Are you looking to activate maintenance mode on your WordPress site without losing potential customers or frustrating your visitors? Maintenance mode allows you to temporarily hide your website while you perform updates or make changes.
During maintenance mode, visitors will see a friendly notice instead of encountering a broken website. You can also manage who has access to your site while you work on it.
We have successfully activated maintenance mode on numerous websites using powerful plugins like SeedProd, which streamline the process and enable you to create attractive maintenance mode pages.
In this article, we will guide you through the simple steps to activate maintenance mode on your WordPress site.
Understanding When and Why to Activate Maintenance Mode on WordPress
Often, you can make updates to your WordPress website without needing to activate maintenance mode. For instance, you can publish new posts, update WordPress, and install new plugins without any downtime.
However, there are times when you may need to work on your website for an extended period. For example, you might want to completely redesign your WordPress blog.
Some changes can also be riskier than others, such as installing a new plugin that alters your website’s functionality. During this time, your site may appear broken to users.
During this time, you risk losing any new data created, such as orders from customers if you’re making significant changes to your online store.
A great solution is to create a staging website, allowing you to work on your site privately. Many leading WordPress hosting providers, like Bluehost, SiteGround, and WP Engine, offer easy one-click staging setups.
If you choose not to use a staging site, you should activate maintenance mode for your website. This way, instead of encountering a broken site, visitors will see a friendly maintenance page explaining the situation.
You can also recommend alternative actions for visitors, such as following you on social media or subscribing to your email list.
Now, let’s explore how to enable maintenance mode on your WordPress site.
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If you prefer written instructions, use the quick links below to navigate to your desired method.
- Method 1: Activate WordPress Maintenance Mode with the SeedProd Plugin (Recommended)
- Method 2: Enable Maintenance Mode with LightStart
- Method 3: Activate Maintenance Mode using the WPCode Plugin
Method 1: Activate WordPress Maintenance Mode with the SeedProd Plugin (Recommended)
The simplest way to create a fully customized maintenance page is by using SeedProd.
SeedProd is the leading page builder for WordPress, utilized by over a million websites. It enables you to design stunning coming soon pages, enhance your 404 error page, create unique landing pages, and even develop custom WordPress themes with a drag-and-drop interface.
SeedProd offers a premium version that includes over 300 professionally designed templates and blocks. However, you can easily put your site into maintenance mode using the free SeedProd plugin, which is what we will focus on in this guide.
The first step is to install and activate the SeedProd plugin. For detailed instructions, refer to our guide on how to install a plugin in WordPress.
After activation, navigate to SeedProd » Pages In the ‘Maintenance Mode’ section, click on the ‘Set up a Maintenance Mode Page’ or ‘Edit Page’ button.
Next, you’ll create the page that visitors will see when maintenance mode is activated.
You can choose from a pre-designed template or start with a blank canvas. We are using the ‘Down Maintenance Mode’ template in our examples, but feel free to select any template you prefer.
To choose a template, simply hover over the thumbnail of your desired design and click the ‘checkmark’ icon.
Once you’ve selected a template, you’ll be directed to the drag-and-drop builder, where you can customize your maintenance mode page.
On the left side of the screen, you’ll find various blocks and sections that you can add to your design, while the right side displays a live preview.
Most templates come with pre-existing blocks, which are essential components of all SeedProd designs. To add more blocks to your maintenance page, just drag them from the left-hand menu and drop them onto your design.
For instance, you might want to include your custom logo, videos, a contact form, and more.
The available options may differ based on the plugins you have installed on your website.
For instance, if you are using RafflePress, you can host a contest on your maintenance page by utilizing the Giveaway block, as illustrated in the image below.
To modify a block, simply click on it in your layout. You can then adjust the settings using the options available in the left-hand menu.
For example, let’s explore how to link the default ‘Contact Us’ button to your business email address.
Click on the ‘Contact Us’ button in the live preview. In the left-hand menu, you’ll find a ‘Link’ field, which defaults to ‘mailto:john@example.com.’
This configuration allows the button to open the visitor’s default email application with the ‘To’ field pre-filled with ‘john@example.com.’
To update this, simply enter your email address in the ‘Link’ field. Be sure to keep ‘mailto:’ intact, as it is necessary to launch the visitor’s default email application.
You can also modify the button’s appearance by changing its alignment, text, and size.
To delete a block from your design, just click on it and then select the trash can icon.
You can continue to personalize the template by adding new blocks, removing unwanted ones, and making adjustments in the left-hand menu.
Once you are satisfied with the appearance of your maintenance page, publish it by clicking the ‘Save’ button.
To activate maintenance mode and display your custom maintenance page to visitors, navigate to SeedProd » Landing Pages in the WordPress dashboard.
In this section, toggle the switch in the ‘Maintenance Mode’ area to ‘Active.’
Maintenance mode will not be visible to you while you are logged into the site. However, if you open your site in an incognito browser tab, you will see the maintenance page displayed.
When you are ready to bring your site back online, go to SeedProd » Landing Pages. In the ‘Maintenance Mode’ section, switch the slider from green (Active) to grey (Inactive).
Now, your WordPress website is accessible to everyone.
Managing Access for Logged-in Users
By default, SeedProd displays the maintenance mode page to all users who are not logged in. However, users with accounts, such as subscribers on your membership site or customers on your WooCommerce store, can still log in to their accounts.
You might want to control who can access your website during maintenance. For instance, if you’re building a site for a client, they may need access to oversee your progress.
To modify access controls, consider upgrading to SeedPro Pro. Once the plugin is activated, SeedProd will prompt you for your license key.
You can locate this information in your account on the SeedProd website.
Next, navigate to SeedProd » Landing Pages and click on ‘Edit Page’ under Maintenance Mode.
This action will launch the SeedProd page builder.
In the builder, select ‘Page Settings,’ then click on ‘Access Control.’
To begin, it’s advisable to enable the ‘Exclude Default’ option. This setting allows visitors to access URLs that include terms like login, admin, dashboard, and account, preventing users from being locked out of their accounts.
Additionally, you can permit users with certain browser cookies to access your site during maintenance mode by using the ‘Bypass Cookie’ toggle. Keep in mind that this feature may not function properly if you are utilizing a WordPress caching plugin.
We recommend selecting specific user roles that will have access to your site while it is in maintenance mode. To do this, click on ‘Add Role’ and choose the desired role from the dropdown menu.
You can also manage user roles created by your WordPress membership or eCommerce plugins by including or excluding them as needed.
Once you are satisfied with the access settings, remember to click the ‘Save’ button to apply your changes.
Exclude Specific Pages from Maintenance Mode
SeedProd Pro allows you to include or exclude certain pages from maintenance mode, which is useful if users need access to specific content.
For instance, if you have a custom login page, you would typically want to exclude it from maintenance mode. Additionally, if you offer customer support via email, you might want to keep your contact form accessible.
You can manage this in SeedProd’s ‘Include/Exclude URLs’ settings. Simply select ‘Include URLs’ or ‘Exclude URLs’ and enter the relevant links in the provided field.
When you are satisfied with the configuration of the maintenance page, click the ‘Save’ button to finalize your updated access control settings.
Method 2: Set Up Maintenance Mode Using LightStart
An alternative is to use the free LightStart plugin, which is an excellent option for creating a straightforward maintenance mode page. However, keep in mind that this plugin utilizes the standard WordPress page and post editor, which lacks the advanced features of SeedProd’s drag-and-drop builder.
The first step is to install and activate the LightStart plugin. For detailed instructions, refer to our comprehensive guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.
After activation, navigate to Settings » LightStart.
You can now select from LightStart’s maintenance mode, coming soon, and landing page templates.
Since we want to set up a maintenance mode, click on the ‘Website is under maintenance’ template and then hit the ‘Continue’ button.
You will have the option to subscribe to the LightStart email list.
If you prefer, you can simply click ‘I’ll skip for now, thanks.’
LightStart will then create a simple page using its built-in template.
To view this page, just click on ‘View page.’
This will open the template in the standard WordPress post editor.
Note: Not satisfied with the default template? You can explore other designs by going to Settings » LightStart Access the WordPress dashboard and navigate to the ‘Design’ tab to explore various templates available for your site.
You can edit the design just like you would a regular page or post.
The template includes several social media icons that you should link to your own profiles.
Click on each icon and enter the corresponding URL in the field that appears.
Once you are satisfied with the appearance of your maintenance page, click the ‘Update’ button in the content editor to save your changes.
After designing your page, proceed to configure your maintenance mode settings by navigating to Settings » LightStart in your WordPress dashboard.
Then, click on the ‘General’ tab.
By default, search engine bots are unable to access your site during maintenance mode, which can negatively impact your WordPress SEO and your site’s visibility in search engine results, especially if the maintenance period is extended.
Therefore, we suggest selecting ‘Yes’ from the ‘Bypass for Search Bots’ dropdown. This setting allows search engine crawlers to bypass your maintenance page.
As the administrator of your site, you can navigate your WordPress dashboard and website even when it’s in maintenance mode. However, you might want to allow access for other user roles as well.
To provide users with access to the WordPress dashboard, click on the ‘Backend’ dropdown and select a user role from the available options.
If you want to allow visitors to access your public site, use the ‘Frontend’ dropdown instead.
Similar to SeedProd, you can exclude specific pages from maintenance mode, ensuring they remain accessible to visitors. For instance, if you have a booking form, you may want to keep that page available even when the rest of your site is undergoing maintenance.
To exclude a page, simply enter its URL in the ‘Exclude’ box.
If you utilize Google Analytics to monitor traffic on your WordPress site, be sure to click on the ‘Modules’ tab.
Next, open the ‘Use Google Analytics’ dropdown and select ‘Yes.’
Then, simply input your tracking ID into the ‘Tracking code’ field.
There are many additional settings worth exploring, most of which are straightforward. Once you are satisfied with your maintenance mode configuration, click the ‘Save settings’ button to apply your changes.
You can easily enable maintenance mode whenever you need. Just navigate to the ‘General’ tab and select the ‘Activated’ option.
Next, scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on ‘Save settings.’ If you open your site in an incognito browser tab, you will see the maintenance page.
When you’re ready to disable maintenance mode, return to the ‘General’ tab and choose ‘Deactivated.’ Then, click on the ‘Save changes’ button, and your website will be accessible to all visitors again.
Related:Check out our guide on resolving issues with WordPress stuck in maintenance mode.
How to Integrate a Chatbot into Your Maintenance Mode Page
Chatbots enable you to engage with visitors, gather their information, and even facilitate lead generation on your WordPress site.
LightStart offers a user-friendly pre-configured live chatbot that can ask visitors if they want to be notified when your site is back online by subscribing to your email list.
To view the chatbot setup, click on the ‘Manage Bot’ tab.
The default name for this bot is Admin, but you can customize it by entering a new name in the ‘Bot Name’ field.
You may also want to upload an avatar, which will be displayed in the chatbot popup.
You can view the pre-set conversation options under ‘Customize Messages.’
Feel free to modify any of these messages, but the default options should work well for most WordPress sites.
To activate the chatbot, click the ‘Activated’ button located at the top of the screen.
Remember to click ‘Save settings’ to ensure your changes are applied.
Now, if you open the maintenance page in an incognito window, you will be able to interact with the chatbot.
If you are gathering user data through a chatbot or maintenance page, it’s crucial to ensure your site complies with GDPR regulations.
Method 3: Activate Maintenance Mode Using the WPCode Plugin
If you need basic maintenance mode features and prefer not to install a separate plugin, you can utilize WPCode.
WPCode enables you to easily insert custom code into WordPress without modifying your theme’s functions.php file. It includes pre-built code snippets for various functionalities, such as maintenance mode and simple countdown timers.
First, install and activate the free WPCode plugin. For detailed instructions, refer to our guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.
After activation, navigate to Code Snippets » Library Access this feature from your WordPress admin dashboard.
In the library, search for the ‘Maintenance Mode’ snippet. Once located, hover over it and click the ‘Use snippet’ button.
WPCode will automatically insert the necessary code for you.
Feel free to customize the maintenance mode message to better reflect your brand.
Simply toggle the switch from ‘Inactive’ to ‘Active’ and click the ‘Update’ button at the top of the page.
That’s all! Your website will now display a simple maintenance mode message to users who are not logged in as administrators.
We hope this guide has helped you activate maintenance mode on your WordPress site. You might also find our tutorial on creating custom pages in WordPress and our comparison of top business phone services helpful for keeping in touch with visitors during maintenance.
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