Did you run into the "Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance. Check back in a minute" error when trying to admission your WordPress site?

Errors like these are frustrating – only don't worry! Fixing the "Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance. Check back in a minute." fault on WordPress only takes a couple of minutes.

In this article, we'll cover:

  • Why you're seeing the error message
  • How to fix the "Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance" bulletin on WordPress
  • Tips to prevent encountering this issue in the future

What Causes the "Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance" Error on WordPress?

Whenever yous use the built-in WordPress update arrangement in your dashboard to update the cadre software, plugins, or themes, WordPress puts your site into something called "maintenance mode" and so that it can safely update the relevant files.

If you lot've ever paid attention during updates, WordPress really tells you this in your dashboard while it performs the updates:

You can see WordPress turn maintenance mode on/off
Y'all tin see WordPress turn maintenance mode on/off

While your site is in maintenance mode, anyone who tries to visit your WordPress site will encounter the "Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance. Check back in a minute" message.

Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance. Check back in a minute
Example of the "Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance. Check back in a minute" message

And then in actuality, the message itself is not an mistake – information technology'southward supposed to be there…just only for a short amount of time.

Normally, WordPress seamlessly enables maintenance style, performs the update, then disables maintenance mode. Well-nigh of the time, the process is so seamless that it simply takes a few seconds and you never even discover a modify in your site.

However, sometimes your site gets "stuck" in maintenance manner. That's when the "Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance. Check dorsum in a infinitesimal" bulletin starts to become a problem because information technology doesn't become away and prevents yous and others from accessing your site.

There are different reasons why your WordPress site might exist stuck in maintenance mode, with the most common ones being:

  • Yous closed your browser tab in the eye of an update.
  • You tried to update a ton of dissimilar themes/plugins at the same time and something stalled.
  • There's some compatibility consequence with an update that caused the glitch.

Thankfully, fixing the "Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance. Check back in a minute" message on WordPress only requires you to delete a single file via FTP.

Hither'south how to go your site working again…

How to Ready "Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance. Check back in a minute" on WordPress

In social club to put your site into maintenance way, WordPress adds a file named .maintenance into your WordPress site's root folder (this is the same binder that houses your wp-config.php file).

To accept your site out of maintenance manner and become rid of the "Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance. Check back in a minute" message, all y'all need to do is delete that .maintenance file.

Here's a step-by-footstep guide on how to exercise that…

Step 1: Connect to Your WordPress Site via SFTP

To go started, y'all'll demand to use an FTP program to connect to your WordPress site via SFTP.

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You can detect your Kinsta site's SFTP credentials in your Kinsta dashboard, and here'due south a detailed guide on how to connect to SFTP at Kinsta if you need some assist.

One time you connect to your site, you lot should see a list of all your site's files in the public folder:

The .maintenance file is located in your "public" folder at Kinsta
The .maintenance file is located in your "public" binder at Kinsta

Step 2: Delete .maintenance File

At present, all you demand to do is delete the file named .maintenance to have your site out of maintenance mode and fix the trouble:

Delete the .maintenance file
Delete the .maintenance file

That's it! As soon every bit you delete the file, your WordPress site should start performance usually.

If you don't see the .maintenance file, you might need to testify hidden files. In FileZilla for example, click on "Server" at the height and and then on "Force showing subconscious files."

Force show hidden files
Force show subconscious files

How to Avert the "Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance. Cheque back in a infinitesimal." Error on WordPress

Here are a few tips to help you avoid encountering this effect in the futurity.

ane. Don't Close Browser Tab While Running Updates

Whenever you use WordPress' update functionality, brand sure to leave your browser tab open until you encounter the bulletin that says "Disabling Maintenance fashion…All updates have been completed":

You can safely close your browser tab when you see this message
You tin safely close your browser tab when yous see this message

One time you see that message, you can safely shut the tab.

2. Avoid Updating Too Many Themes and Plugins at the Same Time

Attempt to limit the number of updates yous run at a single fourth dimension. For example, update themes and plugins equally they get available, rather than waiting to practice them all at in one case.

Kinsta's staging sites and automatic backup functionality get in easy to quickly test updates and roll back if you encounter any compatibility bug.

Across decreasing the chances of getting stuck in maintenance mode, regularly updating your site is merely by and large a adept way to continue it secure and operation.

3. Make Sure Themes and Plugins Are Compatible

Before yous run any updates, brand certain that the theme or plugin you lot're updating is compatible with the version of WordPress that you're running.

You can chop-chop check the confirmed compatibility of plugins and themes by clicking the View Details link:

How to check a plugin or theme's compatibility
How to check a plugin or theme'due south compatibility

Suggested reading: How to Fix "The site is experiencing technical difficulties." Mistake in WordPress.


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