DriversRecommendedOutdated drivers can make a good PC feel brokenScan driver issues before chasing fixes manually.Scan NowHalloween DealsAmazon USHalloween week deals: useful picks before month-endAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.Check DealsWindows FixRecommendedWindows errors stealing your time? Find the fix fastScan stability, cleanup and performance issues.Fix Now×
FREEDOM251

Freedom251 › Blog › Microsoft Store

How to Fix “0x8007042” Access Denied: Windows Update, Microsoft Store, Xbox and Firewall Steps

By Freedom251 Team · · 7 min read

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

“0x8007042” is incomplete. Copy the entire hexadecimal code from the dialog before changing any Windows setting. The most common completion is 0x80070422, which usually involves a disabled Windows Update service; 0x8007042c is a different Windows Firewall error. The correct fix depends on the final digit and the component named in the message.

First identify the complete error

Write down the full code exactly as Windows displays it, including every character after 0x. Also record where it appears:

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

  • Windows Update or an update installation dialog
  • Microsoft Store while downloading or installing an app
  • Xbox while downloading a game or app
  • Windows Firewall or Windows Security

A truncated search phrase such as “0x8007042 access denied” is not enough to choose a repair. A missing final character can point to a different Windows component, so do not apply Windows Update service changes until you have verified the code.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Choose the fix that matches the component

What the full message identifies Most relevant code in the reports First action Privilege and reversibility
Windows Update 0x80070422 Run the Windows Update troubleshooter, then inspect Windows Update and BITS in services.msc. Administrator rights are normally required for service changes. Troubleshooter and service restarts are generally reversible.
Microsoft Store or Xbox download Often reported as 0x80070422 when Windows Update is disabled Repair or reset the affected app and use Microsoft’s Store troubleshooting flow after checking Windows Update. Repair is low-impact; Reset changes the app’s local data and may require signing in again.
Windows Firewall 0x8007042c Use Windows Firewall troubleshooting rather than Windows Update instructions. Firewall settings affect system protection, so use an elevated account and change only the identified component.

Microsoft Q&A guidance and community reports describe these paths, but the Reddit reports are individual experiences, not a measured success rate. No reliable prevalence, cost, or guaranteed-fix statistic is established for this error.

#1 Best Overall
5-in-1 Win Repair & Reinstall Bootable USB Flash Drive – Fix, Recover, or Reinstall Windows 11 (amd64 + arm64) / 10/7 - Includes PE Tools, Driver Pack, Antivirus, Data Recovery & Password Reset
  • Dual USB-A & USB-C Bootable Drive – compatible with nearly all Windows PCs, laptops, and tablets (UEFI & Legacy BIOS). Works with Surface devices and all major brands.
  • Fully Customizable USB – easily Add, Replace, or Upgrade any compatible bootable ISO app, installer, or utility (clear step-by-step instructions included).
  • Complete Windows Repair Toolkit – includes tools to remove viruses, reset passwords, recover lost files, and fix boot errors like BOOTMGR or NTLDR missing.
  • Reinstall or Upgrade Windows – perform a clean reinstall of Windows 7 (32bit and 64bit), 10, or 11 (amd64 + arm64) to restore performance and stability. (Windows license not included.). Includes Full Driver Pack – ensures hardware compatibility after installation. Automatically detects and installs drivers for most PCs.
  • Premium Hardware & Reliable Support – built with high-quality flash chips for speed and longevity. TECH STORE ON provides responsive customer support within 24 hours.

Fix 0x80070422 when Windows Update is disabled

1. Run the Windows Update troubleshooter first

Use the troubleshooter before editing the registry or running repair scripts. On Windows 11, open Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters, select Windows Update, and choose Run. On Windows 10, open Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooters, select Windows Update, and run it. The exact label can vary by Windows edition and update level.

Apply any recommended correction, restart the PC, and try Windows Update again. If the troubleshooter says it cannot repair the problem, continue with the service checks below.

2. Inspect Windows Update and BITS in Services

  1. Press Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
  2. Approve the User Account Control prompt so the console opens with administrator rights.
  3. Locate Windows Update (the service name is wuauserv) and double-click it.
  4. Check Startup type. If it is Disabled, change it to a startable setting such as Manual or Automatic, then select Apply.
  5. Use Start if the service is stopped. If it is already running, use Restart only when that button is available.
  6. Repeat the inspection for Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS). BITS supports the transfer of update files and must not remain disabled for an update download to work.

Do not change unrelated services. If Windows returns Access denied when you apply a startup type or start a service, close the console and reopen it from an account that is a member of the local Administrators group. A standard user session cannot reliably make these changes.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

3. Reconfigure the required services from an elevated command window

If the graphical console cannot apply the settings, open Windows Terminal (Admin), PowerShell (Admin), or Command Prompt (Admin). The following commands are the service sequence described in Microsoft Q&A guidance:

sc config wuauserv start= auto
sc config bits start= delayed-auto
sc config DcomLaunch start= auto
net stop wuauserv
net stop bits
net start DcomLaunch
net start bits
net start wuauserv

Run each line separately so you can see which command fails. The spaces after start= are required by the sc command syntax. A message that a service was not running when you issue net stop is not necessarily an error; note the result and continue to the next line.

Restart Windows after the sequence and test Windows Update. This is not a universal permission repair: the command can fail when service permissions, system files, security policy, or the Windows installation itself is damaged. Do not repeatedly run scripts or make registry edits from an untrusted download.

4. If “Access denied” persists

Persistent denial means Windows is refusing the configuration change, not that the code has been proven to have one specific registry fix. Check these conditions before escalating:

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
  • You opened the console or Services with an elevated administrator token, not merely an account that has an administrator name.
  • The code is really 0x80070422 and the dialog is tied to Windows Update.
  • Both Windows Update and BITS were inspected; changing one service alone may leave the transfer path disabled.
  • You restarted after making a successful change and tested again.

Microsoft Q&A discussions recommend the Windows Update troubleshooter for disabled-service access-denied cases. Reddit discussions mention repair or in-place upgrade paths when service permissions remain inaccessible, but those are anecdotal reports and do not establish a guaranteed outcome.

Rank #2
SANDISK 128GB Ultra Flair, USB-A Flash Drive, Up to 150MB/s Read Speeds | USB Flash Drive, Up to 15x Faster than standard 2.0, Password Protection, Durable, Sleek Metal Casing, USB 3.0, Silver/Black
  • High-speed USB 3.0 performance of up to 150MB/s(1) [(1) Write to drive up to 15x faster than standard USB 2.0 drives (4MB/s); varies by drive capacity. Up to 150MB/s read speed. USB 3.0 port required. Based on internal testing; performance may be lower depending on host device, usage conditions, and other factors; 1MB=1,000,000 bytes]
  • Transfer a full-length movie in less than 30 seconds(2) [(2) Based on 1.2GB MPEG-4 video transfer with USB 3.0 host device. Results may vary based on host device, file attributes and other factors]
  • Transfer to drive up to 15 times faster than standard USB 2.0 drives(1)
  • Sleek, durable metal casing
  • Easy-to-use password protection for your private files(3) [(3)Password protection uses 128-bit AES encryption and is supported by Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, and Mac OS X v10.9 plus; Software download required for Mac, visit the SanDisk SecureAccess support page]

Fix the Microsoft Store message “Windows Update is disabled”

The Store can report a Windows Update dependency even though the immediate failure appears to be an app download. Start with the 0x80070422 Windows Update procedure above; repairing the Store alone will not enable a disabled update service.

Repair or reset Microsoft Store

  1. Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps (Windows 11) or Settings > Apps > Apps & features (Windows 10).
  2. Select Microsoft Store, open Advanced options, and choose Repair.
  3. Restart the Store and retry the download.
  4. If Repair changes nothing, return to the same page and choose Reset. Reset is more disruptive because it clears the app’s local state; use it only after trying Repair.

Use Microsoft’s Microsoft Store troubleshooting flow if the Store still displays the disabled-update message. Keep the exact code and the Store wording available when following that flow so the diagnosis remains tied to the component that failed.

Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

Xbox downloads: treat app repair as a narrow test

For an Xbox download that shows 0x80070422, first verify Windows Update and BITS as described above. Then open the Xbox app’s installed-app settings and use its built-in Repair option; use Reset only if Repair fails and you accept the loss of local app data.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

One Windows 11 Reddit user reported that repairing the Xbox app fixed that user’s download problem. That is a single-user report, not evidence that Xbox repair fixes every occurrence of this code. If the error returns after the app repair and Windows Update services are healthy, use Microsoft’s Store/Xbox troubleshooting flow rather than repeatedly changing services.

When the full code is 0x8007042c: switch to Firewall troubleshooting

0x8007042c is associated with Windows Firewall, not the Windows Update procedure for 0x80070422. Stop if your final character is c and the dialog refers to the firewall or Windows Security.

  1. Open Windows Security > Firewall & network protection and confirm which network profile reports the problem.
  2. Use the Windows Firewall troubleshooting path for that profile. Follow the recommended repair in an administrator session.
  3. Do not disable the firewall as a permanent workaround or substitute Windows Update service commands for firewall repair.
  4. Restart Windows and verify that the same profile no longer reports the error.

If the firewall service or its configuration remains inaccessible, record the exact message and escalate through Windows repair options or Microsoft support. The code alone does not prove that a particular registry value or batch file is safe for your installation.

Compare the available repair paths

Path Best use System impact What can go wrong
Windows Update troubleshooter First response for 0x80070422 and a disabled-update message Low; it diagnoses and applies supported corrections It may report that it cannot repair service permissions or damaged files.
Services console Checking or starting Windows Update and BITS Changes service startup and running state Access denied, policy restrictions, or a damaged installation can block the change.
Elevated service commands Applying the documented service configuration when the GUI cannot do so Directly changes service configuration and state A failed command identifies a deeper permission or system problem; repeated attempts are not a repair strategy.
Store/Xbox Repair or Reset App-specific download failures after Windows Update is checked Repair is limited; Reset clears local app state It cannot correct a disabled Windows Update service and may require app setup again.
Repair installation or in-place upgrade Services remain inaccessible or Windows system files are damaged High compared with a troubleshooter; plan backups and time Outcome depends on the installation’s condition; the cited reports provide no success guarantee.

When to stop troubleshooting and escalate

Move to a Windows repair installation or Microsoft support when an elevated administrator session still receives Access denied, when core services cannot be opened, or when multiple Windows components fail after a restart. Back up important files before an in-place repair and record the full code, the affected component, and every command result. A repair or upgrade path is an escalation, not proof that the original service setting was the sole cause.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Do not treat Reddit comments as a universal procedure. Community posts can reveal useful symptoms—such as the Store wording or an Xbox-specific workaround—but they do not provide controlled success rates, and a fix reported by one Windows 11 user may not apply to another edition or build.

If you want an optional shortcut after trying the manual steps, Outbyte PC Repair can look for common Windows issues, adjust selected system settings, clean temporary and cache files, and show an app-crash log. It runs on Windows 11, 10, 8 and 7; a free trial is available by category for at least two days before a paid subscription. It complements an antivirus rather than replacing one, results vary, and no tool repairs every crash.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

Microsoft StoreTroubleshootingWindows errorsWindows FirewallWindows UpdateXbox

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Free tools Windows power users keep installed

One-click scans. No signup required.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Recommended PC Tool
Recommended PC Tool
Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?Free driver scan
PC Slower Than It Used to Be?Free scan - under a minute

Two free Windows tools

One Free Minute Could Fix That PC

Before you go - each of these free tools takes about a minute and tackles what quietly slows a Windows PC down.

Special offer. View Outbyte info, uninstall instructions, EULA, and Privacy Policy.