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. This article will guide you through the steps to fix this error and prevent it from happening in the future.

What Is the ‘Briefly Unavailable For Scheduled Maintenance’ Error?

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

There are several reasons why this error occurs:

Low memory
Slow server response
Compatibility issues
Interrupted update process

In order to fix this error, you need to delete the ‘maintenance’ file in your root directory.

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. There are two methods to do this:

1. Fixing the Error Using Hostinger’s hPanel

If you are a Hostinger user, you can access hPanel’s File Manager to delete the ‘maintenance’ file:

Log in to your hPanel dashboard and navigate to the Files section.
Click File Manager and choose your root directory (public_html).
Search for the ‘maintenance’ file, right-click on it, and choose the Delete option to remove the file.

2. Fixing the Error Using an FTP Client

If you prefer using an FTP client, follow these steps to delete the ‘maintenance’ file:

Access your web files using an FTP client like FileZilla.
Navigate to the public_html folder and search for the ‘maintenance’ file.
If the file is hidden, click the Server button on the menu bar and choose the ‘Force showing hidden files’ option.
Delete the ‘maintenance’ file.

How to Prevent the ‘Briefly Unavailable For Scheduled Maintenance’ Error in the Future?

To prevent the ‘Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance’ error from occurring in the future, follow these tips:

Keep your browser tab open during WordPress updates to avoid server connection timeout.
Don’t update too many plugins or themes at the same time as it can slow down the process and cause conflicts.
Check the compatibility of themes and plugins with your WordPress version before updating.
Consider upgrading your web hosting service to ensure sufficient storage space.

Plugins to Build a Custom Maintenance Mode Page

To create a more engaging maintenance mode page, you can install WordPress plugins. Here are a few recommended ones:

1. Coming Soon Page, Maintenance Mode & Landing Pages

This plugin allows you to create and customize maintenance, ‘coming soon’, and landing pages. It offers drag-and-drop functionality, mobile-ready pages, and spam protection.

2. Minimal Coming Soon & Maintenance Mode

This plugin provides a user-friendly interface for customizing ‘Coming Soon’ or maintenance mode pages. It includes options for custom HTML & CSS, full rebranding, and SEO analysis.

3. WP Maintenance Mode

WP Maintenance Mode automatically displays a maintenance mode or ‘Coming Soon’ page on your website. It offers countdown timers, GDPR readiness, and a responsive design.

By following these steps and using the recommended plugins, you can effectively fix the ‘Briefly Unavailable for Scheduled Maintenance’ error and enhance your website’s maintenance mode page.

If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below. Good luck!

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