diff --git a/src/components/MaintenanceGate.tsx b/src/components/MaintenanceGate.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6306a60
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/MaintenanceGate.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+import type { ReactNode } from "react";
+import { useQuery } from "@tanstack/react-query";
+import { useRouterState } from "@tanstack/react-router";
+import { Wrench } from "lucide-react";
+import { supabase } from "@/integrations/supabase/client";
+
+const MAINTENANCE_SETTING_KEY = "site.maintenance_mode";
+
+function isAdminOrAuthPath(pathname: string) {
+  return /^\/(?:auth|mfa-verify|dashboard|admin)(?:\/|$)/.test(pathname);
+}
+
+export function MaintenanceGate({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
+  const pathname = useRouterState({ select: (state) => state.location.pathname });
+  const bypass = isAdminOrAuthPath(pathname);
+  const maintenance = useQuery({
+    queryKey: ["site-maintenance-mode"],
+    enabled: !bypass,
+    queryFn: async () => {
+      const { data, error } = await supabase
+        .from("site_settings")
+        .select("value")
+        .eq("key", MAINTENANCE_SETTING_KEY)
+        .maybeSingle();
+      if (error) throw error;
+      return data?.value === "true";
+    },
+    refetchInterval: 15_000,
+    retry: 1,
+  });
+
+  if (bypass || maintenance.isError) return children;
+  if (maintenance.isLoading) {
+    return (
+      <main className="flex min-h-screen items-center justify-center bg-[#0b0b14] px-6 text-sm text-white/60">
+        Checking CodeForge status…
+      </main>
+    );
+  }
+  if (!maintenance.data) return children;
+
+  return (
+    <main className="flex min-h-screen items-center justify-center bg-[#0b0b14] px-6 text-white">
+      <section className="w-full max-w-lg text-center">
+        <div className="mx-auto flex h-16 w-16 items-center justify-center rounded-2xl border border-violet-400/20 bg-violet-400/10 text-violet-300">
+          <Wrench className="h-7 w-7" aria-hidden="true" />
+        </div>
+        <p className="mt-6 text-xs font-semibold uppercase tracking-[0.22em] text-violet-300">
+          CodeForge
+        </p>
+        <h1 className="mt-3 font-display text-3xl font-bold sm:text-4xl">We’ll be back soon</h1>
+        <p className="mt-4 text-sm leading-6 text-white/65">
+          CodeForge is temporarily unavailable while maintenance is in progress. Please check back
+          shortly.
+        </p>
+      </section>
+    </main>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/src/routes/__root.tsx b/src/routes/__root.tsx
index 791ff81..54cb428 100644
--- a/src/routes/__root.tsx
+++ b/src/routes/__root.tsx
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import appCss from "../styles.css?url";
 import { AuthProvider } from "@/hooks/use-auth";
 import { Toaster } from "@/components/ui/sonner";
 import { EditModeProvider } from "@/contexts/EditModeContext";
+import { MaintenanceGate } from "@/components/MaintenanceGate";
 
 function NotFoundComponent() {
   return (
@@ -136,11 +137,13 @@ function RootComponent() {
     <QueryClientProvider client={queryClient}>
       <AuthProvider>
         <EditModeProvider>
-          <Outlet />
+          <MaintenanceGate>
+            <Outlet />
+          </MaintenanceGate>
           <Toaster richColors theme="dark" />
           <Analytics />
         </EditModeProvider>
       </AuthProvider>
     </QueryClientProvider>
   );
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/src/routes/_authenticated/admin.tsx b/src/routes/_authenticated/admin.tsx
index 40aac54..b04bb62 100644
--- a/src/routes/_authenticated/admin.tsx
+++ b/src/routes/_authenticated/admin.tsx
@@ -285,7 +285,17 @@ function WebsiteSettings({ settings, refetch, onActivity }: { settings: Array<{
   const [key, setKey] = useState(""); const [value, setValue] = useState(""); const [editingKey, setEditingKey] = useState<string | null>(null);
   const save = async () => { if (!key.trim()) return toast.error("Setting key is required"); const result = editingKey ? await supabase.from("site_settings").update({ value }).eq("key", editingKey) : await supabase.from("site_settings").upsert({ key: key.trim(), value }); if (result.error) return toast.error(result.error.message); await onActivity(editingKey ? "update" : "create", "site_setting", key); toast.success("Setting saved"); setKey(""); setValue(""); setEditingKey(null); await refetch(); };
   const remove = async (settingKey: string) => { if (!window.confirm(`Delete setting '${settingKey}'?`)) return; const { error } = await supabase.from("site_settings").delete().eq("key", settingKey); if (error) return toast.error(error.message); await onActivity("delete", "site_setting", settingKey); toast.success("Setting deleted"); await refetch(); };
-  return <Panel title="Website settings" description="Manage key/value settings used by CodeForge without changing application code."><div className="grid gap-4 rounded-2xl border border-border/30 p-4 md:grid-cols-[1fr_2fr_auto]"><Field label="Key"><Input value={key} onChange={(e) => setKey(e.target.value)} placeholder="homepage.hero_title" className="rounded-xl" /></Field><Field label="Value"><Input value={value} onChange={(e) => setValue(e.target.value)} placeholder="Setting value" className="rounded-xl" /></Field><div className="flex items-end gap-2"><Button onClick={() => void save()} className="rounded-xl">{editingKey ? "Update" : "Save"}</Button>{editingKey && <Button variant="outline" onClick={() => { setEditingKey(null); setKey(""); setValue(""); }} className="rounded-xl"><X className="h-4 w-4" /></Button>}</div></div><div className="mt-6 divide-y divide-border/30">{settings.map((s) => <div key={s.key} className="flex flex-wrap items-center justify-between gap-3 py-3"><div><div className="font-mono text-sm">{s.key}</div><div className="mt-1 max-w-3xl truncate text-sm text-muted-foreground">{formatSettingPreview(s.value)}</div></div><div className="flex gap-2"><Button size="sm" variant="outline" className="rounded-lg" onClick={() => { setEditingKey(s.key); setKey(s.key); setValue(s.value || ""); }}><Pencil className="h-3.5 w-3.5" /></Button><Button size="sm" variant="outline" className="rounded-lg text-destructive" onClick={() => void remove(s.key)}><Trash className="h-3.5 w-3.5" /></Button></div></div>)}{settings.length === 0 && <Empty label="No site settings yet." />}</div></Panel>;
+  const maintenanceEnabled = settings.find((setting) => setting.key === "site.maintenance_mode")?.value === "true";
+  const toggleMaintenance = async () => {
+    const nextEnabled = !maintenanceEnabled;
+    if (nextEnabled && !window.confirm("Turn on Maintenance Mode? Visitors will see the maintenance notice until you turn it off.")) return;
+    const { error } = await supabase.from("site_settings").upsert({ key: "site.maintenance_mode", value: String(nextEnabled) });
+    if (error) return toast.error(error.message);
+    await onActivity("update", "site_setting", "site.maintenance_mode");
+    toast.success(nextEnabled ? "Maintenance Mode is on" : "Maintenance Mode is off");
+    await refetch();
+  };
+  return <div className="space-y-6"><Panel title="Maintenance Mode" description="Temporarily show a maintenance notice to visitors while you work on CodeForge."><div className="flex flex-wrap items-center justify-between gap-4 rounded-2xl border border-border/30 p-4"><div><div className="font-medium">Status: <span className={maintenanceEnabled ? "text-amber-400" : "text-emerald-400"}>{maintenanceEnabled ? "On" : "Off"}</span></div><p className="mt-1 max-w-2xl text-sm text-muted-foreground">When on, public pages show a maintenance notice. Admin, sign-in, and MFA pages remain available so you can turn it off.</p></div><Button variant={maintenanceEnabled ? "destructive" : "default"} className="rounded-xl" onClick={() => void toggleMaintenance()}>{maintenanceEnabled ? "Turn off Maintenance Mode" : "Turn on Maintenance Mode"}</Button></div></Panel><Panel title="Website settings" description="Manage key/value settings used by CodeForge without changing application code."><div className="grid gap-4 rounded-2xl border border-border/30 p-4 md:grid-cols-[1fr_2fr_auto]"><Field label="Key"><Input value={key} onChange={(e) => setKey(e.target.value)} placeholder="homepage.hero_title" className="rounded-xl" /></Field><Field label="Value"><Input value={value} onChange={(e) => setValue(e.target.value)} placeholder="Setting value" className="rounded-xl" /></Field><div className="flex items-end gap-2"><Button onClick={() => void save()} className="rounded-xl">{editingKey ? "Update" : "Save"}</Button>{editingKey && <Button variant="outline" onClick={() => { setEditingKey(null); setKey(""); setValue(""); }} className="rounded-xl"><X className="h-4 w-4" /></Button>}</div></div><div className="mt-6 divide-y divide-border/30">{settings.map((s) => <div key={s.key} className="flex flex-wrap items-center justify-between gap-3 py-3"><div><div className="font-mono text-sm">{s.key}</div><div className="mt-1 max-w-3xl truncate text-sm text-muted-foreground">{formatSettingPreview(s.value)}</div></div><div className="flex gap-2"><Button size="sm" variant="outline" className="rounded-lg" onClick={() => { setEditingKey(s.key); setKey(s.key); setValue(s.value || ""); }}><Pencil className="h-3.5 w-3.5" /></Button><Button size="sm" variant="outline" className="rounded-lg text-destructive" onClick={() => void remove(s.key)}><Trash className="h-3.5 w-3.5" /></Button></div></div>)}{settings.length === 0 && <Empty label="No site settings yet." />}</div></Panel></div>;
 }
 
 function MediaLibrary({ files, refetch, onActivity }: { files: MediaFile[]; refetch: () => Promise<unknown>; onActivity: (a: string, r: string, id?: string) => Promise<void>; }) {