How to Fix "Another Update is Currently in Progress" Error in WordPress
WordPress Troubleshooting August 6, 2026 6 Min Read

How to Fix "Another Update is Currently in Progress" Error in WordPress (Without FTP)

Adnan Naseem

Adnan Naseem

WordPress Developer & SEO Expert

Fix Another Update is Currently in Progress Error in WordPress

You log into your WordPress dashboard, see a notification that your core software or a plugin needs an update, and you casually click "Update Now." A few seconds pass, and instead of a success message, you are greeted with a blank screen and a terrifying line of plain text:

"Another update is currently in progress."

You hit refresh. The message is still there. You try to go back to your dashboard, and you are completely locked out. Panic sets in. Did you just break your entire website?

Take a deep breath. You did not break your website, and your data is perfectly safe. This is one of the most common—and easiest to fix—errors in WordPress. Most tutorials online will tell you to download an FTP client like FileZilla, find your server credentials, and manually connect to your host. For a beginner, that is confusing and unnecessary.

Today, I am going to explain exactly why WordPress locks you out, and how to fix this error instantly directly from your web browser without touching FTP software.

Table of Contents

1. Why Does This Error Happen?

When WordPress starts updating a plugin, a theme, or its core software, it needs to prevent you (or anyone else) from making changes to the database at the exact same time. If two processes try to write to the database simultaneously, your website could become fatally corrupted.

To protect your site, WordPress generates a temporary, hidden lock file in your server. This file acts as a "Do Not Disturb" sign. While this file exists, WordPress blocks access to the dashboard and displays the "Another update is currently in progress" message.

Normally, as soon as the update finishes a few seconds later, WordPress deletes this hidden file, and everything returns to normal. However, if your server experiences a micro-interruption, a timeout, or a memory limit issue during the update, WordPress fails to delete the file. The "Do Not Disturb" sign stays up permanently, locking you out.

2. Step 1: The "Do Nothing" Method (Wait 15 Minutes)

Before you start digging into server files, do the smartest thing first: Walk away and get a cup of coffee.

WordPress developers are smart. They know server timeouts happen. To prevent permanent lockouts, WordPress is programmed to automatically ignore the lock file if it has been sitting there for more than 15 minutes.

Close your browser tab, wait a strict 15 to 20 minutes, and then try visiting your dashboard again (`yourwebsite.com/wp-admin`). In 50% of cases, the error will have cleared itself automatically.

🚀 Content Creation Tip

While you are waiting for the 15-minute lock to clear, use your downtime productively! If you were planning to publish a new blog post, paste your draft into our free Advanced Format Cleaner Tool to ensure it has perfect, clean HTML before you upload it to your freshly updated site.

3. Step 2: Fix it Instantly via cPanel / File Manager

If you have waited 20 minutes and you are still locked out, the file is stuck, and you need to delete it manually. You do not need FTP software for this; you can do it right from your hosting account.

.maintenance

  1. Log in to your web hosting account dashboard (Hostinger, Bluehost, SiteGround, etc.).
  2. Find the button for File Manager or cPanel.
  3. Navigate to the public_html folder. (This is the root folder where all your website files live).
  4. Look for a file named exactly .maintenance.
  5. Crucial Note: Because the file name starts with a dot, it is considered a "hidden" file. If you don't see it, look for a "Settings" button in the top right corner of your File Manager and check the box that says "Show Hidden Files (dotfiles)".
  6. Right-click the .maintenance file and click Delete.

Go back to your WordPress dashboard and refresh the page. You will immediately have full access again.

4. Step 3: The Database Lock Fix (Advanced)

In very rare cases, deleting the `.maintenance` file doesn't work. This happens because WordPress also creates a lock inside your database during core updates. If you still see the error, you need to clear the database lock.

  1. In your web hosting dashboard, open phpMyAdmin (usually located under Database tools).
  2. Select your WordPress database from the left-hand menu.
  3. Click on the wp_options table. (Note: Your table prefix might be different, like wpabc_options, but it always ends in `_options`).
  4. Look for a row where the `option_name` is exactly core_updater.lock. You may need to browse to page 2 or use the search box.
  5. Click the Delete button next to that specific row.

This instantly removes the database lock and frees up your dashboard.

5. How to Prevent This Error in the Future

Getting locked out is annoying. To prevent the `.maintenance` file from getting stuck during future updates, follow these best practices:

  • Don't Update Everything at Once: Avoid clicking the "Select All" checkbox and updating 20 plugins simultaneously. This spikes server memory and is the #1 cause of update timeouts. Update them in batches of 3 or 4.
  • Increase PHP Memory Limit: If your server runs out of memory mid-update, it crashes. Ask your host to increase your WordPress PHP memory limit to at least 256MB.
  • Don't Close the Tab: When an update is running and you see the spinning loading wheel, do not click away or close the browser tab. Let the process finish completely.

The Bottom Line

The "Another update is currently in progress" error looks scary, but it is just a stuck safety feature. By simply logging into your hosting File Manager and deleting the hidden `.maintenance` file, you can restore your website in under two minutes without ever having to touch a line of code or an FTP client.

Frequently Asked Questions

No. This error only restricts access to the dashboard. Your posts, pages, themes, and customer data are completely safe and untouched in the database.
Files that start with a period (dot) are hidden system files by default. You must click the "Settings" gear icon in your File Manager (usually top right) and check the box that says "Show Hidden Files (dotfiles)" for it to appear.
Sometimes visitors will see a white screen that says "Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance. Check back in a minute." Once you delete the .maintenance file, the live site will instantly return to normal for all users.
Deleting that specific row (core_updater.lock) is perfectly safe and resolves the issue. However, deleting the wrong rows in phpMyAdmin can break your site. Always double-check you are deleting the exact correct option name.
Yes. Because the update process timed out and crashed, the plugin or theme you were trying to update likely failed to install properly. Once you regain access, go back and run the update again (one at a time).
There are plugins like "Fix Another Update In Progress," but they are largely useless when this error occurs because the error prevents you from accessing the dashboard to use the plugin in the first place! You must fix it via your web host.
It isn't specific to one host; it happens on shared hosting plans where server resources (like RAM and CPU) are restricted. Heavy updates exhaust these resources, causing a timeout. Upgrading your hosting tier often stops this from happening.
FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is software like FileZilla used to manage server files. It requires setting up ports, usernames, and passwords. For beginners, logging directly into their web host's built-in File Manager is much faster and less intimidating.
Your browser or server is likely caching the error page. Clear your browser cache, or open an incognito window and log back in. Also, ensure your caching plugin or host-level cache is purged if you have access to it from the hosting dashboard.
It is a trade-off. Turning off auto-updates gives you control, allowing you to update plugins one by one safely. However, it means you must remember to log in regularly, as outdated plugins are the leading cause of WordPress security hacks.
Scroll to Top