Step 1: Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

  1. 1

    Windows 11: Settings → System → Troubleshoot → Other Troubleshooters

    Find Windows Update in the list and click Run. Windows diagnoses and automatically fixes the most common update issues including stuck updates, corrupted files and service failures.

  2. 2

    Windows 10: Settings → Update and Security → Troubleshoot → Additional troubleshooters

    Select Windows Update and click Run the troubleshooter. Follow the prompts.

Step 2: Clear the Windows Update Cache

If the troubleshooter does not fix it, corrupted update files in the cache are often the cause. Clearing them forces Windows to re-download everything fresh.

  1. 3

    Stop the Windows Update service

    Press Windows + R, type services.msc and press Enter. Find Windows Update in the list. Right-click it and select Stop. Leave this window open.

  2. 4

    Delete the SoftwareDistribution folder contents

    Open File Explorer and navigate to C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download. Select all files (Ctrl+A) and delete them. This is the update cache — safe to clear.

  3. 5

    Restart the Windows Update service

    Go back to Services, right-click Windows Update and select Start. Then go to Settings → Windows Update → Check for updates. Windows re-downloads the updates fresh.

Step 3: Run SFC and DISM (For Corrupted System Files)

  1. 6

    Run System File Checker

    Open Command Prompt as administrator (search cmd → right-click → Run as administrator). Type sfc /scannow and press Enter. Wait — this takes 10–15 minutes and repairs corrupted system files.

  2. 7

    Run DISM if SFC finds errors

    If SFC reports errors it could not fix, run: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth and press Enter. This downloads replacement files from Microsoft. Takes 10–20 minutes.

  3. 8

    Restart and try updating again

    After SFC and DISM complete, restart your computer and try Windows Update again.

Common error codes0x80070057 — clear update cache (Step 2). 0x800705b4 — restart Windows Update service. 0x80240034 — run troubleshooter. 0x8007000d — run SFC. For any persistent error, searching the exact code on Microsoft's support site gives specific fixes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Security updates should not be skipped long-term — they patch vulnerabilities that malware actively exploits. Feature updates are less urgent. If an update keeps failing, fix the underlying issue rather than permanently skipping updates.
Wait at least 2 hours — some updates genuinely take a long time at certain percentages. If still stuck after 2 hours, restart the computer (it will continue from where it left off), or force a shutdown by holding the power button and let Windows recover on next boot.