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FREE · OPEN SOURCE · NO SHORTCODE NEEDED

DIRSCHL Maintenance – WordPress Maintenance Mode with HTTP 503.

Visitors see a controlled maintenance page or are temporarily redirected, while administrators work on the website as usual.

Logo, full-screen background, color, and custom HTML content can be configured directly in the WordPress dashboard. For temporary work, the plugin optionally delivers the correct status 503 Service Unavailable with Retry-After.

Version 1.0.2 · theme-independent · Gutenberg, Divi, and Elementor · no DIRSCHL license

Download Plugin for FreeInstall via DIRSCHL HubView Setup

DIRSCHL Maintenance WordPress Plugin for Maintenance Page, Redirection, and HTTP 503

Maintenance Without Surprises

Your website remains accessible to you – visitors receive clear information.

An update, relaunch, or database migration should not become publicly visible with error messages, half-finished pages, or conflicting content. DIRSCHL Maintenance intervenes early, before theme output, and displays an independent, responsive maintenance page. Logged-in administrators with management rights can still access and edit the normal frontend.

Mode 1: Custom Maintenance Page

  • Centered full-screen display independent of theme layout
  • Background image or freely selectable background color
  • Optional logo above the content
  • Custom content via the familiar WordPress editor
  • Links, headings, lists, and formatted text possible
  • HTTP 503 or deliberately chosen HTTP 200 output

Mode 2: Temporary Redirection

  • Send visitors to an internal or external information page
  • Temporary HTTP 302 redirection
  • Ideal for a separate status or corporate page
  • If the target is empty, the plugin reverts to the maintenance page
  • WordPress admin area and login remain accessible

Important: The selected HTTP 503/200 field applies to the maintenance page. The redirection mode technically always uses HTTP 302.

HTTP 503, HTTP 200, or 302: When to Use Which Status?

The visible text alone doesn't tell search engines whether an interruption is temporary. The HTTP status provides this technical signal. For existing websites, 503 is almost always the right choice for genuine maintenance work.

Status Suitable for Effect
503 Service Unavailable temporary maintenance, updates, relaunch switchover Indicates the interruption as temporary; the plugin adds Retry-After: 3600.
200 OK deliberately published coming-soon page on a new, not yet established domain The maintenance page is considered regular content and can be indexed. Usually not recommended for existing rankings.
302 Found temporary redirect to a status or information page Automatically used in redirect mode; the original destination generally remains authoritative.

HTTP 503 does not automatically protect rankings and should not remain active unnecessarily for days. After completing the work, immediately deactivate maintenance mode and recheck important URLs.

Admin Bypass for Uninterrupted Work

If the bypass is activated, only logged-in users with manage_options permission – typically administrators – will see the normal website. Editors, authors, and logged-out visitors will continue to see the maintenance mode.

The admin area itself remains accessible regardless of the bypass. You can therefore deactivate the plugin at any time under Settings → Maintenance.

These Technical Endpoints Remain Accessible

  • wp-login.php and wp-admin
  • WordPress AJAX requests
  • WP-Cron calls
  • REST API requests
  • robots.txt and favicon.ico

In contrast, normal frontend URLs consistently receive the configured maintenance response. This prevents partially visible pages or theme-dependent edge cases.

Installation via DIRSCHL Hub

  1. Download DIRSCHL Hub and activate it under Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin.
  2. Open DIRSCHL → Hub in the dashboard.
  3. Under Free Plugins, click Install for DIRSCHL Maintenance, then click Activate.
  4. Then open Settings → Maintenance.

Neither a license key nor a DIRSCHL account is required for installation and use.

Download DIRSCHL Hub

Direct ZIP Installation

  1. Download current plugin ZIP.
  2. Open Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin.
  3. Select ZIP, install, and activate.
  4. Open Settings → Maintenance.

Current version 1.0.2. Existing settings from the previous Simple Maintenance Mode Plus plugin are automatically adopted if needed.

Download Maintenance ZIP

Ready in minutes

Securely configure and activate your maintenance page.

  1. Do not activate yet: First, prepare all content and options.
  2. Select mode: Display Maintenance Page for a custom page or Redirect Visitors for a temporary target URL.
  3. Set background: Select an image or color. The option without a custom background uses a black fallback in version 1.0.2.
  4. Select logo: optionally via the WordPress Media Library.
  5. Write HTML text: Add a heading, brief explanation, availability, and contact information if applicable.
  6. Select HTTP 503: for temporary maintenance of an existing website.
  7. Keep Admin Bypass activated: so administrators can continue working normally.
  8. Activate Maintenance Mode, save settings, and immediately check in a private browser window.

All Settings Explained

Setting Recommendation
Activate Maintenance Mode Enable only as the last step; deactivate immediately after completing the work.
Mode Maintenance page for most uses; redirection only to a suitable temporary information page.
Redirection URL Complete internal or external HTTPS URL. Used only in redirection mode.
Background Type Full-screen image or solid color. A calm motif improves readability and loading time.
Background Image Select via the media library; ideally an optimized WebP/JPEG, approximately 1920×1080 pixels.
Background Color Hex color value like #001b2d. Serves as the complete background for the color option.
Logo Optional transparent logo; displayed above the content with a maximum width of 260 pixels.
HTML Text HTML allowed by WordPress. Unsafe tags like script are removed upon saving.
HTTP Status Code 503 for temporary maintenance; 200 only for a coming-soon page intentionally treated as regular.
Admins see normal page Leave activated. The bypass applies only to logged-in users with administrator rights.

Ready-to-Use Text for a Professional Maintenance Page

The HTML editor accepts standard WordPress content. A good maintenance message clearly states what is happening, how long it is expected to take, and how urgent inquiries can reach the company.

We'll be back shortly.


Our website is currently undergoing technical updates.


We expect to be fully accessible again from 15:00.


Urgent inquiries: kontakt@example.com

Mobile-Friendly Design

  • a clear H1 and two to four short paragraphs
  • high contrast between background and white text
  • compress image files beforehand; avoid loading unnecessarily large original files
  • use a logo with sufficient clear space and a transparent area
  • do not expect embedded scripts or complex forms
  • offer a phone number or email for urgent inquiries

The maintenance page is intentionally minimalist. This reduces error sources, especially when themes, builders, or other plugins are being updated.

Pre-Maintenance Testing

  1. Save all settings and activate the Admin Bypass.
  2. Open the website as an administrator: The normal frontend must remain visible.
  3. Open the same URL in a private/incognito window: The maintenance page must appear there.
  4. Check the mobile view, logo, contrast, links, and background.
  5. Optionally check the HTTP header: curl -I https://example.com/ should return 503 and Retry-After: 3600.
  6. After maintenance, deactivate the plugin and check again, both logged in and logged out.

Troubleshooting Display Issues

  • You don't see a maintenance page: You are probably logged in as an administrator; use a private window.
  • Editors don't see the normal page: This is intentional; the bypass requires administrative privileges.
  • Redirection is not working: Check the mode and the complete target URL; if the URL is empty, the maintenance page will appear.
  • Image is missing: Check the public HTTPS media URL and file permissions.
  • Emergency: Open Plugins in the admin area and deactivate DIRSCHL Maintenance. The admin area will not be blocked.

Theme-Independent and Framework-Free

DIRSCHL Maintenance runs before the normal theme output. Therefore, it works independently of Gutenberg, Divi, Elementor, or a classic WordPress theme. No shortcode or special page template is required.

Your maintenance page does not require an external service. However, WordPress still executes wp_head() and wp_footer(); globally integrated analytics, consent, or third-party scripts from other plugins may therefore still be loaded. Please check this if you have specific data protection requirements.

Lean and Uncluttered

The plugin is built for a reliable maintenance response – not as a visual landing page builder. It offers a logo, background, color, formatted content, status code, redirection, and admin bypass. Complex animations, video backgrounds, countdown modules, or newsletter integrations are not part of version 1.0.2.

Especially during updates, this reduction is an advantage: few dependencies, fast output, and a clear path back to the normal frontend.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I use HTTP 503?

503 signals to browsers and search engines that the interruption is temporary. DIRSCHL Maintenance adds a Retry-After header of 3600 seconds.

Can I work on WordPress normally during this time?

Yes. With Admin Bypass enabled, logged-in administrators see the regular frontend, and the WordPress admin area remains accessible.

Do editors also see the regular website?

No. The bypass specifically applies to users with manage_options permission, typically administrators.

What happens in redirect mode?

Visitors receive a temporary HTTP 302 redirect to the specified URL. If the target is empty, the plugin displays the maintenance page instead.

Can I insert custom JavaScript?

The HTML content is saved using the HTML rules allowed by WordPress. Insecure elements like script are removed.

Do Login and REST API remain accessible?

Yes. Login, wp-admin, AJAX, Cron, REST, robots.txt, and favicon are not blocked by maintenance mode.

Does the plugin work with Divi and Elementor?

Yes. Since the maintenance response is rendered before the theme, it is independent of Divi, Elementor, Gutenberg, and the active theme.

Is DIRSCHL Maintenance free?

Yes. The plugin does not require a DIRSCHL license and can be used and adapted under GPL-2.0-or-later.

Perform updates without leaving visitors in the dark.

Activate a clean WordPress maintenance mode.

DIRSCHL Maintenance is free, quick to set up, and streamlined for essential technical functions: a clear maintenance page, correct status, reliable admin access, and a simple way to revert.

Download DIRSCHL MaintenanceInstall via DIRSCHL HubRead Quickstart

100% Free & Open Source

DIRSCHL Maintenance can be used, tested, adapted, and further developed for your own projects under the terms of the GPL-2.0-or-later, without a DIRSCHL license. There are no paid feature locks and no DIRSCHL account is required.

Developed by Johann Dirschl. Do you want to develop your own WordPress plugins with Cursor AI or Codex, or automate workflows? The DIRSCHL Academy offers B2B training for AI-assisted Development and WordPress Automation.

Download Plugin for FreeInstall via DIRSCHL HubDIRSCHL Academy

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