Resolved: How to Fix a Website Stuck on Under Construction or Maintenance Mode

One of the most common issues reported by users of the 'Under Construction' plugin is a website that remains stuck on the maintenance page even after the plugin has been deactivated or uninstalled. This guide will explain why this happens and walk you through the most effective solutions to get your site back online.

Why Does This Happen?

Based on community reports, the issue is almost always related to caching. The 'Under Construction' page is designed to be cached aggressively by various systems to improve performance. When you deactivate the plugin, these cached versions of the page can persist and continue to be served to visitors. The caching can occur at multiple levels:

• Browser Cache: Your local web browser stores a copy of the page.
• Plugin/Application Cache: A caching plugin on your WordPress site (e.g., W3 Total Cache, WP Rocket) may be holding onto the page.
• Server-Level Cache: Your web hosting provider (e.g., GoDaddy, SiteGround) often employs its own server-side caching mechanisms.
• CDN Cache: A Content Delivery Network (CDN) like Cloudflare can serve a cached version of the page from its global network.

How to Troubleshoot and Fix the Issue

Follow these steps in order. After each step, check your site's homepage in an incognito/private browser window to see if the issue is resolved.

Step 1: The Quick Cache-Busting Test

First, confirm that caching is the root cause. Append a random parameter to your website's URL. For example:

https://www.yourdomain.com/?nocache=12345

If your site loads normally with this parameter, you have confirmed that the problem is a cached page. This means you can focus your efforts on clearing the correct cache.

Step 2: Clear All Caches Systematically

1. Clear Caching Plugins: If you use a caching plugin, go to its settings and use its 'Purge All Cache' or 'Delete Cache' function. If you cannot access your dashboard, you may need to temporarily rename the caching plugin's folder via FTP/SFTP to disable it.
2. Clear Server-Level Cache: Log into your web hosting control panel (e.g., cPanel). Look for a section named 'Caching', 'Speed', or similar, and clear any server cache. If you cannot find it, contact your hosting provider's support and ask them to clear the server cache for your account.
3. Clear CDN Cache: If you use a CDN like Cloudflare, log into your CDN dashboard and purge the cache. Also, ensure 'Development Mode' is temporarily enabled to bypass caching.
4. Clear Browser Cache: Clear the cache and cookies in your web browser. For a definitive test, always check your site using a browser's incognito or private mode.

Step 3: Reactivate and Properly Deactivate the Plugin

In some cases, improperly removing the plugin can cause issues. A user found that reactivating the plugin, visiting its design settings, and selecting a new design before deactivating it again resolved the problem.

1. Reinstall and reactivate the 'Under Construction' plugin via your WordPress dashboard or FTP.
2. Go to the plugin's settings page.
3. Click 'Activate' on one of the default designs.
4. Now, deactivate the plugin from the Plugins page.
5. Repeat Step 2 to clear all caches again.

Step 4: Check for Database References (Advanced)

If you recently moved your site (changed domains) and are experiencing redirect loops, old URLs might be stored in the database. The 'Under Construction' plugin stores its settings in the WordPress options table. Manually inspecting the wp_options table for records with the option_name ucp_options may be necessary. This step should only be performed by those comfortable with using phpMyAdmin and should be done after creating a full database backup.

When All Else Fails

If you are still seeing the Under Construction page after following all steps, the most definitive solution is to completely remove the plugin via FTP/SFTP.

1. Connect to your website's server using an FTP client like FileZilla.
2. Navigate to the /wp-content/plugins/ directory.
3. Find the folder for the plugin (e.g., under-construction-page or ucp) and delete it.
4. This will force-deactivate the plugin. After deletion, clear all your caches one final time (Step 2).

By methodically working through these cache layers, you can resolve the 'stuck' Under Construction page and restore access to your live website.