Wordpress stuck in maintenance mode after failed update

Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: Wordpress stuck in maintenance mode after failed update. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

Common Causes

WordPress places your site into maintenance mode whenever an automatic update is running. This is a normal safety feature that prevents visitors from seeing a partially updated site. However, if an update is interrupted—such as by a timeout, connection drop, or server error—WordPress may fail to remove the maintenance flag. When this happens, your website and admin dashboard remain inaccessible until the temporary maintenance file is removed.

Remember — If you host with us, you don't need to do this yourself — just Open a Ticket and our Brisbane team will get it sorted.

Quick Fix Steps

1. Connect to your hosting account using your file manager or an FTP client.
2. Navigate to the root directory where WordPress is installed.
3. Locate and delete the .maintenance file.
4. Refresh your website in a browser to confirm it is back online.
5. Log in to the WordPress dashboard and check for any pending updates.

Detailed Instructions

Identify the Maintenance File

When WordPress begins an update, it creates a hidden file named .maintenance in the root folder of your installation. This file tells WordPress to display a brief maintenance message to visitors. If the update completes successfully, WordPress deletes this file automatically. If the update fails, the file often remains behind.

Remove the File via File Manager

1. Log in to your hosting control panel provided by your web host.
2. Open File Manager or File Explorer.
3. Navigate to the folder containing your WordPress installation. This is typically public_html, www, or your domain name folder.
4. Enable the option to show hidden files. This may be labelled Show Hidden Files (dotfiles), Show Hidden Files, or found under Settings.
5. Look for a file named .maintenance in the list.
6. Select the file and click Delete. Confirm the deletion if prompted.

If you cannot see the .maintenance file, ensure hidden files are enabled in your file manager settings. Some control panels hide dotfiles by default.

Remove the File via FTP

1. Open your FTP client, such as FileZilla or Cyberduck.
2. Connect to your server using your FTP username, password, and host details.
3. Navigate to the WordPress root directory.
4. Force the client to show hidden files. In FileZilla, go to Server > Force showing hidden files.
5. Right-click .maintenance and select Delete.
6. Disconnect from the server.

Verify Your Site and Dashboard

1. Open your website in a browser and confirm the homepage loads without a maintenance message.
2. Add /wp-admin to your domain and log in to the WordPress dashboard.
3. Go to Dashboard > Updates.
4. Check whether WordPress core, themes, or plugins require updates.
5. If updates are pending, run them one at a time and wait for each to finish before starting the next.

Avoid triggering multiple updates simultaneously. Running several plugin or theme updates at once increases the chance of a timeout and can return your site to maintenance mode.

Troubleshooting

Site Still Shows Maintenance Mode

• Clear your browser cache and try again, or open the site in an incognito or private browsing window.
• Check that you deleted .maintenance from the correct WordPress root folder, especially if you manage multiple sites on one account.
• If you use a caching plugin or a content delivery network, clear the site cache and purge the CDN cache.

WordPress Dashboard Is Unavailable

• Confirm your domain and hosting are active and not expired.
• Check whether other sites on the same hosting account are loading. If none are working, there may be a wider hosting issue.
• Rename your wp-content/plugins folder temporarily to plugins_old to rule out a plugin conflict, then try logging in again.

Updates Keep Failing

• Ensure your hosting account meets the current WordPress requirements for PHP version and memory limit.
• Update plugins and themes individually rather than in bulk.
• Create a full backup of your site and database before attempting further updates.

If you are unable to remove the maintenance file or your site remains offline after following these steps, Open a Ticket and our Brisbane support team will investigate further.

Still Having Issues?