How To Troubleshoot And Reset Windows Update

When Windows Update refuses to cooperate, present are 3 basal troubleshooting steps to return successful Windows 10 aliases 11 to get things backmost connected track.

Like it aliases not, those who usage Windows Update to get and instal updates, patches, and fixes will occasionally brushwood issues. Sometimes, a circumstantial update whitethorn not download. At different times, an update whitethorn neglect to install. Every now and then, Windows Update (a.k.a. WU) whitethorn garbage to interact pinch nan Windows servers from which updates come.

That’s wherever these steps travel into play. Try these troubleshooting techniques successful nan bid outlined beneath to get WU operational again.

Although I’ve illustrated nan WU troubleshooting steps successful Windows 11 here, nan aforesaid techniques besides activity pinch Windows 10, pinch only insignificant variations. This communicative covers some Windows OSes rather nicely.

1. If astatine first you don’t succeed…try again

Though nan astir basal of each troubleshooting techniques for Windows Update doesn’t ever work, it tin thief sometimes. That is, if WU fails to activity arsenic expected, nan first point to effort is moving nan Windows Update petition again.

For champion results, restart nan target PC earlier trying again. It’s not perfectly necessary, but it whitethorn clear immoderate pending aliases transitory conditions (such arsenic an already-downloaded update that needs to beryllium applied, aliases immoderate different pending strategy action) that will put Windows Update backmost to rights.

Here’s what to do (see Figures 1 and 2):

1. Click Start, past nan power button icon (far right), past Restart from its pop-up menu.

Figure 1: After redeeming each work, click nan powerfulness fastener successful nan Start paper (lower right), and past click Restart successful nan menu.

Ed Tittel / Foundry

2. When nan desktop reappears, click Start > Settings > Windows Update, past click nan Check for updates button.

Figure 2: Click Start > Settings > Windows Update. Then click Check for updates. It whitethorn work!

Ed Tittel / Foundry

In my ain experience, this useful one-quarter to one-half of nan clip erstwhile a WU problem manifests. The upload and instal simply succeeds connected a 2nd try. Could it person been a download hiccup, aliases possibly cosmic rays? Whatever: getting it connected that adjacent effort is simply a bully thing!

But if restarting nan PC provides nary relief, move onto nan adjacent section.

2. Try nan Windows Update troubleshooter (or Get Help app)

As nan trite package saying goes, “There’s an app for that.” For communal Windows issues — which decidedly see WU — it’s arsenic valid to observe, “There’s a troubleshooter for that.” Troubleshooters are built-in Windows mini-apps meant to diagnose and hole circumstantial Windows problems.

In Windows 11, troubleshooters are being deprecated successful favour of a new cosmopolitan Get Help app, but for now, astatine least, nan Windows Update troubleshooter remains nan go-to for WU problems successful some Windows 10 and Windows 11. Indeed, if you participate troubleshoot Windows Update errors into nan Get Help app, it takes you to this very aforesaid troubleshooter.

At immoderate as-yet-unknown constituent successful nan future, that troubleshooter whitethorn beryllium replaced pinch different instrumentality disposable via Get Help. In nan meantime, here’s really to occurrence up nan WU troubleshooter directly:

1. Click Start > Settings.

2. Insider nan Settings app, type trouble into search. You’ll spot thing for illustration nan database shown successful Figure 3 appear. Click Troubleshoot Other problems.

Figure 3: The WU troubleshooter falls nether Troubleshoot Other problems.

Ed Tittel / Foundry

3. In nan “Other troubleshooters” pane, Windows Update appears successful position 4 (from top) nether nan “Most frequent” heading, arsenic shown successful Figure 4. Click nan Run fastener astatine nan right-hand broadside of that entry.

Figure 4: Click nan Run fastener to nan correct of Windows Update to motorboat that troubleshooter.

Ed Tittel / Foundry

4. The Windows Update troubleshooter runs successful its ain window. You’ll prime 1 of 2 options: I can’t download, install, aliases uninstall an update aliases I installed an update, but that update has caused a problem. Pick nan 1 that matches your situation. (For this story, I picked I can’t download…) The troubleshooter asks support to tally an automated diagnostic. Choose Yes, and it runs — beryllium patient, this tin return a infinitesimal aliases two.

When it finishes, you’ll spot a last study model for illustration nan 1 successful Figure 5.

Figure 5: When nan correction cheque completes, nan troubleshooter asks if its hole worked. How tin you tell?

Ed Tittel / Foundry

The troubleshooter asks if its hole solved nan problem, but it’s difficult to show that without moving different update cheque successful WU. I usually reply Yes to nan mobility shown successful Figure 5, restart nan PC, and tally Windows Update again. Only past is nan existent Yes/No reply clear.

In my experience, nan WU troubleshooter really fixes what’s incorrect one-third to one-half of nan time. If it doesn’t, beforehand to nan adjacent section, please.

3. Completely reset WU

If nan WU troubleshooter doesn’t reside your issue, location is heavier artillery you tin bring to bear. It’s afloat described successful nan fantabulous Windows 11 Forum tutorial entitled “Reset Windows Update successful Windows 11.” This tutorial includes a download nexus to a typical batch record that turns disconnected each WU related services, resets each Windows Update components and policies, past restarts each nan services it turns off. (There’s a akin tutorial for resetting WU successful Windows 10 connected Windows 10 Forums, complete pinch its ain batch file.)

The download ends successful a ZIP extension, truthful you’ll request to unzip it aft you download. This will uncover nan batch record named Reset_Reregister_Windows_Update_Components_for_Windows11.bat.

Next, you’ll request to unfastened an administrative bid punctual aliases PowerShell session. (Type either cmd or powershell in nan Windows hunt box, right-click Command Prompt or Windows PowerShell in nan database of results, select Run arsenic administrator, and participate nan password if prompted.)

Next, navigate to nan files wherever nan aforenamed batch record resides. (It’s truthful handy, I support it connected nan desktop connected my Windows 10 and 11 PCs, arsenic shown successful Figure 6.)

Figure 6: The filename is truthful agelong you request to unfastened Properties to spot it connected nan desktop.

Ed Tittel / Foundry

Cut and paste nan filename into nan bid line, and past deed the Enter key to tally it. That’s each location is to it.

This batch record takes a while to tally and involves checking and stopping WU services (bits, wuauserv, and cryptsvc). It past flushes nan DNS cache, clears pending update requests, deletes impermanent files and folders related to WU downloads, and resets Windows Update policies successful nan Windows Registry. Then it restarts nan services it stopped, and yet ends by offering a Restart button. Use it, because nan PC must restart for each these changes to return effect.

I’ve utilized this batch record connected astir of my Windows 10 and 11 PCs (and 7, 8, and 8.1 PCs earlier that), and it’s worked successful each lawsuit isolated from 2 to put WU backmost successful action. On nan machines wherever it failed, it turned retired I had a hardware problem (a failing SSD) connected 1 of them. On nan other, Microsoft’s update was later documented to airs problems for definite PCs.

IMO, nan reset-reregister batch record is thing of a metallic slug for WU problems. Thus, if you don’t mind waiting nan clip it tin return to activity done its processes (under 2 minutes connected my 8th-gen i7 Lenovo X12 hybrid tablet), it’s ever worthy a try.

After I ran it connected my first trial PC, it cleared nan correction information nan troubleshooter recovered but couldn’t fix, and successfully downloaded and installed a pending Cumulative Update (CU).

If nan metallic slug doesn’t work, past what?

On 1 of nan 2 occasions erstwhile nan batch record didn’t hole WU, I had to return my affected PC to nan shop, wherever they were capable to observe and diagnose a failing thrust (SSD) that I did not drawback connected my own. Once that constituent was replaced, nan strategy returned to normal moving order.

On nan different machine, I learned from nan chatter astir KB5053390 connected Windows 11 Forum that others were having akin problems. After I used DISM to instal that package manually, WU resumed moving correctly. Thus, online investigation tin besides thief forestall unnecessary flailing astir erstwhile WU problems present.

Before you return a PC that gets to this shape to nan shop, I’d urge trying an in-place repair install. And if that fails, effort a clean OS install next. Only past should a travel to nan shop beryllium needed. Hopefully, you’ll ne'er get that far!

Additional reference connected WU issues and errors

The Microsoft Learn postulation called “Windows deployment documentation” covers nan ins and outs of Windows deployment, including WU and updates. It includes a Troubleshoot conception surgery into 2 parts — namely, “Resolve Windows upgrade errors” and “Windows Update issues troubleshooting.” Both dispense tons of useful proposal and techniques, positive discussions of (and references to) Windows Update correction codes. For those who want to study and do much astir WU and its workings, these are must-reads.