maintenance mode is on”! This not only protects your brand image but also improves user experience during downtime.

In this guide, we will show you 2 easy methods to enable WordPress Maintenance Mode, whether you are a beginner using plugins or a developer looking for manual solutions. By the end, you will know exactly how to put your site in maintenance mode, customize the message, and exit it without any headaches.

What Is WordPress Maintenance Mode?

When your WordPress site is undergoing updates like installing a new theme, tweaking settings, or performing plugin maintenance, you don’t want visitors stumbling upon a broken or half-finished page. That is where Maintenance Mode comes in.

WordPress Maintenance Mode is a temporary state that tells both visitors and search engines that your site is currently offline for updates. Instead of showing your live site or error messages, it displays a friendly notice like:

This is helpful because:

• It prevents a poor user experience during updates.
• It protects your SEO by avoiding broken or incomplete pages from being indexed.
• It adds professionalism, showing your site is being actively maintained.

WordPress automatically enables a basic maintenance mode during core updates, but it is very limited and not customizable. That is why many site owners prefer to manually enable and control Maintenance Mode using plugins or custom code so they can display branded messages, countdown timers, or even email signup forms while the site is down.

Why and When You Should Use Maintenance Mode?

Enabling Maintenance Mode isn’t just about hiding updates; it is about maintaining trust, protecting SEO, and ensuring a smooth user experience. Whether you are making small tweaks or major changes to your site, there are clear reasons to use it.

Why Use WordPress Maintenance Mode?

1. Prevent User Confusion

Visitors landing on a half-broken page or getting random errors can be confused or frustrated. Maintenance Mode gives a clear, friendly message explaining what is going on with your website.

2. Protect Your Site’s Reputation

A clean, branded maintenance page makes you look professional, not like a site that’s “down” or broken.

3. Avoid SEO Penalties

Search engines crawling your site during an unstable update might index broken content. Maintenance Mode helps prevent this.

4. Test and Update Safely

Whether you are installing plugins, switching themes, or redesigning pages, Maintenance Mode gives you a safe sandbox to work in without the public eye.

5. Collect Leads or Engage Users

Many Maintenance Mode plugins let you add email signup forms, social links, or countdowns, turning downtime into an opportunity.

When Should You Use WordPress Maintenance Mode?

• Installing or updating themes, plugins, or WordPress core.
• Making major design or content changes.
• Fixing site-wide issues or bugs.
• Migrating to a new host or domain.
• Launching a new website or feature.
• Performing scheduled downtime for maintenance or backups.

2 Method To Enable WordPress Maintenance Mode

Method 1: Using a Plugin (Recommended for Beginners)

If you are new to WordPress or want the easiest, most customizable way to enable Maintenance Mode, using a plugin is your best option. No coding required, and you can set it up in minutes.

Step 1: Install a Maintenance Mode Plugin

To enable maintenance mode, log in to your WordPress dashboard and navigate to Plugins > Add New. You can install any of the following popular maintenance mode plugins. We have installed Maintenance by WebFactory.

• SeedProd
• WP Maintenance Mode & Coming Soon
• Maintenance by WebFactory Ltd

Simply search for the plugin name, click “Install Now”, and then “Activate.”

If you are not sure how to install a WordPress plugin, check out this step-by-step guide: How to Install WordPress Plugins Properly?

Step 2: Configure the Plugin Settings

After activation, go to the plugin’s settings panel (usually under the Settings tab or in the left sidebar menu).

Here you can:

• Toggle Maintenance Mode ON/OFF
• Choose between Maintenance Mode or Coming Soon Mode
• Set start and end dates (if needed)

Step 3: Customize Your Maintenance Page

Most plugins let you design a professional-looking page:

• Add your logo, brand colors, and custom message
• Insert countdown timers, email signups, or social links
• Choose from pre-made templates for a polished look

This ensures your visitors see a user-friendly notice instead of a broken or blank page.

Step 4: Save Changes and Test

Click Save or Publish, then visit your site in an incognito/private browser tab to confirm Maintenance Mode is active. As you can see, my website is showing Maintenance mode.

Method 2: Using Your Theme’s functions.php File

Step 1:Opening the functions.php file

To do so, simply navigate to your admin dashboard, then go to Appearance → Theme Editor. On the right-hand side of your screen, you will see a list of your theme files. Select Theme Functions. This will open your functions.php file.

Step 2: Adding Code in the functions.php file.

Scroll to the end of the file, then copy and paste the following code snippet:

// Activate WordPress Maintenance Mode

function wp_maintenance_mode()
{
if(!current_user_can('edit_themes') || !is_user_logged_in()){
wp_die('<h1 style="color:red">Website under Maintenance</h1><br />We are performing scheduled maintenance. We will be back on-line shortly!');
}
}
add_action('get_header', 'wp_maintenance_mode');

When you are done, save your changes by selecting Update File at the bottom of the screen. This will automatically activate maintenance mode on your WordPress site.

Step 3: Preview the website

If you visit the front end of your site, you should see the following:

How to Disable WordPress Maintenance Mode?

Once your updates or site changes are complete, you will want to bring your WordPress site back online quickly and safely. Here is how to properly turn off Maintenance Mode using different methods, depending on how you enabled it.

If You Used a Plugin:

Most Maintenance Mode plugins (like SeedProd, WP Maintenance Mode, or Maintenance) have a simple toggle or switch.

Steps:

1. Log in to your WordPress dashboard
2. Go to the plugin’s settings page.
3. Look for a switch like:
   • “Enable/Disable Maintenance Mode”
   • “Status: ON/OFF”
4. Turn OFF Maintenance Mode
5. Save changes and clear your cache

If You Used Code in functions.php:

If you manually added code to your theme’s functions.php To enable Maintenance Mode, you will need to remove or comment out that code.

Steps:

1. Go to Appearance > Theme File Editor in WordPress
2. Open the functions.php file of your active theme
3. Locate the maintenance mode code block (usually includes wp_die())
4. Delete or comment it out
5. Save the file and refresh your site

If Your Site Is Stuck After Updates:

Sometimes WordPress gets stuck in Maintenance Mode after an update, showing the message:

Fix:

1. Access your site via FTP or cPanel File Manager
2. Go to your root WordPress directory
3. Find and delete the file named:.maintenance
4. Refresh your site, it should be back to normal

Final Step: Clear Your Cache

After disabling Maintenance Mode, clear any caching plugins, your browser cache, and your CDN (like Cloudflare) to ensure visitors see the live site.

Common WordPress Maintenance Mode Errors (and How to Fix Them)

While enabling Maintenance Mode in WordPress is usually simple, things can occasionally go wrong. Here are some of the most common issues users face, along with clear instructions to fix them.

1. Stuck in Maintenance Mode

Problem: After a failed update or refresh, your site shows this message

Cause: WordPress creates a temporary .maintenance file in your root directory during updates. If an update fails, this file may not be deleted automatically.

Fix:

1. Access your site’s files via FTP or cPanel File Manager
2. Locate your WordPress root directory (where wp-config.php is)
3. Delete the file named .maintenance
4. Refresh your website, it should be back online

2. Maintenance Mode Not Displaying Correctly

Problem: You activated Maintenance Mode, but visitors still see your normal site or a blank page.

Causes:

• Caching plugins or server cache
• Maintenance plugin not configured properly

Fix:

• Clear your site cache (from plugins like W3 Total Cache, WP Super Cache, etc.)
• Clear your browser cache
• If using a CDN (e.g., Cloudflare), purge the cache there too

3. Plugin Conflict During Maintenance Activation

Problem: Activating Maintenance Mode breaks your site or throws a white screen.

Cause: Conflict between the Maintenance Mode plugin and another active plugin or theme.

Fix:

• Deactivate the plugin via WordPress dashboard or FTP (wp-content/plugins)
• Switch to a default theme (like Twenty Twenty-Four) temporarily
• Reinstall the plugin or try a different one (e.g., SeedProd or WP Maintenance Mode)

4. Can’t Access WordPress Admin Dashboard

Problem: Maintenance Mode is active, and you are locked out of the admin area.

Fix Options:

• Try logging in via /wp-login.php directly
• If locked out completely, disable the Maintenance Mode plugin via FTP
• Delete .maintenance the file from the root if it exists.

5. Maintenance Mode Visible to Logged-In Users

Problem: Even as an admin, you see the maintenance page instead of your dashboard.

Cause: Plugin settings not excluding admin roles from seeing Maintenance Mode

Fix:

• Go to the plugin settings and enable “Bypass for logged-in admins.”
• Or whitelist your user role/IP address

Tips: Always back up your site before enabling Maintenance Mode or performing updates. It helps avoid unexpected data loss in case of errors.

FAQs :About WordPress Maintenance Mode

Conclusion

Enabling WordPress Maintenance Mode is essential when you are updating your site, redesigning it, or fixing technical issues. It helps create a professional experience for your visitors while ensuring they don’t see a broken or incomplete site. Whether you use a plugin like SeedProd or activate maintenance mode manually, the process is simple and effective. Choose the method that best suits your needs and always communicate clearly with your audience during downtime. A smooth maintenance experience builds trust and keeps your visitors coming back.