How to Put Website Under Maintenance WordPress: Complete Guide for 2026

Every WordPress site needs downtime. Whether you’re fixing bugs, updating plugins, or rolling out a complete redesign, keeping your site visible during these changes can hurt your reputation and confuse visitors. That’s where maintenance mode comes in.

Putting your website under maintenance WordPress protects your brand while you work. Instead of broken pages or error messages, visitors see a clean, professional notice that you’re making improvements. Search engines understand the downtime is temporary. You avoid the panic of someone catching your site mid-update.

This guide walks you through every method to enable maintenance mode on WordPress. From simple plugins to manual coding, you’ll learn the right approach for your skill level and situation.

What Is WordPress Maintenance Mode?

Maintenance mode temporarily hides your WordPress site from public view while keeping backend access for administrators. When active, visitors see a custom page explaining the site is down for updates instead of your actual content.

WordPress automatically triggers maintenance mode during core updates, plugin updates, and theme updates by creating a temporary .maintenance file that sends a 503 HTTP status code to browsers and search engines. This status code tells search engines the downtime is temporary, protecting your SEO rankings.

The maintenance page can be as simple as “We’ll be right back” or as detailed as a branded page with social media links, email signup forms, and estimated return times.

When Should You Use Maintenance Mode?

Not every website change requires maintenance mode. Here’s when to use it and when to skip it.

Use Maintenance Mode For:

Major WordPress Updates

Core WordPress updates, theme switches, or updating multiple plugins simultaneously benefit from maintenance protection to prevent compatibility issues and broken layouts. Visitors won’t see error messages while your site processes these changes.

Website Redesigns

Switching themes, restructuring navigation, or rebuilding entire sections creates temporary visual chaos. Maintenance mode keeps these works-in-progress hidden until launch.

Database Optimization

Database cleanup, caching configuration, or server adjustments work best behind a maintenance screen rather than subjecting visitors to slow loading times or intermittent errors.

Security Updates

Critical security patches sometimes require brief downtime. Maintenance mode protects user data while you implement fixes.

Content Reorganization

Moving pages, changing site structure, or updating large amounts of content can temporarily break internal links and navigation. Maintenance mode provides breathing room to complete these changes properly.

Skip Maintenance Mode For

Small text edits, image updates, or single plugin updates rarely need maintenance mode. These quick changes happen fast enough that visitors won’t notice issues.

How Maintenance Mode Affects SEO

Returning a 503 status code in combination with a Retry-After header tells Google how many minutes to wait before coming back, ensuring Google doesn’t return to crawl the site before the specified time.

The 503 status code signals temporary unavailability. Search engines understand your site will return and don’t remove your pages from their index. For your SEO, try not to keep sites in maintenance mode over a few hours or a maximum of one day, as search engines finding your site unavailable for a long time might lower your rankings.

If you need several days for major work, use a staging site instead. This keeps your live site running while you build changes in a separate environment.

4 Methods to Enable Website Under Maintenance WordPress

Choose the method that matches your technical comfort level. Beginners should start with plugins. Developers can use manual coding for more control.

Method 1: Using a Maintenance Mode Plugin (Easiest)

Plugins offer the fastest, safest way to enable maintenance mode without touching code. They handle the technical setup while giving you customization options.

Step 1: Install a Maintenance Mode Plugin

LightStart (formerly WP Maintenance Mode) and SeedProd are popular free options with customization features, while plugins like Maintenance and Under Construction Page offer simple activation.

Navigate to Plugins > Add New in your WordPress dashboard. Search for “Maintenance Mode” or your chosen plugin name. Click Install Now, then Activate.

Step 2: Configure Your Maintenance Page

Each plugin offers different customization options. Most include:

• Custom headline and message explaining the downtime
• Background image or color selection
• Countdown timer showing when the site returns
• Social media links to keep visitors connected
• Email capture forms to collect leads during downtime
• Logo upload for brand consistency

Step 3: Activate Maintenance Mode

Find the plugin settings (usually under Settings or Tools in your dashboard). Toggle the maintenance mode switch to “Active” or “Enabled.” Save your changes.

Visit your site in an incognito browser window to verify the maintenance page displays correctly. As an administrator, you’ll still see the regular site when logged in.

Step 4: Deactivate When Finished

Return to the plugin settings and toggle maintenance mode to “Deactivated” or “Disabled.” Clear your site cache if using a caching plugin.

Method 2: Adding Code to functions.php

This manual method gives you control without installing plugins. It requires basic PHP knowledge and careful editing.

Step 1: Access functions

Navigate to Appearance > Theme File Editor in your WordPress dashboard. A warning appears about editing theme files. Click “I understand” to proceed.

Find and click on Theme Functions (functions.php) from the file list on the right.

Step 2: Add Maintenance Mode Code

Scroll to the bottom of the file and paste this code before the closing ?> tag if present:

// Activate WordPress Maintenance Mode
function wp_maintenance_mode() {
    if (!current_user_can('edit_themes') || !is_user_logged_in()) {
        wp_die('<h1>Under Maintenance</h1><br />Website under planned maintenance. Please check back later.');
    }
}
add_action('get_header', 'wp_maintenance_mode');

This code checks if visitors can edit themes and are logged in. If not, they see the maintenance message. Administrators bypass the restriction.

Step 3: Customize the Message

Change the text between the <h1> tags and after <br /> to match your needs. Add HTML for styling if desired.

Step 4: Save and Test

Click Update File to save changes. Open your site in an incognito window to verify the maintenance message appears.

Step 5: Remove Code When Done

Navigate back to functions.php and remove only the maintenance mode code you added, being careful not to delete other essential theme functions.

Important Note: If your theme updates, this code disappears. To prevent website updates from undoing this configuration, set up a child theme and add the code to its functions.php file.

Method 3: Editing .htaccess File

For developers and multisite users, the .htaccess approach offers server-level control over maintenance mode. This method works independently of WordPress and affects the entire site.

Step 1: Create a Maintenance Page

Using a text editor like Notepad or TextMate, create an HTML file named maintenance.html with your maintenance message:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
    <title>Site Under Maintenance</title>
    <style>
        body { font-family: Arial; text-align: center; padding: 50px; }
        h1 { color: #333; }
    </style>
</head>
<body>
    <h1>We'll Be Right Back</h1>
    <p>Our site is currently undergoing scheduled maintenance.</p>
</body>
</html>

Step 2: Upload to Root Directory

Using FTP or your hosting file manager, upload maintenance.html to your WordPress root directory (where wp-config.php is located).

Step 3: Edit .htaccess

Locate the .htaccess file in your root directory. Add this code at the top:

# TEMP MAINTENANCE PAGE
<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{REMOTE_ADDR} !^123\.456\.789\.00
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !^/maintenance\.html$
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ /maintenance.html [R=503,L]
</IfModule>
ErrorDocument 503 /maintenance.html
Header Set Retry-After "3600"

Replace 123.456.789.00 with your IP address to access the site normally. Add multiple IPs for team members.

Step 4: Save and Verify

Save the .htaccess file. Test your site in an incognito window to confirm the maintenance page displays.

Step 5: Restore Normal Access

Remove only the maintenance-specific rules from your .htaccess file, preserving WordPress’s default .htaccess content.

Method 4: Using Hosting Control Panel

Some hosts like Hostinger provide built-in maintenance mode features. Hostinger users can navigate to WordPress > Overview from the hPanel dashboard and click the slider next to Maintenance mode to activate or deactivate it.

This method requires no plugins or coding but offers limited customization. Check your hosting control panel for similar features.

Best Practices for WordPress Maintenance Mode

Following these guidelines ensures smooth maintenance periods and happy visitors.

Keep Downtime Short

Try not to keep your WordPress site in maintenance mode over a few hours or a maximum of one day for SEO purposes. Extended downtime frustrates visitors and may signal problems to search engines.

For projects requiring multiple days, use a staging environment instead. Digital iCreatives specializes in website maintenance services that minimize downtime through proper staging workflows.

Inform Users in Advance

If possible, inform users about scheduled maintenance beforehand so they know when to expect downtime. Post announcements on social media, send email notifications, or add banners to your site days before maintenance begins.

Schedule During Low Traffic Hours

Analyze your site analytics to identify low-traffic periods. Schedule maintenance during these windows to minimize impact on users.

Create a Professional Maintenance Page

Your maintenance page represents your brand. Include these elements:

• Your logo for brand recognition
• Clear headline stating the site is under maintenance
• Brief explanation of why the site is offline
• Estimated return time or date
• Social media links to stay connected
• Contact email for urgent inquiries

Test Thoroughly Before Launch

After completing maintenance, test all changes in a staging environment first. Check functionality, cross-browser compatibility, and mobile responsiveness before taking the site live.

Always Backup First

Before making big changes to your WordPress site, take a backup of your entire site to ensure you can recover if something goes wrong. Digital iCreatives offers comprehensive backup solutions as part of their website maintenance packages.

Troubleshooting Common Maintenance Mode Issues

Even with careful setup, problems can occur. Here’s how to fix them.

Site Stuck in Maintenance Mode

WordPress creates a temporary .maintenance file during updates, and if an update fails, this file might not get deleted automatically.

Solution: Connect to your site via FTP or file manager. Navigate to the root directory and look for a file named .maintenance. Delete this file. Clear your browser cache and site cache.

Maintenance Page Not Displaying

If you still see your regular site after enabling maintenance mode, the issue is often caching.

Solution: Clear all caches including browser cache, WordPress caching plugins, and server-side cache if available. If using a CDN like Cloudflare, purge the cache there too.

Error Messages After Adding Code

A syntax error in functions.php or .htaccess can break your site.

Solution: If you can’t access the dashboard, connect to your website using FTP or your hosting provider’s file manager and remove the problematic code. Restore from backup if necessary.

Plugin Conflicts

Sometimes maintenance mode plugins conflict with other plugins or themes.

Solution: Switch to a default WordPress theme like Twenty Twenty-Five to determine if your issue stems from theme customizations. Deactivate other plugins one by one to identify conflicts.

Can’t Access Admin Area

If you accidentally locked yourself out of the admin area, you need server-level access to fix it.

Solution: Access your site via FTP. If using a plugin, deactivate it by renaming the plugin folder. If using code in functions.php, remove the maintenance code. If using .htaccess, remove the maintenance rules.

Alternative: Using a Staging Site

For extensive changes taking days or weeks, staging sites offer a better solution than maintenance mode. A staging site is a private copy of your live website where you make changes without affecting visitors.

While maintenance mode is useful for quick changes, the industry-standard for major development, theme changes, or plugin testing is a staging environment.

Many hosting providers offer one-click staging site creation. Digital iCreatives helps businesses set up proper staging environments as part of their web development and website maintenance services.

Choosing the Right Method

Each maintenance mode method serves different needs:

Use Plugins When:

• You’re not comfortable editing code
• You want easy customization without technical knowledge
• You need countdown timers or email capture forms
• You prefer a visual interface for design

Use functions.php When:

• You want control without installing plugins
• You have basic PHP knowledge
• You need a lightweight solution
• You don’t mind manual code editing

Use .htaccess When:

• You manage WordPress multisite installations
• You need server-level control
• You’re comfortable with Apache configuration
• You want maintenance mode independent of WordPress

Use Staging Sites When:

• Changes will take multiple days or weeks
• You’re rebuilding major site sections
• You need to test extensively before launch
• You want to avoid any public downtime

Final Thoughts

Putting your website under maintenance WordPress doesn’t have to be complicated. Whether you choose a simple plugin or prefer manual coding, the key is protecting your visitors and SEO during updates.

Start with the easiest method for your skill level. Most site owners find plugins like LightStart or SeedProd perfect for their needs. These tools handle the technical details while giving you design freedom.

Remember to keep maintenance periods short, inform users in advance, and always backup before making changes. For complex projects, consider using a staging site instead of taking your live site offline.

Need help managing your WordPress site? Digital iCreatives offers professional website development and website maintenance services that keep your site running smoothly. From routine updates to complete redesigns, their team handles the technical work so you can focus on your business.

By following this guide, you’ll confidently manage maintenance periods without sacrificing user experience or search rankings. Your visitors will see a professional message instead of broken pages, and search engines will understand the downtime is temporary. That’s the right way to maintain a WordPress site.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does maintenance mode hurt my SEO?

When your site is in maintenance mode, it should serve a 503 “Service Unavailable” HTTP status code that tells search engine crawlers the downtime is temporary and they should try again later. This protects your rankings during brief maintenance periods. Extended maintenance beyond 24 hours may impact rankings, so keep downtime minimal.

Can visitors still access my site in maintenance mode?

No, regular visitors cannot see your website while in maintenance mode. They see a maintenance page instead. However, if you are logged in as an administrator, you can still access the entire site and work on it, allowing you to make changes and check that everything is working correctly. Most maintenance mode plugins let you whitelist specific user roles or IP addresses to bypass the maintenance screen.

What’s the difference between maintenance mode and coming soon mode?

A maintenance mode page is for a website that is already live but needs to be taken offline for updates and uses a 503 status code to tell search engines the site is temporarily down, while a coming soon page is for a brand new website that has not launched yet and uses a 200 OK status code. Coming soon pages allow search engines to find and index the page before launch.

How do I remove maintenance mode?

The removal method depends on how you activated it. If you used a plugin, navigate to the plugin settings and toggle maintenance mode to “Deactivated.” If you added code to functions.php or .htaccess, access those files again and remove the maintenance code. If your site is stuck in maintenance mode, delete the .maintenance file from your root directory via FTP.

Can I customize my maintenance page design?

Yes, most maintenance mode plugins offer customization options including custom messages, background images, colors, countdown timers, and social media links. If you’re using manual code methods, you can create custom HTML pages with any design you want. Services like Digital iCreatives can help create professional, branded maintenance pages that match your site’s design.