How to Handle Your WordPress Site Getting Stuck in Maintenance Mode

We've all been there—you're updating your WordPress plugins or themes, and suddenly, your site gets stuck in maintenance mode. It's like your site is frozen, and visitors can't access it. This usually happens when an update is interrupted, leaving your site locked down.

Here’s how you can fix it and get back online quickly.

Why Does This Happen?

When you update your site, WordPress automatically enters maintenance mode to prevent visitors from seeing any glitches. But if something interrupts the update, your site might stay in this mode, making it inaccessible.

Steps to Fix the Issue

1. Delete the .maintenance File: The quickest fix is to remove the .maintenance file from your site’s main folder. You’ll need to connect to your site using SSH or SFTP, find the file in the root directory, and delete it. This should bring your site back online.
2. Deactivate Plugins: If deleting the file doesn’t work, the issue might be with a plugin. Try renaming the plugins folder to something like plugins-backup. This can help you access your site again. Once you’re in, rename the folder back and disable plugins one at a time to find out which one is causing the problem.
3. Edit wp-activate.php: As a last resort, you can tweak a file called wp-activate.php. Look for a line that says define ('WP_INSTALLING', true) and change true to false. Save the file and check if your site is back to normal.

By following these steps, you can quickly resolve the issue and keep your website running smoothly. This way, your visitors won’t miss out, and you can continue providing them with a great experience.