How to use advanced WP settings in JetHost WordPress Manager

The Advanced tab in JetHost WordPress Manager provides access to critical WordPress maintenance and configuration tools that affect your site’s functionality and visibility. In particular, this section includes maintenance mode activation, permalink regeneration, search engine visibility controls, and the ability to delete your WordPress installation entirely. Furthermore, these tools help you perform essential maintenance tasks and site management operations that aren’t available through standard WordPress features.

Accessing advanced settings

To access advanced WordPress settings, navigate to the Advanced tab from the top navigation menu in WordPress Manager. Once there, you’ll see several distinct sections, each providing specific advanced functionality with clear descriptions and action buttons.

Maintenance mode

Maintenance mode temporarily displays a maintenance page to visitors while you work on your site. Only administrators can access the site during maintenance mode.

When to use maintenance mode

Enable maintenance mode when:

• Performing major updates: Installing significant WordPress, plugin, or theme updates
• Making design changes: Modifying your site’s appearance or layout
• Troubleshooting issues: Investigating and fixing technical problems
• Editing critical files: Modifying configuration or code via File Manager
• Importing content: Adding large amounts of content or migrating data

Activating maintenance mode

Click the orange Activate Maintenance Mode button to enable the maintenance page. Visitors will see a maintenance message instead of your regular site content. Moreover, this prevents visitors from experiencing errors or seeing incomplete changes while you work. Conversely, only administrators will be able to access the site during maintenance mode, allowing your team to continue working.

Best practices for maintenance mode

• Use during low-traffic hours: Schedule maintenance during periods when fewer visitors are online
• Keep it brief: Minimize the time your site is in maintenance mode
• Test first: Perform changes on staging when possible to reduce production maintenance time
• Communicate: Inform regular users about planned maintenance via social media or email
• Remember to disable: Turn off maintenance mode immediately after completing your work

Regenerate permalinks

Regenerating permalinks refreshes your WordPress rewrite rules, which can help fix issues with broken links or 404 errors after changing permalink settings. This tool is particularly useful after changing domains or modifying permalink structures.

When to regenerate permalinks

Use this feature when:

• Links return 404 errors: Pages or posts aren’t loading despite existing in WordPress
• After domain changes: You’ve migrated your site to a new domain
• Permalink structure changes: You’ve modified your permalink settings
• .htaccess issues: Your .htaccess file was corrupted or deleted
• After migration: You’ve moved WordPress to a different directory

Using permalink regeneration

Click the orange Regenerate Permalinks button to refresh your rewrite rules. This process completes instantly and refreshes WordPress rewrite rules without affecting your content. Additionally, regenerating permalinks is safe and won’t cause data loss or break your site.

Search engine visibility

Search engine visibility controls whether search engines can index your website. When disabled, search engines will be discouraged from indexing your site, effectively making it invisible in search results.

Understanding the visibility checkbox

The checkbox labeled “Allow search engines to index this site” controls search engine access:

• Checked (enabled): Search engines will be able to index your website. When disabled, a noindex directive will be added to discourage search engines from indexing your site.
• Unchecked (disabled): Search engines are told not to index your site, making it effectively invisible in search results

When to disable search engine visibility

Disable indexing for:

• Development sites: Prevent search engines from indexing test or development versions
• Staging environments: Keep your staging site out of search results
• Private sites: Sites intended only for specific audiences
• Under construction sites: Sites not ready for public visibility
• Temporary situations: While resolving major issues or during redesigns

When to enable search engine visibility

Enable indexing for:

• Production websites: Your live site that should appear in search results
• Business websites: Sites where you want customers to find you
• Blogs and content sites: Sites relying on organic search traffic
• E-commerce stores: Online shops that need product visibility

Applying visibility settings

After checking or unchecking the visibility checkbox, click the orange Save Search Engine Visibility button to apply your setting. The change takes effect immediately, though search engines may take time to notice and react to the change. Consequently, previously indexed pages may remain in search results for weeks after disabling visibility.

Delete website

The delete website feature permanently removes your WordPress installation and all associated data. This action is irreversible and will delete your WordPress installation completely.

Understanding the deletion warning

The interface displays a prominent warning: “This action is irreversible and will delete [yourdomain].” This emphasizes the permanence of deletion. Moreover, the warning is color-coded in red to indicate the destructive nature of this action.

What gets deleted

Clicking Delete Website removes:

• All WordPress files: Core files, WP themes, WP plugins, and uploads
• Database content: Posts, pages, comments, users, and settings
• Custom code: Any customizations you’ve made
• Media library: All uploaded images, videos, and documents
• Backups: WordPress Manager backups associated with this installation

Before deleting your website

If you’re certain you want to delete your WordPress installation:

• Create final backups: Download complete backups to your computer
• Export content: Use WordPress export tools to save content in portable formats
• Download media: Use File Manager to download your media library
• Document settings: Note plugin configurations and customizations you might need later
• Verify domain: Confirm you’re deleting the correct installation

Using the delete function

To delete your WordPress installation, click the red Delete Website button. You’ll likely be prompted to confirm this action. Once confirmed, the deletion proceeds immediately and cannot be undone. Therefore, only use this feature when you’re absolutely certain you want to permanently remove your WordPress site.

Best practices for advanced settings

Use maintenance mode liberally

Don’t hesitate to enable maintenance mode when performing significant work. Visitors seeing a maintenance page is preferable to experiencing errors or broken functionality. Moreover, maintenance mode protects your professional reputation by preventing visitors from seeing incomplete work.

Regenerate permalinks after major changes

Make permalink regeneration part of your troubleshooting routine. Whenever you experience link-related issues, regenerating permalinks should be one of your first troubleshooting steps. Additionally, regenerate permalinks after any domain or directory changes.

Verify search engine visibility regularly

Periodically check that production sites have search engine indexing enabled. It’s surprisingly common to accidentally leave indexing disabled after development or troubleshooting. Consequently, regular verification prevents lost search traffic from configuration oversights.

Think twice before deleting

Deletion is permanent. Consider alternatives like using maintenance mode to temporarily hide the site, or moving files to a backup location rather than deleting entirely. Similarly, if uncertain, consult JetHost support before proceeding with deletion.

Combining advanced features

Advanced settings work alongside other WordPress Manager features:

• Maintenance mode + updates: Enable maintenance mode before applying major WordPress plugin or WP theme updates
• Permalink regeneration + domain changes: Always regenerate permalinks after changing domains
• Search visibility + staging: Disable indexing on staging environments to prevent duplicate content
• Backups + deletion: Create backups before deleting sites

Troubleshooting advanced settings

Can’t disable maintenance mode

If you can’t turn off maintenance mode through WordPress Manager, use File Manager to delete the .maintenance file from your WordPress root directory. This immediately disables maintenance mode. Additionally, clearing your browser cache helps ensure you see the live site rather than cached maintenance pages.

Permalinks still broken after regeneration

If regenerating permalinks doesn’t fix link issues, check your .htaccess file permissions using File Manager. WordPress needs write access to .htaccess to update rewrite rules. Similarly, verify your hosting environment supports mod_rewrite for pretty permalinks.

Site still appearing in search results

After disabling search engine visibility, previously indexed pages remain in search results until search engines recrawl your site. This process can take weeks or months. For faster removal, use Google Search Console to request URL removal. Moreover, implementing 410 (Gone) status codes accelerates removal from indexes.

Need more help?

Explore more WordPress Manager guides and hosting tutorials in our knowledgebase. The WordPress Manager is included free with all hosting for WordPress plans at JetHost.

For additional support with advanced WordPress settings or site management, our team is here to help you maintain your website effectively.

—

SEO KEYPHRASE: WordPress Manager advanced settings

META DESCRIPTION: Learn how to use advanced WordPress settings in JetHost WordPress Manager. Enable maintenance mode, regenerate permalinks, control search engine visibility, and manage critical site functions.