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How to Bypass or Exclude Pages from SeedProd Maintenance Mode

31 threads Sep 16, 2025

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Many WordPress administrators use the 'Website Builder by SeedProd' plugin to place their site into Maintenance or Coming Soon mode. A common challenge arises when you need to keep specific parts of the site accessible, such as a login page, a checkout process, or an API endpoint, while the rest of the site is under construction. This guide explains the nature of this limitation and the most common solutions available.

Why This Happens

By design, the free version of the SeedProd plugin applies a blanket maintenance page across your entire WordPress installation. It does not have built-in capabilities to discriminate between different types of users or specific URLs. This is a intentional limitation to differentiate the free version from the paid Pro version, which includes granular access controls.

Common Solutions and Workarounds

1. Using the Pro Version's Exclusion Features

Based on community discussions, the most robust solution for excluding specific pages or IP addresses is found in the Pro version of the plugin. The Pro version includes several key features:

  • Include/Exclude URLs: This allows you to specify exact URLs or patterns that should bypass the maintenance page. This is useful for keeping critical pages like /wp-login.php or /checkout/ accessible.
  • Bypass by User Role: You can configure the maintenance mode to show only for visitors and users with certain roles. For example, you could allow Administrators, Editors, and even logged-in Subscribers to view the live site while visitors see the maintenance page.
  • Bypass URL: The Pro version can generate a unique, secret URL that provides direct access to the live site, bypassing the maintenance screen for anyone who uses it.
  • REST API Access: The Pro version also provides an option to exclude the WordPress REST API (/wp-json/) from being blocked, which is essential for many third-party integrations and mobile apps.

2. Custom HTML Block for Monitoring Services (Free Version)

If your primary goal is to allow uptime monitoring services to correctly detect your site's status, a workaround exists in the free version. You can add a Custom HTML block to your maintenance page design and paste the specific code snippet provided by your monitoring service (e.g., Upzilla.co). This hidden code can signal to the service that the site is operational but in maintenance mode, preventing false alerts.

3. Programmatic Control (Advanced)

For developers, it is possible to activate or deactivate the maintenance mode programmatically. This is done by modifying the seedprod_settings option in the WordPress database's wp_options table. This method requires caution and comfort with code, as directly manipulating serialized data can break your site if done incorrectly. This approach is typically used to integrate maintenance mode toggling with other automated processes.

Important Considerations for Multisite

It's important to note that the plugin operates on a per-site basis within a WordPress Multisite network. There is no built-in global switch to activate maintenance mode on all sites simultaneously. Each site's maintenance settings and page designs must be configured individually.

When troubleshooting access issues during maintenance mode, always remember to clear your browser's cache and cookies, as cached pages might be preventing you from seeing the current state of your site.

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