How to Fix the ‘Briefly Unavailable For Scheduled Maintenance’ Error in WordPress

The “Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance. Check back in a minute.” message is displayed when WordPress is currently in maintenance mode. WordPress maintenance mode occurs when you perform manual updates on the core software, plugins, or themes. The message is then displayed to prevent your website from appearing broken on the front end.

During the update, WordPress will create a temporary .maintenance file on your site. This file will put your website into maintenance mode and display the “Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance. Check back in a minute.” message. Usually, this file is automatically cleared when the update is finished, removing the maintenance message. That being said, WordPress can sometimes get stuck in maintenance mode and cause the message to persist, even when the update is finished.

Ways to Fix WordPress Maintenance Error

The solution to fixing the “Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance” error is to delete the .maintenance file in your root directory. Do this by accessing the WordPress root folder through a FileManager of your web host control panel or using an FTP client.

1. Fixing the Error Using Hostinger’s hPanel

Hostinger users can simply access hPanel’s File Manager to begin fixing this WordPress issue. However, note that the overall process is similar no matter what platform you’re using.

Once you’re logged in to your hPanel dashboard, navigate to the Files section and click File Manager.
In the File Manager window, choose your root directory (public_html), and search for the .maintenance file.
Right-click on the file and choose the Delete option and remove the file.

Completing the process will return your WordPress website to its stable state and make it accessible again.

2. Fixing the Error Using an FTP Client

If you are familiar with using an FTP client, you may prefer this method for deleting the .maintenance file and getting rid of the “Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance. Check back in a minute.” message. For this tutorial, we’ll be using FileZilla. Before we begin, make sure to configure FileZilla correctly.

Once you have access to your web files, navigate to the Remote Site tab. From there, you should see a list of your site files in the public_html folder. Next, proceed to look for the .maintenance file.
If you can’t find the file, there’s a chance it’s marked as a hidden file. In this case, click the Server button on the menu bar and choose the “Force showing hidden files” option.
Once you have deleted the file, your WordPress site should be able to function normally. Keep in mind that these steps will also work for other FTP clients.

How to Prevent the “Briefly Unavailable For Scheduled Maintenance” Error in the Future?

Although it only takes a few steps to fix the “Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance” error, you don’t want to keep deleting your maintenance file every time this problem occurs. Thus, it is best to avoid it altogether by preventing the causes. Here are some tips on how to do just that:

Keep Your Browser Tab Open During WordPress Updates: When updating WordPress core files from the admin dashboard, keep an eye on the message presented on your screen. WordPress will let you know when the process is starting and when it’s finished.
Don’t Update Too Many Plugins or Themes at the Same Time: It is highly recommended to update your themes and plugins as soon as the updates become available. However, updating too many files at once can slow down the overall process and risk your website becoming stuck in maintenance mode.
Upgrade Your Web Hosting Service: Low server storage can be one of the factors causing WordPress to get stuck in maintenance mode. Upgrading your web hosting plan for more website space can be a solution to this problem.

Plugins to Build a Custom Maintenance Mode Page

Whenever your website is in maintenance mode, WordPress will display a plain HTML page with the “Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance. Check back in a minute.” message. For a more engaging appearance, you can install a WordPress plugin and create a custom maintenance page. Below are a few of the top plugins available:

1. Coming Soon Page, Maintenance Mode & Landing Pages

Rating: 5/5
Notable features: mobile-ready pages, WooCommerce integration, spam protection
Pricing: freemium (premium plans start from $79.50/year)

2. Minimal Coming Soon & Maintenance Mode

Rating: 4.7/5
Notable features: custom HTML & CSS, full rebranding, SEO analysis
Pricing: freemium (premium plans start from $39/year)

3. WP Maintenance Mode

Rating: 4.3/5
Notable feature: countdown timers, GDPR-ready, responsive design
Pricing: free

Since the plugin is free, you just need to download and activate the plugin to start using all of the features.

Conclusion

A “Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance. Check back in a minute.” error causes your site to be inaccessible. In this article, you have learned how to fix the error and take steps to prevent it in the future. If you have any more questions, feel free to leave a comment down below. Good luck!

Domantas G.

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