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Why Your Maintenance Page Disappears During WordPress Updates (And What To Do)

31 threads Sep 16, 2025

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If you've ever put your site into maintenance mode only to see it replaced by a plain white screen during a plugin or theme update, you're not alone. This is a common point of confusion for users of the 'LightStart – Maintenance Mode, Coming Soon and Landing Page Builder' plugin and similar tools. This article explains why this happens and clarifies what the plugin can and cannot control.

The Core Issue: Two Different Maintenance Modes

The confusion stems from the fact that there are two separate maintenance processes at work:

  1. Your Custom Maintenance Mode: This is managed by the LightStart plugin. When you activate it, the plugin intercepts requests from visitors and serves your beautifully designed "Coming Soon" or maintenance page.
  2. WordPress's Built-in Maintenance Mode: This is a core WordPress function. During a plugin, theme, or core update, WordPress automatically creates a .maintenance file in your website's root directory. The presence of this file triggers a very basic, unstyled "Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance. Check back in a minute." message for all visitors. This process is hard-coded into WordPress for the stability and security of the update process.

Why the Plugin Cannot Override the Default Message

As confirmed in the sample threads, the LightStart plugin cannot replace the default WordPress update message. The WordPress core update process operates at a fundamental level, often before most plugins are even loaded. There are no standard hooks (filters or actions) available for a plugin to intercept and redesign this specific message. Therefore, for the short duration of an update—typically 10 to 20 seconds—visitors will see the basic white screen, not your custom page.

Best Practices and Workarounds

While you cannot change the update screen itself, you can manage the overall user experience effectively.

  • Manual Activation is Key: The intended use of the plugin is for manual, planned maintenance periods (e.g., redesigning your site for weeks or months). You should manually activate the LightStart maintenance mode before you begin your work and deactivate it after you are completely finished, including any updates.
  • Communicate Clearly: Since visitors might briefly see the default update screen, your custom maintenance page should clearly explain the scope and expected duration of the work. This provides continuity and manages expectations, even if the default screen flashes briefly during an update.
  • Schedule Updates Separately: If possible, perform all your plugin and theme updates in one quick session before activating your custom maintenance page for the public. This minimizes the number of times the default screen is shown.

Understanding this distinction helps set realistic expectations for the plugin's capabilities. It is a powerful tool for planned, long-term maintenance but operates separately from WordPress's own automated update procedures.

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