Fix Windows Update – The Ultimate Guide
Step-by-step solutions to fixrepairand reset Windows Update when it gets stuck or stops working.
Struggling with how to fix Windows Update errorsstuck downloadsor failed installations? You’re not alone. This comprehensive guide will walk you through step-by-step solutions to troubleshoot and fix Windows Update problems. Whether you’re dealing with error codesslow updatesor a completely broken update systemthis guide is sure to assist you in your recovery.
Basic issues and fixes related to Windows Update
Let us first cover the most basic and common issues you’ll discover when troubleshooting Windows Update error messages. The first one is relatively easy.
Seriously – Restart your Windows PC
Yesrestart your computer. You know the old adage – “If all else failsreboot.” Butin this caseif it’s quite convenientrebooting Windows can resolve an issue with the Windows Update subsystem. Because the service is so fundamental to Windows itselfthere are a great number of servicestemporary filesetc. that make up that infrastructure. Soinstead of restarting this serviceand deleting these files… just reboot.
Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter
If you’re still experiencing issues with Windows Updaterun the Windows Update Troubleshooter.
- Click the Start buttonand click on Settings.
- In the System categoryscroll down and click on the ‘Troubleshoot‘ item.
- Click ‘Other troubleshooters‘.
- Next to the ‘Windows Update‘ itemclick the Run button.
You’ll be able to click through a mini-wizard to identify your issue and hopefully be presented with a resolution or steps on how you can resolve your issue.
If you’re having a problem installing a specific updateyou’ll be able to have the Windows Update automated diagnostic resolve things for you.
Advanced techniques and solutions to fix Windows Update
Let’s run through some more advanced and helpful topics around troubleshooting and fixing Windows Update.
Reset Windows Update core components
We can utilize Windows Terminal in administrative mode to more granularly reset the core Windows Update components. Let’s start by opening an admin Windows Terminal shell.
Firstwe’ll stop the core Windows Update services. (This will stop the Windows UpdateBackground Intelligent Transfer ServiceCryptographic and Windows Installer services)
net stop wuauserv
net stop bits
net stop cryptsvc
net stop msiserverNextlet’s rename some folders under the C:\Windows tree.
ren c:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
ren c:\Windows\System32\catroot2 Catroot2.oldThenrestart the services.
net start wuauserv
net start bits
net start cryptsvc
net start msiserver
Use SFC and DISM to repair system files
Next in our repertoire of weapons against Windows Update are the System File Checker (SFC) and Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) commands to resolve corrupt system files and more general Windows system component integrity.
Firsttype this at an admin command line.
sfc /scannow
SFC checks all the core ‘system’ files of Windows and verifies their integrity. If any files are not 100%verified files stored in a compressed hidden location are restored to their original location. You can examine the log file at c:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log.
The DISM command also runs a comparison of crucial files against an online database. Use this command to scan for issues:
DISM /online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealthIt would appear some issues should be addressed on my PC. I’ll run the command again telling it to restore integrity using the /RestoreHealth switch.
DISM /online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
Manually download and install patches from the Microsoft Update Catalog
This is probably my personal favorite because it has such a good track record of success… for me. If you are still stuck with a specific update that won’t install or even an older update that has issuesyou can manually download the latest cumulative update (LCU) for Windows 10 or Windows 11 by using the Microsoft Update Catalog website.
Firstwe need to identify what the latest Cumulative Update (LCU) is. You can search in your favorite search engine ‘Windows 10 update history‘ or ‘Windows 11 update history‘ and you’ll find the Microsoft knowledgebase documentation for all supported versions of Windows.
At the topyou’ll find the latest update. The key item is the KB??????? number. This is what you’ll need for the Catalog website. In this instanceas I type thisthe February 2025 Patch Tuesday was released – KB5051987.
- Type that in the ‘Search‘ window in the upper-right corner of the Windows Update Catalog websiteand you’ll be presented with various downloads.
There’s a download for the most common x64the ARM-based version (arm64)and then because Windows Server 2025 uses the same underlying build of Windowsit is also presented. Notice the download size of the x64 and Windows Server 2025 is the same.
- After you click the Download buttonclick each file to download it to your computer.
- Thendouble-click on each file. It will automatically let you know if it applies to your version of Windows and/or if it has already been installed.
Because I already ran Windows Update yesterday eveningthe patch has already been installed. In this caseit’s good to know for sure.
Run a System Restore
System Restoreif you can believe itstarted back in Windows Millenium Edition (Windows Me). This legacy tool takes periodic snapshots of your core Windows system files and allows you to ‘go back in time’ to a state before where you are now. Typicallyif you installed a bad piece of software or uninstalled something you needthis can save your day.
- To use System Restoreclick the Start buttontype in ‘system restore’, and choose ‘Create a restore point‘.
- Hereyou can choose a restore pointclick Nextand then have it reboot Windows to attempt to revert it to that point in time.
If all else fails with your Windows Update issues
If ALL of the prior methods came up shortyou’re down to the most drastic measures. Thankfullyeven drastic doesn’t mean hours and hours of recovery time or re-installing everything. This first option was recently introduced in Windows 11.
Use Windows Update to do an in-place Upgrade
This feature is relatively hiddenso here are the steps.
- Click Startthen Settings.
- Click Windows Update -> Advanced Options -> Recovery -> Fix problems using Windows Update.
- Click the ‘Reinstall now‘ button.
Instead of doing a clean installwiping out EVERYTHING on your device including applicationsWindows Update will download the latest version of Windows (Windows 10 22H2 or Windows 11 24H2as of this writing)and do an in-place upgrade. If all goes as plannedall of your datafilesand applications will remain. This is a very cool option!
Reset Windows
OKwe’re officially at the last resort option.
- In that same location in the Recovery menu of Settings -> Systemclick the ‘Reset PC‘ button next to the ‘Reset this PC‘ item.
This does give you the option of preserving most of what’s in your local profile – DocumentsDownloadsPictures. But everything else including Windowsand all applications will be wiped. There are many analogies to this strong an optionbut look on the bright side – there’s about a 99% chance your Windows Update issues will be gone.
Other troubleshooting issues
There are a few other issues worth addressing. Let’s go through them here.
How do I fix a corrupted Windows 10 update?
The best way to fix a corrupted Windows 10 update is to follow the steps above under the ‘Reset Windows Update core components’ section. This essentially stops all the services related to Windows Updateand renames (removes) the directories that store Windows Update core files.
How to fix stuck Windows updates?
And last but not leastto fix Windows Update in a generally stuck stateperform the same steps as above – resetting all the core components. It’s essentially wiping the slate clean and starting from scratch.
Why Windows Update is critical for your device
Windows Update is an essential component of the Windows operating system designed to give you peace of mind about securitycompliancenew featuresand stability. One of the primary goals of Windows Update is delivering security patches. Cyberthreats are constantly evolvingand threat actors and hackers frequently exploit software vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access to systems.
Microsoft releases security updates monthly to address these vulnerabilities. Without these updatesyour device becomes increasingly susceptible to malwareransomwareand other cyberattackspotentially compromising your personal data and system integrity.
Windows Update also makes sure you have the latest driver updatesnew featuresand bug fixes regularly. Windows Update provides these necessary updatesenabling your device to work seamlessly with new peripheralssoftwareand online services.
Thank you for reading my post on fixing Windows Update. If you have any comments or questions about this postplease leave them below. Thank you for reading!
Frequently asked questions
How do I manually fix Windows updates?
You can manually fix Windows Update issues by following these steps:
- Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter
- Go to Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooters > Windows Update.
- Run the troubleshooter and apply any suggested fixes.
- Restart Windows Update Services
- Open Command Prompt (Admin) and run:
net stop wuauserv
net stop cryptSvc
net stop bits
net stop msiserver
ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 Catroot2.old
net start wuauserv
net start cryptSvc
net start bits
net start msiserver- Check Disk Space and Drivers
- Ensure you have enough free space and update driversas outdated drivers can block updates.
How do I fix a corrupted Windows Update in Windows 10?
If Windows Update files are corruptedyou can repair them with these tools:
- Option 1 – System File Checker (SFC)
- Open Command Prompt (Admin) and run:
sfc /scannow- This scans and repairs corrupted system files.
- Option 2 – DISM Tool (Deployment Image Servicing and Management)
- Run in Command Prompt (Admin):
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth- This repairs the Windows image that Windows Update relies on.
- Option 3 – Manually Download the Update
- Visit the Microsoft Update Catalog and install the specific update manually.
How do I fix Windows 10 update problem?
Common fixes for general Windows 10 update problems include:
- Restart Your PC and Retry the Update – Sometimes a simple restart clears temporary glitches.
- Run Windows Update Troubleshooter – As described above.
- Temporarily Disable Antivirus/Firewall – Third-party security tools may block updates.
- Free Up Disk Space – Updates need adequate storage space.
- Use Media Creation Tool – If updates still faildownload the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool and perform an in-place upgrade to refresh Windows without losing files.
How to fix a stuck Windows Update?
If Windows Update is stuck (e.g.“Downloading 0%” or “Installing 99%”)try this:
- Wait a While – Sometimes updates take longer than expectedespecially large feature updates.
- Restart the PC – Press Ctrl + Alt + Delrestartand retry the update.
- Clear Windows Update Cache – Use the service reset commands listed in the “manually fix” section above.
- Boot into Safe Mode – Restart in Safe Mode with Networking and try updating again.
- Use System Restore – If stuck updates caused instabilityroll back to a restore point and retry.
Michael has been an IT Pro since 1998. He has worked predominantly in the Windows world including client and server operating systemson-prem systems engineering (ADDNSetc.)and over the last ten years or so has embraced and immersed himself in...
