How to Make a “Website Temporarily Down” Page on Wix
Wix doesn’t have a single “switch” to make your entire site down, but you can easily achieve the same result by setting a password for your entire site. This will show a “Password Protected” page to all visitors, which you can customize with your “Temporarily Down” message.
Here’s how to do it:
Step 1: Access Your Site’s Password Protection Settings
1. Go to your Wix Dashboard.
2. On the left-hand menu, click on Settings.
3. Click on Permissions.
Step 2: Set a Site-Wide Password
1. In the Permissions section, find and click on Password Protection.
2. Toggle the switch to On to enable it.
3. Enter a password in the Site Password field. You can use a simple one like 123 since the goal is to block everyone. (You will share a different, specific password with anyone who absolutely needs access).
IMPORTANT: In the Message on Locked Screen box, replace the default text with your custom “Temporarily Down” message. For example:
Sorry, we’re down for maintenance!
Our website is currently undergoing scheduled updates to serve you better. We’ll be back online shortly.Thank you for your patience!
– The [Your Business Name] Team
Click Save in the top-right corner.
Step 3: Publish Your Site
For the password protection to take effect, you must publish your site. Go to the top-right of your dashboard and click Publish Site.
Now, when anyone visits your website, they will see your custom message and a password prompt instead of your normal site content.
How to Allow Specific People to Access the Site (Optional)
If you need to give access to employees, clients, or developers while the site is down:
1. Go back to Settings > Permissions.
2. Click on Member Permissions.
3. You can add specific people by email under “Site Members” and they will be able to bypass the password screen by logging in.
Turning Your Normal Site Back On
When you’re ready to go live again:
1. Go back to Settings > Permissions > Password Protection.
2. Toggle the switch to Off.
3. Click Save and then Publish your site again.
Your website will now be accessible to everyone as normal.