Go to your Plesk login page:
Enter your username and password (provided by your hosting provider).
In the left-hand menu, click WordPress
You’ll see a list of your WordPress sites
Find the site you want to work on
Click the arrow next to your site to expand options
Look for Maintenance Mode in the site settings
Toggle it ON
Once enabled:
Your WordPress site will display a default "Under Maintenance" page
Only you (as an admin) can access the site by logging in
Visitors will see a simple message like:
“We’re currently updating the website. Please check back soon.”
By default, Plesk shows a basic message. If you'd like a more personalized page, you can:
Use a WordPress plugin (like SeedProd or WP Maintenance Mode)
Or create a custom maintenance.html file in your theme folder (advanced)
For non-technical users, the default message is usually enough while you do maintenance.
Once you're done updating your site:
Return to WordPress Toolkit > Your Site
Toggle Maintenance Mode OFF
Your site will go back online immediately, and visitors can browse it normally.
| Tip | Why It Helps |
|---|---|
| Enable before theme/plugin updates | Prevents users from seeing broken pages |
| Use a backup before big changes | You can restore if something goes wrong |
| Combine with a staging site | Test updates on a clone before showing live |
| Add a custom message or logo | Makes the site look more professional while offline |
