Activate<\/a> Maintenance Mode.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\nLet's go through those steps in detail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Install & Activate the WP Maintenance Mode Plugin<\/h2>\n\n\n\n There are many maintenance mode plugins around, but the one that I've used for many years is WP Maintance Mode by Designmodo. It has everything I need, is lightweight and stable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I've tried other plugins, but they're just not as suited to what I need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Go to Plugins -> Add New<\/em> in the WordPress admin area.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSearch for \"maintenance mode\". Click \"Install Now\" next to the one by Designmodo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nOnce WP Maintenance Mode is installed, click \"Activate\".<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nSet the Countdown Timer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n The next step is to set the countdown timer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This won't turn maintenance mode on just yet, it's just a configuration step.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Go to the WP Maintenance Mode settings either through the Installed Plugins<\/em> page or find it under Settings -> WP Maintenance Mode<\/em> in the sidebar of the WordPress admin area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nSkip over to the Modules<\/em> tab and look for Countdown<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSet the Countdown (remaining time)<\/em> for how long you expect to need to make the changes. Try to be reasonably accurate, but it's better to overestimate the length of time you'll need.<\/p>\n\n\n\nNote<\/strong>: if the timer runs out, maintenance mode will not<\/strong> deactivate. The timer will just be \"stuck\" at 0:00:00:00.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nChange the Show countdown<\/em> dropdown to \"Yes\".<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nSet the Start date<\/em>. This is the time from which the remaining time<\/em> in the previous step is calculated.<\/p>\n\n\n\nI usually just click \"Now\".<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nYou'll see the time (and date if you've used this before on the site) change to the current time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Click \"Done\".<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nScroll to the bottom and click \"Save settings\".<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nActivate Maintenance Mode<\/h2>\n\n\n\n You can play with the design if you like, or change the words. That's all done in the Design<\/em> tab.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhen you're ready to turn maintenance mode on and start making those changes to the website, go to the General<\/em> tab and change the Status<\/em> from \"Deactivated\" to \"Activated\".<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nScroll to the bottom of the page and click \"Save Settings\".<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nCongratulations, Maintenance Mode is now active.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you go to the website in a browser where you're not logged in, you'll see a message that looks like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nHowever, when you're signed in, you'll see the website as it normally is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nThere's also a helpful nag across the admin area of the site reminding you not to forget to deactivate maintenance mode when you're finished making the changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nHow to Deactivate Maintenance Mode<\/h2>\n\n\n\n Deactivating maintenance mode is as simple as going back to the WP Maintenance Mode settings (Settings -> WP Maintance Mode<\/em>) and under the General<\/em> tab changing the Status<\/em> from \"Activated\" to \"Deactivated\". Be sure to scroll to the bottom and click \"Save changes\".<\/p>\n\n\n\nIt's also a good idea to go to Plugins<\/em> and deactivate WP Maintenance Mode. The website won't break if you forget this step, but it's good practice to deactivate any plugins that you're not currently using.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThere's no need to delete WP Maintenance Mode. You can just keep it installed and inactive until the next time you need to make changes to the live website.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Sometimes you need to do some work on a live site that might break the layout or functionality. You should always test any changes on a staging site, but eventually the changes will make their way to the live site. The standard practice is to put the website into maintenance mode while you make the<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Put A WordPress Site Into Maintenance Mode (With Countdown Timer)<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n