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Troubleshooting Common WP Maintenance Mode Issues: From Cache Conflicts to Settings Problems

56 threads Sep 9, 2025

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Encountering problems with the 'LightStart – Maintenance Mode, Coming Soon and Landing Page Builder' plugin? You're not alone. Based on community reports, many common issues have straightforward solutions. This guide covers the most frequent problems and how to resolve them.

1. Maintenance Mode Not Activating or Site is Still Visible

This is one of the most reported issues. Your site remains publicly accessible even after activating the plugin.

Why it happens: This is almost always caused by caching, either from a plugin (like WP Super Cache, W3 Total Cache) or at the server level (common on hosts like WP Engine or SiteGround). Caching systems serve stored copies of your pages, bypassing the maintenance mode check.

How to fix it:

  • Clear all caches: Flush the cache from your caching plugin's settings and any server-level or CDN caching your host provides.
  • Temporarily disable caching: To confirm this is the issue, try deactivating your caching plugin entirely. If maintenance mode works, you know the cache was the culprit. You can then reactivate it and configure exclusions if necessary.

2. Settings Page is Inaccessible or Links to javascript:void(0)

Clicking the 'Settings' link for the plugin does nothing or leads to a blank page.

Why it happens: Historically, the plugin's settings were accessed via a link on the main Plugins page, not a dedicated admin menu item. This could cause confusion. In some cases, conflicts with other plugins or incomplete installations could also break the settings link.

How to fix it:

  • Find the correct settings link: Navigate to Plugins > Installed Plugins. Locate 'WP Maintenance Mode' in the list and click the 'Settings' link directly beneath its name.
  • Reinstall the plugin: If the link is completely broken, a simple reinstall often works. Deactivate the plugin, delete it from your WordPress plugins directory, and then install and activate it again.

3. Problems on WordPress Multisite Installations

Multisite networks present unique challenges, such as settings not being accessible on individual sites.

Why it happens: If the plugin is network-activated, it may be hidden from individual site plugin lists, making the settings link difficult to find. Settings must also be configured on a per-site basis.

How to fix it:

  • Accessing settings: For individual sites, you may need to activate the plugin directly on that site (not just network-activate it) to make the 'Settings' link appear on its plugin list.
  • Network admin: Check the network admin plugins page for a settings link.

4. The "White Screen of Death" or Fatal Errors

Activating the plugin causes a blank white screen or a PHP error message.

Why it happens: This is typically due to a fatal conflict between the plugin and your theme or another plugin. An incomplete update or file corruption can also cause this.

How to fix it:

  • Enable debugging: Activate WordPress debugging by adding define('WP_DEBUG', true); to your wp-config.php file. This may reveal a specific error message that can help identify the conflicting code.
  • Conflict test: Deactivate all other plugins and switch to a default WordPress theme (like Twenty Twenty-One). If the error disappears, reactivate your plugins and theme one by one to find the culprit.

5. Changes or Exclusions Not Saving

You update your settings or add exclusions, but they revert back or don't take effect.

Why it happens: This is almost certainly a conflict with another plugin that is interfering with the saving process.

How to fix it:

  • Perform a conflict test as described above. Community reports have identified conflicts with various plugins, including e-commerce tools.

6. Compatibility with Other Plugins (Backups, Forms)

Plugins like BackWPup (backups) or Contact Form 7 may not work correctly when maintenance mode is active.

Why it happens: Maintenance mode blocks front-end access, which can interfere with processes that need to run via front-end triggers (like some backup schedules).

How to fix it:

  • Use the exclude feature: The plugin has an 'Exclude' field in its general settings. Add crucial pages that need to remain accessible. For backup plugins, you may need to exclude the WordPress cron page (wp-cron.php). For custom login pages, add the login slug to this list.

By methodically working through these common issues, most problems with the 'LightStart – Maintenance Mode, Coming Soon and Landing Page Builder' plugin can be resolved. Always remember to clear your cache after making any changes to your maintenance mode settings.

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