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If you’re seeing the “Briefly Unavailable for Scheduled Maintenance. Check back in a minute.” error message on your website, don’t panic. This message is displayed when WordPress is performing an automatic update or when a plugin or theme update is in progress.

To fix this error and get your website back online, follow these steps:

  1. Wait for a few minutes: The error message usually disappears after a short period of time. WordPress automatically puts your website into maintenance mode during updates, and once the update is complete, your website will be accessible again.
  2. Clear your browser cache: Sometimes, the error message may persist even after the update is finished. Clearing your browser cache can help resolve this issue. Simply press Ctrl + Shift + Delete (on Windows) or Command + Shift + Delete (on Mac) to open the browser’s cache clearing options.
  3. Manually remove the maintenance file: If the error message still persists, you can manually remove the maintenance file to bring your website back online. Connect to your website using an FTP client or the file manager in your hosting control panel. Look for a file named “.maintenance” in the root directory of your WordPress installation and delete it.
  4. Check your plugins and themes: In some cases, a faulty plugin or theme update can cause the maintenance mode error. If you recently installed or updated any plugins or themes, try deactivating them to see if the error goes away. You can do this by accessing your website’s files via FTP and renaming the plugin or theme folder.
  5. Seek professional help: If you’ve tried all the above steps and the error persists, it’s recommended to reach out to a WordPress developer or your hosting provider for further assistance. They will have the expertise to identify and resolve any underlying issues causing the maintenance mode error.

Remember, the “Briefly Unavailable for Scheduled Maintenance. Check back in a minute.” error is a temporary issue that occurs during updates. By following these steps, you should be able to get your website back online and running smoothly.