Fix WordPress Error: “Briefly Unavailable for Scheduled Maintenance. Check Back in a Minute”

You can see the error message “briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance. check back in a minute.”, while trying to access or use your WordPress website. This error can appear if you try to update the plugins, themes or any other core files of the WordPress website. Here there will be extensive information about why this error appears and how to fix and avoid it.

What are the Reasons for the Occurrence of this Issue?

When you try to use the in-built update module on the WordPress website, then it puts the site in “maintenance mode”. The update module allows you to perform an update for the core files, themes, and extensions.

The reason your website is kept in the “maintenance mode” is because of the fact it can seamlessly perform the updates without any interference. Thus, whenever during an ongoing update process if you or anybody tries to access the website, then the message “briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance. check back in a minute.” comes up.

Whenever WordPress website tries to update a feature, then it will automatically enable the “maintenance mode”. Once the update procedure is complete, next, the website will disable the “maintenance mode”. The update process happens quite fast, so you do not know that the website was in the “maintenance mode”.

Although, sometimes the update procedure is not quick and gets stuck in the “maintenance mode”. During this time you can see this message while attempting to access the website.

Due to various reasons, your WordPress website can get stuck in “maintenance mode” and show this message. Some of those causes are as follows.

• If you are updating many plugins, themes in bulk simultaneously, then something can get stalled and the website will be stuck in “maintenance mode”.
• When the web browser has been closed during the update process, due to that reason you may get this problem message.
• If there is a compatibility problem with update-modules, then the WordPress website can display this error message.

How to Rectify the “briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance. check back in a minute.”Error Message?

Here, you will get various ways that will help you to this error in a simple manner.

Remove the ‘.maintainance’ File

The file ‘.maintainance’ is created when the update module of the WordPress website executes. If this file gets corrupted somehow, then there is a possibility for you get this issue. The main solution to easily rectify this problem is to simply remove a file with the “.maintenance” extension. 

To delete the ‘.maintainance’ file, follow the steps below.

• First, install an FTP or File Transfer Protocol client on your computer.
• Next, connect your WordPress website via the FTP client. Once the connection has been established, next, you will see all the files and folders of the website.
• Now, go to the ‘public’ folder and then, in it, locate the file ‘.maintainance’ and right-click on the same.
• When the popup list appears, next, tap on the ‘Delete’ option. This will remove the said file from the server.
• Finally, try to update the features of your website and see if it gets stuck with this error message or not.

Manually update WordPress via File Transfer Protocol Client

If while updating the core files of the website you have stumbled upon a problem, then the error “WordPress briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance. check back in a minute.” can come up. Now, the right answer to solve this problem is to manually update your WordPress website. In order to do it, follow the steps below.

• First, open the web browser that you use most often and visit the official WordPress website.
• Next, find the current version of WordPress and download the same. Once the download process is over, next, extract the contents from the zip file.
• After that, locate the ‘Wordpress’ folder. Now, open the FTP client and then connect your website.
• When the connection is established, next, go to the ‘Wordpress’ directory from the local files column within the FTP client.
• Next, within the FTP client navigate to the remote files column and access the root directory of your WordPress website.
• Now, once again go to the ‘Wordpress’ folder then choose all the contents within it, and right-click on the same. As soon as the popup menu comes up, then tap on the ‘Upload’ option.
• At this time the FTP client will start to upload all the core WordPress from the computer to the website. If you get a warning prompt, then click on the ‘Overwrite’ button and put a checkmark on the ‘Always use this action’.
• Wait for the upload process to get over, once it is complete, next, the WordPress website will be updated with the new file version.
• Lastly, if you get a message ‘Database Update Required’ on the website, then tap on the ‘Update WordPress Database button.’.

Deactivate all the Plugins of WordPress Website

If the plugins of the WordPress website are not performing properly then this problem can appear. Now, the only way to fix this problem is to disable all the plugins of WordPress. To do it follow the steps below.

• First, connect your website with the FTP client.
• Next, select the ‘wp-content’ folder. Once you click on that folder, next, all the content of it will appear at the lower section of the window.
• Out of all the contents within the ‘wp-content’ folder, choose the ‘plugins’ directory and right-click on it. After that, from the popup list choose the ‘Rename’ option.
• Then, alter the name of the folder to ‘deactivate_plugins’ and press ‘Enter’ key to save.
• As soon as you change the name, then all the extensions of the WordPress website will become inactive.

How can you prevent this error from ever happening again?

You will get preventive tips here, that will help you to steer clear of the “briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance. check back in a minute. WordPress” error. 

When updates are executed do not close the website Tab

At the time update process within the WordPress website do not close the browser tab until you see the following message ‘Disabling Maintenance mode…All updates have been completed’. Always make sure to check the above-mentioned message before you press the ‘cross’ button.

Check the compatibility of all the plugins and Themes

When you update the themes and plugins always be sure to check their compatibility with the version of WordPress that is on the computer.  In order to inspect the compatibility of the plugins and themes, locate and click on the ‘View Details’ link.

Do not update themes and plugins in bulk Together

Always perform the update process of the themes and plugins one at a time. This practice will help you to avoid the “briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance. check back in a minute.” error.