Why is my WordPress site still stuck in maintenance mode after an update finishes?

Usually an update left the .maintenance file behind. In your host's file manager or FTP, open the WordPress install root — the folder that contains wp-admin — and delete only the file named .maintenance. WordPress uses that file to decide whether maintenance mode is on, and its own troubleshooting guide says a stuck screen after an update normally means the file wasn't removed automatically. Once the site loads again, rerun the update or check Dashboard > Updates, since the first update may not have completed cleanly. Just make sure no update is actively running before you remove the file, and don't delete any other WordPress files.