If Windows displays 0x80070422, the Windows Update service is usually disabled or stopped. Open the Services console, change Windows Update to Automatic, start it, restart your PC, and check for updates again.
The title sometimes appears with a transcription error as 0X800070422. Microsoft’s documented code is 0x80070422—one fewer zero after 0x8007. The same number can also appear when another Windows component cannot start a required service, so confirm where the message appeared before changing anything.
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What Windows error 0x80070422 means
Microsoft labels 0x80070422 as ERROR_SERVICE_DISABLED. In Windows Update, it means the Windows Update service is disabled or stopped, so the update client cannot start the service it needs to search for, download, or install updates.
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Check the exact code
- Use 0x80070422 as the reference code. Letter case does not matter.
- If the message literally says 0X800070422, compare it with the number in Windows Update history or the related dialog; the extra zero is normally a transcription mistake.
- Record the screen or app that displayed the error. Windows Update, a Windows upgrade, Microsoft Defender, Windows Firewall, and Microsoft Store can use the same numeric service error while requiring different services.
Where did the message appear?
| Location of the message | Most likely interpretation | First place to investigate |
|---|---|---|
| Windows Update or update history | Windows Update is disabled or stopped | The Windows Update service in Services |
| Windows setup or an upgrade assistant | The upgrade process cannot start a required update service | Windows Update service, then the Windows Update troubleshooter |
| Microsoft Defender | A Defender-related service may not be running | The service named in the Defender message or its event details |
| Windows Firewall | A firewall service may be disabled | The service identified by the firewall error |
| Microsoft Store | A Store installation or licensing service may be unavailable | The service named by the Store message |
The Windows Update instructions below apply when the error came from Windows Update or an upgrade. If another component produced the message, skip to “When another Windows component shows the code” before changing services.
Primary fix: enable and start Windows Update
Use an account with administrator rights. The service change does not remove personal files, installed applications, or update history.
- Open Services. Press Win+R, type
services.msc, and press Enter. Approve the User Account Control prompt if Windows asks. - Find Windows Update. In the Services list, select the entry named Windows Update. Click the list and type
Windows Updateto jump to it, or scroll to the W section. - Open its properties. Double-click Windows Update, or right-click it and select Properties.
- Change the startup type. On the General tab, open Startup type and choose Automatic. This allows Windows to start the service during normal operation. If your organization manages the PC, a policy may control this setting; do not override a company policy without authorization.
- Start the service. If Service status says Stopped, select Start. Wait for the status to change to Running. If the Start button is unavailable or an error appears, note the exact wording and continue with the failure branches below.
- Save the change. Select Apply, then OK. Close the Services window.
- Restart Windows. Use Start → Power → Restart. A restart clears a pending service state and reloads the update components.
- Try Windows Update again. In Windows 11, open Settings → Windows Update. In Windows 10, open Settings → Update & Security → Windows Update. Select Check for updates and note whether the error returns.
What a successful repair looks like
The Windows Update service should show Running in Services, with Startup type set to Automatic. Windows Update should then progress to checking, downloading, or installing updates instead of immediately reporting that the service is disabled. A restart may be required before the Settings page reflects the new state.
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If Windows Update still reports 0x80070422
Do not assume that the first service change failed. The service may be blocked by a policy, may stop again because another update component is damaged, or the code may belong to a different Windows component. Work through these checks in order.
Run the built-in Windows Update troubleshooter
- Open Settings and search for Troubleshoot.
- Open the page for Other troubleshooters or Additional troubleshooters, depending on your Windows version.
- Locate Windows Update and select Run or Run the troubleshooter.
- Allow the scan to complete. Apply a recommended repair only after reading what it will change.
- Restart the PC if prompted, then check Windows Update again.
Microsoft also provides Windows Update guidance through the Get Help app. If Settings does not offer the troubleshooter, open Get Help, search for Windows Update troubleshooter, and follow the guided checks. The available screens can differ by Windows edition and release.
Check the service state again after troubleshooting
Return to services.msc and open Windows Update. If the startup type has reverted to Disabled, a local or organizational policy may be changing it. On a work or school computer, ask the administrator to verify the policy rather than repeatedly changing the setting.
Use the service’s Dependencies tab to see whether Windows identifies another required service that is stopped. Do not disable or alter unrelated services based only on their names. If a dependency is stopped, open that service’s properties, note its startup type, and use the same cautious Start procedure.
Reset Windows Update components when the service cannot stay running
Microsoft’s upgrade guidance includes resetting Windows Update components when the service cannot start normally. This procedure requires an elevated Command Prompt and renames two update caches so Windows can recreate them. It does not delete your personal documents, but previously downloaded update files may need to be downloaded again.
- Open Start, type
Command Prompt, right-click it, and choose Run as administrator. - Stop the update-related services by entering these commands one at a time. Press Enter after each command:
net stop wuauserv
net stop bits
net stop cryptsvcIf a command says the service is not running, continue to the next command.
- Rename the update caches:
ren %systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
ren %systemroot%\System32\catroot2 catroot2.oldIf Windows says a folder is in use, confirm that the three services stopped and close any other update or installer window before trying again.
- Start the services again:
net start cryptsvc
net start bits
net start wuauserv - Close Command Prompt, restart Windows, and run Check for updates.
If a command returns Access is denied, the window was not elevated or a policy is preventing the change. Open a new administrator Command Prompt; do not take ownership of system folders merely to force the reset.
Use component repair only when evidence points to corruption
0x80070422 itself identifies a disabled or stopped service; it does not prove that the component store is corrupt. If the Windows Update troubleshooter reports component-store corruption, or a different Windows error specifically points to that problem, Microsoft documents repairing the store with Deployment Image Servicing and Management:
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DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealthRun the command in an administrator Command Prompt, let it reach completion, restart Windows, and test Windows Update again. Do not run this step solely because 0x80070422 appeared; use the service and troubleshooter paths first.
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The number is not a universal instruction to enable every service. Identify the product named in the message and inspect only the service associated with that product.
Windows upgrade or installation
If the message appeared while upgrading Windows rather than on the normal Windows Update page, first enable and start Windows Update, restart, and run the upgrade again. If the setup program still fails, use the Windows Update troubleshooter and the component-reset procedure. Record any new error code because the replacement code may identify a different failure.
Microsoft Defender
When Defender displays the number, read the full message to identify the affected protection service. Open services.msc, locate the service by its exact name, and check whether it is disabled or stopped. Do not substitute the Windows Update service unless the message specifically refers to Windows Update. If security software or an organization’s policy controls Defender, the policy owner must make the change.
Windows Firewall
A firewall dialog can use 0x80070422 when the firewall service cannot start. Use the service name in that dialog or in Event Viewer, then check its startup type and status. Avoid disabling the firewall as a workaround; restoring the required service is safer than leaving network protection off.
Microsoft Store
If the Store reports the code while installing or updating an app, inspect the service named in the Store error rather than changing Windows Update. Run the Store’s own repair or reset option if it is offered, then retry the installation. A Store-specific failure does not establish that Windows Update is disabled.
Use Event Viewer when the service stops again
Event Viewer can show why a service changed state. Press Win+R, enter eventvwr.msc, and press Enter. Open Windows Logs → System, then look for entries from Service Control Manager around the time of the failure. Record the event ID, service name, and error text.
Use those details when contacting Microsoft support, an administrator, or the device manufacturer. An event that names a different service is a reason to stop repeating Windows Update resets and follow the path for that service instead.
Windows 10 support status and update availability
Microsoft states that free Windows Update software updates, technical assistance, and security fixes for Windows 10 ended on October 14, 2025, and recommends moving to Windows 11. Therefore, a Windows 10 computer in 2026 may correctly report that no updates are available even after 0x80070422 is fixed. The service repair can restore the update mechanism, but it cannot create updates that Microsoft no longer publishes for that installation.
Check the Windows edition and support status shown in Settings → System → About (Windows 11) or Settings → System → About (Windows 10). Support policies and available upgrade paths can change, so verify the current Microsoft guidance for your edition before deciding whether to keep troubleshooting or move to a supported Windows release.
Quick Recap
Choose the next step from the symptom
| What you observe | Next action | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Windows Update says the service is disabled; Services shows Disabled | Set Windows Update to Automatic, select Start, restart, and check again | This directly addresses the documented meaning of 0x80070422 |
| Windows Update service is already Automatic and Running | Run the Windows Update troubleshooter | The service state is not the only possible cause |
| The service starts, then stops immediately | Check Dependencies and Event Viewer; reset update components if troubleshooting points there | A dependent service, policy, or damaged cache may be involved |
| The troubleshooter reports component-store corruption | Run DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth in an elevated Command Prompt |
Use component repair when Windows identifies corruption, not by assumption |
| The code appears in Defender, Firewall, or Store | Identify and inspect that product’s named service | The same number can describe different service failures |
| Windows 10 reports no updates after the service is repaired | Check the edition’s support status and Windows 11 upgrade options | Windows 10 free update support ended October 14, 2025 |
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using the mistyped number. Search for and troubleshoot 0x80070422, not 0x800070422, unless another screen confirms a different code.
- Changing the wrong service. The code alone does not identify whether Windows Update, Defender, Firewall, or Store produced it.
- Leaving Startup type on Disabled. Starting a disabled service once does not change its startup setting; set it to Automatic and apply the change.
- Skipping the restart. Windows may retain a pending service state until the computer restarts.
- Resetting caches first. Renaming update folders is more invasive than enabling the service and running the troubleshooter.
- Running repair commands without elevation. DISM and service-control commands require an administrator context.
- Assuming a repaired service guarantees an update. Windows 10 support status, edition policies, and a separate component failure can still prevent updates.
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