Updating failed. The response is not a valid JSON response. How to fix?

If You are use a plugin called simply static this will create a folder called “wp-json” in your home directory. Please move it to recyclebin or delete it.

1. Check for Plugin or Theme Conflicts:

• Disable all plugins and revert to a default WordPress theme (e.g., Twenty Twenty-One).
• Try updating again to see if the error persists. If it doesn’t, it indicates a conflict with a plugin or theme.
• Re-enable the plugins and theme one by one, testing after each activation to identify the conflicting one.

2. Increase PHP Memory Limit:

• Access your website via FTP or cPanel File Manager.
• Locate the wp-config.php file in the root directory.
• Add the following line of code before the “/* That’s all, stop editing! */” line:
  define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M');
• Save the file and try updating again.

3. Clear Browser Cache and Cookies:

• Sometimes, browser cache and cookies can cause issues. Clear your browser cache and cookies, then try updating again.

4. Enable WP_DEBUG for Troubleshooting:

• Edit the wp-config.php file again.
• Find the line that says define('WP_DEBUG', false); and change it to:
  define('WP_DEBUG', true); define('WP_DEBUG_LOG', true); define('WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', false);
• Save the file and attempt to update once more.
• Check for any debug log entries in wp-content/debug.log for potential clues to the issue.

5. Contact Your Hosting Provider:

• If the above steps do not resolve the issue, reach out to your hosting provider for further assistance. They might be able to review server logs and identify any server-level issues causing the error.

By following these steps, you should be able to fix the “Updating failed. The response is not a valid JSON response” error in WordPress.