How to Put Your WordPress Site in Maintenance Mode

When working on your WordPress website, there may be times when you need to perform maintenance tasks, such as updating plugins or migrating the site to a new server. During these times, it’s best to put your website in maintenance mode to ensure your visitors don’t see a broken or unfinished site while necessary changes are made.

Step 1: Install and Activate a Maintenance Mode Plugin

The easiest way to set up maintenance mode in WordPress is to use a plugin. Several plugins are available in the WordPress Plugin Repository, offering customizable templates, countdown timers, social media integration, and email subscription forms.

To install and activate a plugin on your website, follow these simple steps:

1. Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
2. Select “Plugins” from the left-hand menu and click “Add New.”
3. Type the name of the maintenance mode plugin you want to use in the search bar, then press “Enter.”
4. Click “Install Now” and then “Activate.”

Step 2: Configure the Maintenance Mode Settings

After activating the maintenance mode plugin, you’ll need to configure its settings to display the correct message to your visitors while your site is under maintenance mode.

To edit your plugin’s settings, follow these steps:

1. Click on the “Settings” link on your WordPress dashboard.
2. Select “Maintenance Mode” or a similar option, depending on the name of your plugin.
3. Customize your maintenance mode page with a message to visitors, custom images, templates, colors, and more.
4. Save the changes you’ve made and preview the maintenance mode page.

Step 3: Activate Maintenance Mode

Once you’ve finished configuring your maintenance mode settings, it’s time to activate it.

To turn on maintenance mode, follow these steps:

1. Return to your WordPress dashboard and select the “Maintenance Mode” link in the left-hand menu.
2. Select “Activate” and visitors will receive a message alerting them that your site is currently offline for maintenance.
3. Exclude specific IP addresses from the maintenance mode page if necessary to allow certain users, such as admins or editors, to access the site while it’s in maintenance mode.

Step 4: Deactivate Maintenance Mode

To turn off maintenance mode, follow these steps:

1. Return to your WordPress dashboard and select the “Maintenance Mode” link in the left-hand menu.
2. Select “Deactivate” and your site will be accessible to all visitors again.
3. Configure the plugin to redirect visitors from the maintenance mode page to a different page on your site, such as a landing page or a thank you page.

Conclusion:

By setting up maintenance mode in WordPress, you can update your site without disrupting your visitor’s experience or SEO. With this guide, you’ll be able to install and activate a maintenance mode plugin, configure its settings to match your needs, and activate or deactivate maintenance mode as needed. Using a maintenance mode plugin enables you to focus on your site’s improvements without disrupting your audience’s user satisfaction.