1.Restart Your Computer:
Sometimes a simple restart can resolve background process conflicts that interfere with Windows Update.
2.Temporarily Disable Antivirus/Firewall:
Disable your antivirus or firewall temporarily to check if it is blocking the update process. Don’t forget to re-enable it afterward.
3.Run Windows Update Troubleshooter:
Go to Settings → Update & Security → Troubleshoot → Additional troubleshooters → Select Windows Update → Click Run the troubleshooter and follow the on-screen instructions.
4.Stop Update Services and Clear Cache:
- Press Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
- Stop the following services:
- Windows Update (wuauserv)
- Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS)
- Navigate to C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution and delete all contents.
- Restart the stopped services and try updating again.
5.Perform a Clean Boot:
Run msconfig → Services tab → Check Hide all Microsoft services → Click Disable all.
Go to the Startup tab → Open Task Manager → Disable all startup items → Restart your PC.
Then try Windows Update again.
6.Reset Windows Update Components:
Open Command Prompt as Administrator and enter these commands one by one:
net stop wuauserv
net stop bits
ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 catroot2.old
net start wuauserv
net start bits
7.Run SFC and DISM Scans:
Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run the following:
sfc /scannow
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
This will scan for and fix any system file issues that could affect the update process.
8.Use Windows Update Assistant:
Go to the Microsoft Update Assistant page. Download and run the tool to manually install pending updates.
9.Check for Background Software Conflicts:
Check Task Manager for any apps running in the background that may be interfering. Close unnecessary applications before running updates.
10.Check Disk for Errors:
Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run:
chkdsk /f /r
Schedule it if prompted, and restart your computer.