This issue can happen to anyone. You’re already used to a normal routine of checking updates and managing everything. Then a new notification comes in: plugin update. You don’t anticipate any issues here and click, expecting everything to run smoothly. But right off the bat, something feels amiss. The site is slower than usual, certain features are unresponsive or even worse, the site doesn’t load at all. No matter how many times you refresh, nothing helps. Now starts the dreaded mental spiral where you think: what’s broken? Wether it’s your site or one you’re managing, it’s quite frustrating. After all, no one expects a mundane update to cause a mess. Truth is, it is absolutely fine to feel stuck. The good news, however, is that there is a fix. In this guide, we’ll discuss everything that might have gone wrong updated the plugin, ways to fix it, and perhaps more importantly, how to prevent this from happening again. One step at a time and you’ll be at the finish line in no time.
Is Your Site Stuck in Maintenance Mode? Let’s Fix It
Having your website stuck in maitenance mode while working on it can be very frustrating. However, do not panic! This can happen very often and has easy to fix solutions. In this guide, we will analyze the situation so we know how to fix it.
What Exactly Is Maintenance Mode?
While updating themes or plugins, the WordPress system automatically switches the website into maintenance mode which is a state set up to protect your site while updates are being made. This process should be quick and simple but sometimes it can get interrupted which leaves your site stuck in maintenance mode for a long time. During this time, you will see a notification that says “ Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance. Check back in a minute.”
- How to Fix It:
- Let It Breathe:
- Most of the time, the problem gets sorted automatically after a span of time. The update could have taken more time than expected and the system just requires a few minutes to finish off the process.
- Erase the “.maintenance” Document:
- If your website is still frozen, it can be possible that WordPress has left an auxiliary “.maintenance” document on your device post update. It is a document that informs that an update is underway but in case it is not removed, it can place your site in maintenance mode.
- How to fix it:
- With an FTP client (for instance, FileZilla) or the file manager in the hosting control panel, open the files for your site.
- Search for the “.maintenance” document in the base directory of the website. You can find folders named “wp-content” and “wp-admin.”
- All that is left is to delete the document.
- Go to the website again. The site should not be in maintenance mode and should be functional now
Delete Cache:
If the problem continues, it may be due to a backlog of saved information which you need to deal with. Even if you’ve worked on it, the Browser or the caching option you have might be stuck on a old maintenance mode page.
What can be done:
Delete your browser’s cache first. It keeps older versions of web pages to quicken the loading time and sometimes hangs on the maintenance mode page for longer than it should.
If you use caching plugins (like W3 Total Cache or WP Super Cache) , make sure to erase their caches too. These plugins save static copies of webpages to increase the speed of your website which sometimes cause problems when the website is not cleared.
Now everything should be functioning correctly, but in the event that the issues persists, we might need to investigate further.
How Updating Specified Plugins/ Tools Improves Efficiency:
Restorations or adjustments to plugins are known to create problems for the site. In cases like these, recent backups are lifesavers. If your page crashes after an update, don’t panic. If you backed up your website, then it is just as easy to restore everything to a functional state.
Why Backups Matter in These Situations:
Easy Remedy: When a plugin update leads to problems with your site, backups serve as an easy restore point for the last working version of your site.
Content Loss Prevention: Issues with plugins can result in loss of data but with a backup handy, content such as posts, pages and settings are safe.
Decreased Repair Stress: Without a backup on hand, a problem can take a long time to repair. A backup can minimize the hassle of getting the site in working condition quickly
When taking a backup make sure to save:
Files for the website: This includes themes, plugins, images and any other relevant files.
Data base: This is where all your content, preferences, and user information is stored. This is essential if anything malfunctions.
How to Prevent Issues Like This in the Future:
Back Up Before Upgrades: It is helpful to always back up the site before upgrading any plugins or themes so if anything goes wrong, the site can be restored.
Scheduled Back Ups: Backup plugins such as UpdraftPlus and BackupBuddy can be used to set up automatic scheduled backups.
Secure Storage for Backups: Backups should be saved on a cloud server or external hard drive so they can be kept secure.
The Bottom Line:
According to me, it is better to keep a check on things prior hand. This will save you endless hours of frustration in the near future. You will find immense relief knowing that everything can be effortlessly restored when a plugin update disrupts and damages your site.
Your Website’s Silent Enemy: The Core Update Core Update has detrimental effects on your site. Efforts put towards updating a specific plugin may all go in vain when you find your website crashing. In case your website doesn’t work post the plugin update, rest assured that it is a problem with WordPress. Although updates are great for plugins, they do have their own set of issues when it comes to WordPress compatibility.
Why Core Updates Matter After A Plugin Update: The WordPress core updates due are not going to be an issue in case there is a plugin update. This is the case since every plugin features a most upgraded version. Issues do arise when the plugin has poor compatibility with plugins. Some issues faced may be:
Features may be broken: If a plugin has been updated, particular features that form key elements may be rendered useless. This may include pictures, certain pages, or even images.
Problems with Incompatibility: Problems may arise in the form of incompatibility, such as the new plugin not blending well with the older version of WordPress.
Problems with Performance: If the core version is outdated, it breaks rate responsiveness and causes plugins to respond slowly following an update.
How to Fix Your Site After Plugin Issues:
If your plugin issues leave you in a conundrum, here’s a step by step guide that could help:
Check for Additional Core Updates: Check for any pending core updates on your site. If your core is outdated, do update to the latest version. Your updated version of the plugin might not function properly if your core is not updated too.
De-Activate the Plugin: If none of the previously mentioned solutions did the trick, look into deactivating the plugin that has caused the most issues. If your website goes down, you can also bypass the WordPress dashboard and go through FTP.
Restore From an Earlier Backup: In case you encounter dire circumstances, revert back to a previous version as that might be more beneficial. Although not the perfect solution, doing this will alleviate most of your worries.
Seek Other Plugin or Theme Conflicts: Sometimes the issue is deeper than just newly added plugins. Disable a few of your operated plugins or even try out the default WordPress theme version to get rid of the stuck problem.
Get in Touch with the Plugin Developer: If the problem seems to continue and you are unable to find a solution, reach out to the plugin developer. It is possible they have a newer version or patch that would resolve the conflict.
The Bottom Line:
The problems that occur when a plugin is updated often stem from core WordPress or other plugin compatibilities. In order to keep away from these issues, simply maintaining backups, staging changes, and updating your site regularly should take care of the issue and allow for a quick recovery.
How to Verify That Your Site Actually Works After It Has Crashed Due to a Plugin Update
A plugin update crashed your site. You panicked, you may have even thought of tossing your laptop out the window. After some time, you calmed down, followed the steps and made a few fixes and now everything appears to be okay.
Let’s first check the situation before celebrating. You never want to receive the call from customers later explaining that something appears to be broken, while you thought it was all fine.
Here is how you return your site to normal and make sure it actually works.
Step 1: Access your site like you are a visitor.
To start, you need to open your website in a new tab. Surprising, isn’t it? You would be shocked at how many step this process.
Is your homepage loading without any issues?
Are all the images, menus, and buttons showing up?
Start clicking, can you peruse through all the pages without receiving any strange error messages?
If anything appears off, the plugin update might be causing issues.
Quick Fix: Attempt opening your site on an alternate device or in incognito mode. If your site looks different than your primary web browser, it might just be displaying an out of date version—for that you would need to clear your cache.
Step 2: Ensure that the site functions and does not just look alright.
Now that your site looks up to the mark, the question is whether all the components are actually working?
Forms: If you have a contact form, attempt filling it out. Was the email received by you?
Checkout Process: If you sell anything, throw something into the cart and proceed through the checkout steps (you don’t have to actually make the purchase).
Logins: If your site has user accounts, attempt logging in and out to see if everything is in working order.
If something is broken, the plugin update might be the factor causing this issue.
Quick Fix: Disable the plugin and test again. If it works, you’ll know what the issue is.
Step 3: Check How Your Site Looks on Mobile
People primarily open website s on their mobile devices. Don’t just view it on your PC—grab your mobile and try this out:
Load your website and try scrolling through it. Everything seems fine, right?
Click links, buttons and menus. Are they functional?
Switch to another browser like Chrome, Safari or Firefox.
If something seems off, then it is possible that an update interfered with your theme.
Quick Fix: To aid with this issue, temporarily switch to a default WordPress theme, for example, Twenty Twenty-One. If that did the trick, then your theme would need an update as well.
Step 4: How Fast Is Your Site? Wait…Don’t Tell Me It’s Slow!
Inadequate plug in updates can potentially slow your website down and lets be honest, who stays and attends a slow website?
That said, here’s how you can check:
Go and test the speed of your site on google pagespeed insights.
If it is considerably lesser than what it used to be, then the plugin is the problem.
Quick Fix: Deactivating the plugin and running through the test once again should help. If your site speeds up, then you may have to look for another option.
Step 5: Let Me Conclude By Saying A Simple Safety Check Is Never A Bad Idea
Some plug in updates can result in security vulnerabilities. Let’s ensure that is not the case.
If you have a security plugin such as Wordfence or Sucuri, perform a quick scan right away.
Check your user list—are there any strange new users created?
Scan with a solid antivirus. Are there any unusual files not present before? You can run a quick scan on a security plugin like Sucuri and Wordfence.
Slight issues always tend to explode over time, and leave negative impacts. Look after them promptly to reduce the issue at hand.
Final takeaways, if there is still an unresolved issue, all you can do is take action and wait for the results.
However, if it appears alright, well and good! In case where something still shows off, you should look closely.
Try rolling back your plugin settings, contact to the service, claiming support might bring some benefits around for you.
When things don’t get resolved, worrying never brings in a clue or a solution rather try focusing on the worry and reach out to a developer as soon as possible so the current situation does not worsen any further. For the next updates, deploy them to a staging environment first. Doing so will prevent quite a pernicious disaster.
These simple recommendations can help prevent issues that arise from plugin updates or changes. Such changes can sometimes feel like a gamble, especially on poorly coded websites.
When the panic consumes you and one wrong change breaks the whole site and leaves you customers frustrated how can anything be positive? The good news is rarely do you wish to go through all of this over and over again. Changing your smart habits will allow you to avoid plugin problems before they arrive.
- Always Test Updates Before Going Live.
Would you install a new engine into your car without any practical tests done? Well, that doesn’t seem possible. So why would you update plugins on your work site without checking how it behaves with the existing features?
What to Do:
– ✔️ Create a staging site first (your website copy).
– ✔️ Update plugins on that staging site first.
– ✔️ If everything works as expected, make the changes to the real site.
That way, the true site never experiences the risk of something breaking.
- Backups: Your Website’s Safety Net.
If things go wrong, backups can save the day. A bad plugin update can ruin your site, but using the right plugins the right way can save everything like nothing ever happened.
What to Do:
– ✔️ Use BackupBuddy or UpdraftPlus.
– ✔️ Make them daily automations.
– ✔️ Keep them in cloud, on external drives and other places.
Not safe without a backup? The answer is yes. But now is the time to think of these questions bereft of doubts.
- Don’t Update Plugins the Moment They Are Released
While updates are necessary, applying them all immediately does not seem wise as some may contain bugs that were never addressed. Only specific updates seem to be reliable.
A few pointers you may find useful.
✔️ Allocate a few days before applying any updates so as to avoid applying bugs others have encountered.
✔️ Go through the update notes to figure out which changes have taken place and how they affect you.
✔️ Peruse the forums or reviews for problems others have reported.
In these instances, a little patience can save you a great deal of trouble in the future.
- Uninstall Plugins That You Don’t Use
The more plugins you add increases the likelihood of disruptives errors occurring. If a certain plugin is not in use, it is best to remove it.
Pointers to remember.
✔️ Head over to your WordPress Plugins page and make sure you remove any and every unnecessary plugin.
✔️ Instead of just deactivating the plugin, completely erase it.
It is as simple as this, having fewer plugins translates into fewer concerns.
- Select Plugins That Actually Work
Not every plugin performs equally well. Some work perfectly while others leave a lot to be desired.
Pointers.
✔️ Only download and install plugins from well known sources such as developers or the WordPress Plugin Directory.
✔️ Look through the reviews and see whether users are satisfied or if there are complaints flooding in.
✔️ Check the last date when the plugin was updated. If the answer is anything other than within the past few years, then steer clear of it.
Taking the time to do the research upfront can save you a lot of trouble in the future.
- Under Security Measures, Have a Plugin Set Up That Will Alert You
An irresponsible plugin update can put your site at a risk for a hacking attack. A security plugin serves like a bodyguard for your site alerting you whenever something is off.
What You Should Do:
✔️ Download and enable the security plugin (for example Wordfence or Sucuri).
✔️ Set “alerts” on your account to be notified of potential security risks from a particular plugin.
It’s better to be safe.
When Should You Look for Professional Help: Independent Troubleshooting
Sometimes it seems like there is absolutely nothing you can do to rectify the situation. And that is totally understandable. It’s just crucial that you understand where to draw the line and ask for assistance.
So when should you exactly reach out to a professional? One way to gauge this is as follows:
- If Your Site is Down Completely
When your website has trouble loading, that can be a catastrophe, especially if your site is intended to cater to businesses. When your website is down it will be next to impossible to keep traffic, customers and most importantly money coming in.
Before consulting for assistance consider the following:
✔️ See whether your hosting provider doesn’t have an ongoing issue.
✔️ Try to disable plugins (if you are able to gain access to the site).
✔️ Remove your cache and repeat the process.
If nothing works from the above list, it might be best to contact support for your web host, a developer, or a WordPress professional right away.
- You Can’t Log Into WordPress
Whichever the case may be, being locked out renders you stuck, so if for whatever reason accessing your website files in the hosting panel is not for you, we highly recommend that you get in touch with a professional. Whichever the case may be, being locked out renders you stuck, so if for whatever reason accessing your website files in the hosting panel is not for you, we highly recommend that you get in touch with a professional.
✔️ Reset your password
✔️ Check to see if bringing your login page back is possible by disabling plugins through FTP
✔️ Reach out to a developer or WordPress support if none of these work out for you
- Your Site Looks Broken, But You Don’t Know Why
Perhaps you are having issues with the layout images missing altogether, or the pages not wanting to load up properly. Lacking experience in these matters is never a good thing, so assuming and making things worse is never a good thing. Instead, you should leave professionals handle these matters.
✔️ After a plugin or theme update, has the issue started arising?
✔️ Try deactivating plugins one after the other.
✔️ Seek assistance if you still cannot get the results that you were looking for.
- Your Site is Slow, and Nothing You Do Speeds It Up
A slow site can turn away visitors. If you’ve already made basic attempts like reducing image size, removing cache, and installing a speed optimization plugin, but your site is still slow, there may be deeper problems with the code or hosting.
In that case, an expert can.
✔️ Figure out which components of the site are contributing the most towards the decreased performance.
✔️ Adjust the settings in databases, scripts, and the server for optimal resource allocation.
✔️ Advise you to change the hosting when applicable.
- A Plugin Update Broke Your Site, and You Can’t Fix It
If after all such steps, the website is still in an unusable state, it is best to ask an expert who understands WordPress deeply for assistance.
✔️ Support for the hosting provider can investigate the possibility of a server issue.
✔️ A WordPress specialist can check if some elements of your site like plugins or themes have problems that misbehave together.
- You’re Seeing Security Warnings or Suspicious Activity
If you suspect the existence of malicious activities on your website like unexplained new admin users, new files, or Google marking your website as dangerous, then chances are you’ve been hacked.
This must not be taken lightly.
✔️ You may use apps like Sucuri or Wordfence to conduct a security sweep.
✔️ As soon as possible, enlist an expert to clean up any found malware.
✔️ Please remember to update all passwords for accounts as well as implement two-factor authentication.
Malicious hackers can siphon trust and credibility with little effort and impact rankings or total website visitors in a flash. Therefore, it is sensible to pay an expert to fix this properly.
- You Have Attempted to Fix Something Several Times but No Progress is Made
If after spending hours in WordPress forums and watching YouTube tutorials, you are still left without a solution, it is probably best to just give up and not attempt to fix anything else.
At times, it is faster (and less agonizing) to pay professionals to do what they are trained to do instead of aiming for do-it-yourself solutions.
✔️ WordPress problems are addressed and resolved by developers and experts on a day-to-day basis.
✔️ It would take them several minutes instead of hours to fix the problem.
Who Can Resolve My Problems Effortlessly
So, who do you ask? Support can be found in the following places:
✔️ Your hosting provider – Most are willing to help with basic fixes and offer free support.
✔️ WordPress support forums – Forums can be useful for smaller issues, but getting a timely response might be a challenge.
✔️ Freelance platforms – Fiverr and Upwork host plenty of WordPress freelancers who can resolve issues for a fee.
✔️ Expert WordPress Support Services- WP Buffs, Codeable and FixRunner are businesses that focus on WordPress repairs.
Conclusion: It’s Better to Act Quickly
As much as you may want to, some problems are best left for an expert to tackle. If you’re in a rut, your site is down, or things are not improving, do not hesitate to ask for assistance.
