Maintenance mode in WordPress is a useful feature that allows you to take your website down for maintenance without it being visible to visitors. This can be useful for making updates, testing new features, or fixing problems.
However, once you’re finished with your maintenance, you’ll need to turn off maintenance mode so that your website is visible to visitors again. There are two ways to do this: using the WordPress dashboard or using FTP.
Ways to turn off maintenance mode in WordPress
Using the WordPress dashboard
To turn off maintenance mode using the WordPress dashboard, follow these steps:
- Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
- Click on Settings.
- Click on WP Maintenance Mode.
- Under General Settings, switch the Status to Deactivated.
- Click Save Settings.
Your website should now be out of maintenance mode and visible to visitors.
Using FTP
To turn off maintenance mode using FTP, follow these steps:
- Connect to your WordPress site using an FTP client.
- Navigate to the root directory of your WordPress site.
- Locate the .maintenance file and delete it.
- Close your FTP client.
Your website should now be out of maintenance mode and visible to visitors.
WordPress maintenance mode plugin
If you’re using a WordPress maintenance mode plugin, you can disable it by following the plugin’s instructions. Most plugins will have a simple button or checkbox that you can use to disable maintenance mode.
Here are some of the most popular WordPress maintenance mode plugins:
- WP Maintenance Mode
- Under Construction
- Coming Soon Page & Maintenance Mode by SeedProd
- WP Simple Maintenance Mode
- Maintenance Mode & Coming Soon
WordPress maintenance mode without plugin
If you’re not using a WordPress maintenance mode plugin, you can still turn off maintenance mode without one. To do this, you’ll need to edit your WordPress site’s configuration file, wp-config.php.
To edit your wp-config.php file, follow these steps:
- Connect to your WordPress site using an FTP client.
- Navigate to the root directory of your WordPress site.
- Locate the wp-config.php file and right-click on it.
- Select Edit or View/Edit (depending on your FTP client).
- Scroll down to the bottom of the file and look for the following line:
PHP
define('WP_MAINTENANCE_MODE', true);
Change the true
to false
.
6. Save the file and close your FTP client.
7. Your website should now be out of maintenance mode and visible to visitors.
WordPress stuck in maintenance mode
If you’re having trouble turning off maintenance mode, it’s possible that your WordPress site is stuck in maintenance mode. This can happen for a number of reasons, such as a plugin conflict or a corrupted file.
Here are some things you can try to fix a WordPress site that’s stuck in maintenance mode:
- Deactivate all of your plugins. If your site comes out of maintenance mode after deactivating your plugins, then you can reactivate them one at a time to see which one is causing the problem.
- Delete the .maintenance file. If you’re unable to log in to your WordPress dashboard, you can connect to your WordPress site using an FTP client and delete the .maintenance file manually.
- Edit your wp-config.php file. If you’re still unable to turn off maintenance mode, you can edit your wp-config.php file and change the
WP_MAINTENANCE_MODE
constant tofalse
. - Restore your WordPress site from a backup. If you’ve tried all of the above and you’re still unable to turn off maintenance mode, you may need to restore your WordPress site from a backup.
If you’re still having trouble turning off maintenance mode, you can contact your WordPress hosting provider for assistance.
Tips for using WordPress maintenance mode
Here are some tips for using WordPress maintenance mode effectively:
- Only use maintenance mode when you’re making changes to your website that could impact visitors.
- Let your visitors know how long your website will be down for maintenance.
- Provide a way for visitors to contact you if they have any questions or concerns.
- Test your website thoroughly before taking it out of maintenance mode.
Conclusion
Knowing how to turn off maintenance mode in WordPress is an important skill for any WordPress user. By following the steps in this article, you’ll be able to quickly and easily turn off maintenance mode and get your website back up and running.