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Fix WordPress Stuck Updating

Fix WordPress stuck updating

When WordPress updates are interrupted, you may see:
- “Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance”
- updates that never finish
- plugins stuck on “Updating…”

Step 1: Remove the .maintenance file

  1. Open your WordPress root (where wp-config.php lives)
  2. Delete .maintenance
  3. Reload the site

Step 2: Clear cache

  • Purge your cache plugin
  • Purge CDN cache (if used)
  • Reload in incognito

Step 3: Re-run updates safely

In /wp-admin/:
1. Update WordPress core (if pending)
2. Update plugins one-by-one
3. Update themes last

Step 4: Fix permissions if updates fail repeatedly

Safe defaults:
- folders 755
- files 644

Ensure wp-content/ is writable.

Step 5: Manual plugin update (if one plugin blocks everything)

  1. Go to wp-content/plugins/
  2. Rename the plugin folder (example: plugin-name → plugin-name.off)
  3. Reload wp-admin and confirm stability
  4. Reinstall/update the plugin cleanly afterward

When to contact GOZEN HOST Support

Open a ticket if:
- the site is still stuck after removing .maintenance
- updates fail due to permissions you can’t change
- you suspect disk/inode limits

Include:
- which plugin/theme was updating
- whether .maintenance existed
- any errors shown in wp-admin

Summary

Most update stalls are fixed by: delete .maintenance → clear cache → run updates one-by-one → fix permissions → isolate the blocking plugin.