Having your WordPress site stuck in maintenance mode can be frustrating, especially when you're trying to perform updates or make changes.
This issue usually occurs when the .maintenance file created during updates doesn't get deleted properly.
When you update any theme or plugin on a WordPress site, you will usually see a screen like this if the update process goes well.
Sometimes, this process will not get completed and it will get stuck at the following step:
We will also see the below message on the website:
The most probable reasons for this issue are:
You tried updating too many plugins/themes at once.
Any of the theme/plugin updates have a conflict with another plugin/theme, causing the update process to fail.
The server took too much time to complete the updating process
The updating process was interrupted by a manual refresh of the browser's window.
Solution:
Connect to your website via FTP, by using either the hosting's File Manager app, or the Advanced File Manager plugin
Navigate to the root folder where WordPress has been installed
Look for a file called .maintenance and delete it
After deletion, check your website again
Notes:
If you do not see this file in the root folder, please ensure you have enabled the viewing of hidden files from the file settings in your hosting file manager. Most hosts keep a file hidden if it is started with a dot. If you are uncomfortable editing any files on your website, you will need to contact your web host for further assistance.
For a more in-depth analysis and solutions, check out the WordPress Maintenance Mode: Everything You Need to Know blog article.