Learning how to put WordPress in maintenance mode without losing visitors??
Good, you should; because it’s a crucial skill for all website owners!
Picture this: It’s Black Friday, your WooCommerce store receives 10,000+ visitors per hour, and you desperately need to update a critical plugin.
Or maybe you’re a course creator with 500 active students, and your LearnDash site needs urgent maintenance. In these moments, how you handle your site’s downtime can make or break your business.
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What Happened to The Ultimate Maintenance Mode Plugin for Putting WordPress in Maintenance Mode?
This section explains why the Ultimate Maintenance plugin Won’t Help You Anymore!
There was a straightforward plugin to neatly put WordPress in maintenance mode back in 2018. It was the Ultimate Maintenance Mode plugin – a tool that had become the go-to solution for millions of site owners.
This WordPress maintenance mode plugin helped stop people from accessing your site by replacing the homepage with a splash page which tells the visitor that the website is under maintenance.
It was great to use while going through routine WordPress maintenance or some kind of testing.
Unfortunately, the WordPress community bid farewell to the plugin. And its closure left many scrambling for alternatives.
But here’s the good news! The WordPress ecosystem has evolved, and today’s maintenance mode solutions offer even more powerful features and better user experiences. Let’s get to the solutions.
How to Put WordPress in Maintenance Mode: With & Without Plugins
This section will help you understand how to put WordPress in maintenance mode using various tried and tested solutions. Yes, we have implemented some of these methods for our clients!
Every website needs occasional maintenance work. But for high-traffic WordPress sites, displaying a broken or half-updated version to visitors can damage your brand’s reputation.
Whether you’re updating your plugins, redesigning your website, or fixing technical issues, maintenance mode ensures visitors see a professional message instead of a non-operational website.
It’s not just about hiding construction work – it’s about maintaining trust and keeping your audiences informed.
So, let’s dive into some of the best plugin-based solutions first.
They are far easier to understand and the most preferred way to put WordPress in Maintenance mode if you lack coding expertise.
How to Put WordPress in Maintenance Mode With Plugins: Top 5 WordPress Plugins for 2024
This section will cover the most reliable and feature-rich plugins to easily put WordPress in maintenance mode.
Coming Soon & Maintenance Mode by SeedProd
- Built-in page builder
- Email collection capabilities
- Custom branding options
- Starting at $39.50/year
WP Maintenance Mode & Coming Soon
- Countdown timer functionality
- Multiple templates
- SEO settings
- Free, with a premium version at $29/year
Maintenance by WebFactory
- Custom backgrounds
- Multilingual support
- Advanced access controls
- Free, premium from $25/year
Under Construction Page
- 50+ pre-built templates
- Social media integration
- Analytics tracking
- Free version available, Pro from $69/year
CMP – Coming Soon & Maintenance
- Drag-and-drop builder
- Newsletter integration
- Custom CSS options
- Free with premium features from $39/year
| Bonus Tip: While custom coding gives you maximum control, these plugins offer quick and reliable solutions. Here’s some extra information on the above-suggested plugins. WP Maintenance Mode
Coming Soon Page & Maintenance Mode by SeedProd
Maintenance by WebFactory
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How to Put WordPress in Maintenance Mode Without Plugins??
In this section, you’ll learn the code-based approach to enable maintenance mode for complete control over your site’s appearance during updates.
Method 1: Using .maintenance File
Create a .maintenance file in your WordPress root directory:
PHP:
| <?php $upgrading = time(); |
Method 2: Using wp-config.php
Add this code to your wp-config.php file:
PHP:
| define(‘WP_MAINTENANCE_MODE’, true); |
PHP:
| function wp_maintenance_mode() { if (!current_user_can(‘edit_themes’) || !is_user_logged_in()) { wp_die(‘<h1>Under Maintenance</h1><p>Our website is currently undergoing scheduled maintenance. Please check back soon.</p>’, ‘Maintenance Mode’); } } add_action(‘get_header’, ‘wp_maintenance_mode’); |
| Expert Advice:
If you’re unsure how to put WordPress in maintenance mode the right way, our site maintenance team can step in. We’ll make sure your site is safely set up in maintenance mode without disrupting the user experience. ⛑️ And No, it won’t be stuck in maintenance mode forever as we’ve helped hundreds of WordPress business owners tackle problematic maintenance for over a decade now! |
Best Practices On WordPress Maintenance Mode
Forget me Not! These are some essential tips to ensure your maintenance mode implementation maintains professionalism and user engagement.
- Set proper HTTP status codes
- Provide clear timeline expectations
- Offer alternative contact methods
- Maintain brand consistency
- Enable admin access for testing
Avoid These Common WordPress Maintenance Mode Mistakes
You’ve now learned how to put WordPress in maintenance mode successfully.
It’s time to understand what not to do when putting your WordPress site in maintenance mode to prevent SEO issues and user frustration. Here’s some pointers you should keep in mind.
- Forgetting to set proper SEO headers
- Leaving maintenance mode active too long
- Not providing alternate contact methods
- Using generic maintenance pages
- Blocking search engine crawlers incorrectly
How to Troubleshoot Common WordPress Maintenance Mode Issues?
Can’t Access Admin Panel
Add this to wp-config.php:
PHP:
| define(‘DISABLE_WP_CRON’, true); |
Stuck in WordPress Maintenance Mode
Delete the .maintenance file from your WordPress root directory.
| Unable to update plugins because your WordPress website is stuck in scheduled maintenance?? There are other more effective ways to resolve this and we can help you with it. |
If you’re interested in dedicated custom maintenance solutions, you can schedule a free consultation call with us at your convenience!
How to Put WordPress in Maintenance Mode Using Advanced Customization Tips
Adding a Countdown Timer
Javascript:
| // Add this to your maintenance.php <div id=“countdown”></div> <script> const endDate = new Date(‘2024-12-31T23:59:59’).getTime();
const timer = setInterval(() => { const now = new Date().getTime(); const distance = endDate – now;
const days = Math.floor(distance / (1000 * 60 * 60 * 24)); const hours = Math.floor((distance % (1000 * 60 * 60 * 24)) / (1000 * 60 * 60)); const minutes = Math.floor((distance % (1000 * 60 * 60)) / (1000 * 60));
document.getElementById(‘countdown’).innerHTML = `${days}d ${hours}h ${minutes}m remaining`;
if (distance < 0) { clearInterval(timer); document.getElementById(‘countdown’).innerHTML = ‘EXPIRED’; } }, 1000); </script> |
| Bonus Tip:
Don’t let maintenance mode bore your visitors! With this guide, you can easily transform the default maintenance mode page into a user-friendly, custom-designed page to reflect your brand’s personality.
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Conclusion: Keeping Your WordPress Site Super Professional During Updates
Putting WordPress in maintenance mode is essential for maintaining a professional image during site updates.
Whether you choose a plugin solution or prefer the code-based approach, depends on your technical expertise.
The key is to not lose connection with your visitors/customers and build lasting business relationships that withstand the impact of downtime.
All Set to Put WordPress in Maintenance Mode?
This is your mantra: Site down…Inform…Engage….Repeat!
However, if you’re still unsure of how to put your WordPress in maintenance mode; Let our team of WordPress experts handle your complete maintenance needs.
We’ll ensure your site stays user-friendly, even during updates and improvements.
You can get on a free call with us to learn how we can put your WordPress in maintenance mode to preserve your reputation during necessary offline periods.
Schedule your free call now – let’s make WordPress maintenance effortless!
