How to Fix Windows Update That Won’t Run

Run Microsoft’s Windows Update troubleshooter first, restart the PC, and select Check for updates again. If that fails, check the Windows Update service, clear its cache, repair system files with SFC and DISM, then investigate network, security-software, driver, and background-app conflicts. Identify your Windows version before spending time on repairs: Microsoft ended free Windows Update software updates, technical assistance, and security fixes for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025.

Before you repair Windows Update

Save your work and back up personal files before clearing update data or using recovery tools. Copy important documents, photos, and other files to an external drive or USB flash drive. A reset or reinstall can affect installed apps and settings, so do not skip this step if you may need recovery later.

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• Confirm whether the PC runs Windows 11 or Windows 10: open Settings > System > About and check Windows specifications.
• Make sure the computer is connected to the internet. Temporarily disconnect a VPN, which can interfere with update-server connections.
• Check free space on the system drive in Settings > System > Storage. Low space can stop a feature update or cause download timeouts.
• Write down any exact error code shown by Windows Update. Different codes point to different causes and fixes.

For Windows 10, support status is a separate issue from a broken service. Microsoft says: “After October 14, 2025, Microsoft will no longer provide free software updates from Windows Update, technical assistance, or security fixes for Windows 10.” A Windows 10 PC that cannot find new updates in 2026 may therefore be unsupported rather than suffering a cache failure.

1. Run the built-in Windows Update troubleshooter

The troubleshooter is the lowest-risk first step. It checks common service, configuration, and update-database problems and can apply repairs automatically.

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Windows 11

1. Open the Get Help app from the Start menu.
2. Search for Windows Update troubleshooter and run the automated diagnostic.
3. If you prefer Settings, open Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters.
4. Find Windows Update, select Run, and follow the prompts.
5. Restart when the tool finishes. Return to Settings > Windows Update and select Check for updates.

Windows 10

1. Open Get Help and run the Windows Update troubleshooter, or open Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooters.
2. Select Windows Update > Run the troubleshooter.
3. Restart the computer after the diagnostic completes, then select Check for updates.

Some Windows 10 version 1903 and 1909 devices received an automatic troubleshooter for systems that were not scanning for updates. It reset the scanning process and could not be started manually. If your older installation qualifies, Windows runs that repair itself; there is no separate command to launch it.

2. Restart and check the basic causes

A restart clears a temporary update lock and reloads networking and service dependencies. After restarting, test Windows Update before changing advanced settings. If downloads still fail, check these conditions:

• Internet path: Try another network if possible. Disconnect a VPN temporarily and sign in again to Wi-Fi or Ethernet.
• Storage: Free space on the Windows drive. Move personal files to a USB flash drive or another disk when an upgrade is blocked by capacity.
• Power and time: Keep a laptop connected to power and verify that Windows has the correct date and time; an incorrect clock can disrupt secure server connections.
• Pending restart: If Settings says a restart is required, restart before attempting another download.

3. Make sure the Windows Update service is running

A disabled or stopped service is a common reason the update page will not scan. Error 0x80070422 specifically indicates that a required service is disabled or unavailable.

1. Press Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
2. Scroll to Windows Update and double-click it.
3. Set Startup type to Automatic.
4. If Service status is Stopped, select Start. Select Apply, then OK.
5. Restart Windows and try Check for updates again.

If the service immediately stops again, note the error shown in its Properties window. Do not repeatedly force-start it; continue with cache and system-file checks below.

4. Clear a corrupted Windows Update cache

Windows stores downloaded update files in the SoftwareDistribution folder. A damaged or incomplete download can leave the update process stuck. Deleting the folder’s contents forces Windows to build a fresh cache; it does not delete your personal files. Back up first anyway.

1. Open services.msc with Win + R.
2. Right-click Windows Update and select Stop. Leave the Services window open.
3. In File Explorer, enter C:WindowsSoftwareDistribution in the address bar.
4. Select the contents of that folder and delete them. If Windows says a file is in use, confirm that the Windows Update service is stopped and retry.
5. Return to Services, right-click Windows Update, and choose Start.
6. Restart the PC and select Check for updates.

The first scan after a cache reset can take longer because Windows must recreate its local database and redownload update files.

5. Repair damaged Windows system files

System-file corruption can prevent update components from registering correctly. Run these tools from an elevated Command Prompt, one at a time, and allow each command to finish.

Run System File Checker

1. Open Start, type Command Prompt, right-click it, and select Run as administrator.
2. Enter sfc /scannow and press Enter.
3. Wait for verification to reach 100 percent. Restart if SFC reports that it repaired files, then test Windows Update.

Use DISM when corruption remains

If SFC reports that it could not repair all files, or Windows Update still fails, run:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

DISM repairs the Windows component store that SFC relies on. When it completes, run sfc /scannow again, restart, and retry the update. DISM may need an internet connection to obtain replacement components.

6. Reset Windows Update components (advanced)

Use this branch when the service and cache steps do not resolve repeated installation errors. It requires an administrator account and temporarily stops update-related services.

1. Open Command Prompt as administrator.
2. Run these commands, pressing Enter after each one:

net stop bits
net stop wuauserv
net stop appidsvc
net stop cryptsvc

3. Rename the two update data folders so Windows can recreate them:

ren C:WindowsSoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
ren C:WindowsSystem32catroot2 catroot2.old

4. Start the services again:

net start bits
net start wuauserv
net start appidsvc
net start cryptsvc

5. Restart Windows and select Check for updates. If the repair succeeds, the renamed folders can be removed later; keep them temporarily if you may need to roll back the change.

If a command says the service is not running or a folder cannot be renamed, record the message instead of deleting unrelated system folders. A service dependency or permissions problem may need targeted repair.

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7. Check security software and background conflicts

Third-party antivirus, firewalls, system-tuning utilities, and other startup programs can block downloads or prevent an installer from replacing files. For testing only, pause a third-party antivirus or firewall, run Windows Update, and turn protection back on immediately afterward. Windows Security should remain active; do not leave the PC unprotected.

Try a clean boot

1. Press Win + R, enter msconfig, and press Enter.
2. On the Services tab, select Hide all Microsoft services, then select Disable all.
3. Open the Startup tab and select Open Task Manager. Disable nonessential startup items.
4. Restart and test Windows Update.
5. After testing, open msconfig again and restore normal startup. Re-enable services and startup items in groups to identify the conflict.

Do not disable Microsoft services indiscriminately. If the update works only in a clean boot, re-enable items methodically rather than leaving the system in a diagnostic state.

8. Match the error code to the right repair

The code is more useful than a generic “failed to install” message. Microsoft associates these examples with specific causes:

Keep the complete code, including leading zeros and letters. A screenshot can help if the message disappears after a restart.

9. Resolve driver-related update failures

Feature upgrades can fail when a network, storage, graphics, audio, Bluetooth, or other device driver is incompatible. Open Device Manager, expand the relevant device category, and look for a warning icon. Install a current driver from the device or PC manufacturer, or remove a recently added device temporarily. Restart before running Windows Update again.

For a 0xC1900101 failure, disconnect nonessential USB hardware, docks, and external storage during the upgrade. Reconnect devices after Windows finishes. If the same driver is named repeatedly in setup logs, address that driver rather than repeatedly rerunning the update.

10. Use recovery options when the problem began after an update

If Windows Update worked until a recent update and the repair steps did not help, use recovery rather than repeatedly downloading the same package. Back up personal files first.

Uninstall the recent update

Open Settings > Windows Update > Update history > Uninstall updates, select the most recent relevant update, and choose Uninstall when available. Restart and test the system.

System Restore

If restore points exist, open Control Panel > Recovery > Open System Restore. Choose a restore point created before the update problem. System Restore changes system files, drivers, and settings but does not normally remove personal documents.

Reset this PC

As a last resort, open Settings > System > Recovery > Reset this PC on Windows 11, or Settings > Update & Security > Recovery on Windows 10. Read the choices carefully: Keep my files preserves personal files but removes apps and resets settings; a full removal is more destructive. Keep a separate backup before starting.

Choosing the next fix

On Windows 10, check the support boundary before investing in a lengthy repair. On Windows 11, continue through the service, cache, file-repair, and conflict branches when the device remains supported and has sufficient storage.

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