Troubleshoot problems updating Windows 10

In Windows 10, you decide when and how to get the latest updates to keep your device running smoothly and securely. This article will help you answer questions and troubleshoot common problems with your Windows 10 update.

If you’re looking for info on how to activate Windows 10 or to verify that your installation of Windows 10 is activated, see Activate Windows 10.

Have issues installing Windows updates? Start here.

Your device may not be able to update to the latest version of Windows 10 for a few reasons. The following tips can help you pinpoint the issue affecting your device.

Before you begin, make sure your device is plugged into a power source and connected to the internet. Then, try the steps listed below to get your PC to update.

Some updates require administrator access. If your account doesn’t have administrator access, see Create a local user or administrator account in Windows 10. Or if someone else at home or in your office has an administrator account on your device, try asking them to install the updates.

Before trying any of the solutions below, make sure you back up your personal files. You can use File History to back up your files to another drive, or insert a USB drive and use File Explorer to drag and copy important files to the USB drive. If you’re signing into Windows with a Microsoft account, your system settings will be automatically restored after updating, once you’re connected to the internet.

You can also back up your files with OneDrive. For more info, go to Back up your Documents, Pictures, and Desktop folders with OneDrive.

Make sure that your device has enough space. Your device requires at least 16 GB of free space to upgrade a 32-bit OS, or 20 GB for a 64-bit OS. If your device has a small hard drive, you may need to insert a USB drive to update it.

If your PC is running low on storage, try the techniques at Free up drive space in Windows 10.

Many updates require you to restart your device. Save your work and close all open applications. Then, select Start > Power , and select either Update and restart or Update and shut down.

Even if you have downloaded some updates, there may be more available. After trying the preceding steps, run Windows Update again by selecting Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Check for updates. Download and install any new updates.

Remove any external storage devices and drives, docks, and other hardware plugged into your device that aren’t needed for basic functionality. Then try to run updates again and see if this resolved your issue. If it didn’t, continue to the next tip.

If you’ve added hardware to your device, check for third-party driver updates and installation instructions on the hardware manufacturer’s website. Update any drivers, then try to run updates again and see if this resolved your issue. If it didn’t, continue to the next tip.

In the search box on the taskbar, type device manager, then select Device Manager from the list of results.

In the window that appears, look for any device with a yellow exclamation mark next to it. (You may have to select each category to view the list of devices.) Select the device name.

Select Action, and then choose either Update driver or Uninstall to correct the errors.

Common troubleshooting questions

If you are receiving an error message with a specific error code, try running the Windows Update Troubleshooter. If that doesn’t resolve the issue, see Fix Windows Update errors and follow the instructions to help resolve common update issues.

The time required to download and install updates depends on connection speed, network settings, and the size of the update. If the installation remains stuck at the same percentage, try checking for updates again or running the Windows Update Troubleshooter.

To check for updates, select Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Check for updates.

To get help, in the search box on the task bar, type get help, then select Get Help from the list of results. To leave feedback if you run into further problems, in the search box on the taskbar, type feedback hub, then select Feedback Hub from the list of results.

Windows 10 is the most secure Windows ever, and we recommend you stay updated to protect your PC from security risks and to keep it running smoothly. However, you can temporarily pause updates as well as schedule a restart to install updates at a time that’s convenient for you.
Learn how to temporarily pause updates
Find out how to schedule a restart to install updates at a convenient time

You will only receive a notification when it’s time to restart your computer to apply the installed updates.

If you need to know where you left off in your work after an update, use Timeline to jump back in.

To get started with Timeline, select Task View on the taskbar, or press the Windows logo key +Tab and select the activity you want to resume.

Monthly quality updates on Windows 10 are quite small and have a minimal impact on data usage. Feature updates typically happen twice per year, and you can control when to install them. They require more data but are less frequent.

If you’re on a metered connection, some updates for Windows won’t be installed automatically. Metered connections in Windows 10

Your computer might be slow for a number of reasons, but updating to the latest version of Windows 10 can improve its performance. For help with a slow computer, see Tips to improve PC performance in Windows 10.

If you’re having trouble finding your files after an upgrade, see Find lost files after the upgrade to Windows 10 for other things to try.

Warning: Microsoft only recommends trying the procedures in this section if you’re comfortable working in the command line. These procedures require administrator permissions on your device.

In the search box on the taskbar, type command prompt, then select Run as administrator from the list of options. Select Yes. Next, in the window that appears, type the following commands one at a time, including the spaces as shown. After you type each command, press Enter. Then let each command complete before you type the next command.

net stop wuauserv

ren %systemroot%\softwaredistribution softwaredistribution.bak

ren %systemroot%\system32\catroot2 catroot2.bak

net start wuauserv

After all these commands are completed, close the Command Prompt window and restart your computer.

In some instances, third-party antivirus or security software can cause errors when you try to update to the latest version of Windows 10. You can temporarily uninstall this software, update your PC, and then reinstall the software after your device is up to date. We recommend using third-party antivirus or security software that’s compatible with the latest version of Windows 10. You can check compatibility by visiting the software manufacturer’s website.

Note: Before uninstalling software, make sure you know how to reinstall your programs and that you have any necessary product keys.

In the search box on the taskbar, type command prompt, and then select Run as administrator from the list of options. Select Yes. In the window that appears, type the following command, including the space as shown:
chkdsk/f C:
and then press Enter. Repairs will automatically start on your hard drive, and you’ll be asked to restart your device.

A clean restart starts Windows with a minimal set of drivers and startup programs. This helps eliminate software conflicts that occur when you install a program or an update that may cause issues updating your PC.
Learn how to do a clean restart

In the search box on the taskbar, type command prompt, then select Run as administrator from the list of options.

In the window that appears, type this command including spaces as shown:
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth

Press Enter. When the command operation has run successfully, you’ll see a confirmation message from Command Prompt that says, “The restore operation completed successfully” or “The operation completed successfully”.
Note: If you don’t see a confirmation message, retype the command and try again.

Next, type this command, including the space as shown:
sfc /scannow

Press Enter. Wait until the sfc scan verification reaches 100% completion, and then close Command Prompt.

Try running the Windows Update again.

Go to the software download page and select Download tool now to download the clean installation tool. Make sure to carefully read the notes on the software download page before using the tool.

Still stuck?

Contact Microsoft support if you continue to have problems with your Windows updates.

Latest Windows 10 Update Problems and How to Fix Them

Windows 10 is, by and large, a pretty good operating system. Microsoft has gone in hard to keep its operating systems as unified as possible with forceful (though no longer completely mandatory), free upgrades to older Windows and so on. Unfortunately, a possible consequence of Microsoft’s fast pushing of Windows updates means that some of them cause problems.

There are some improvements. You can now uninstall faulty updates and delay updates and other things to give you a bit more control over what updates and patches end up on your system.

But Windows 10 update problems still happen, so we round up the latest ones here and show you how to fix them.

9 March 2021 – KB5000802

Problems: BSOD | Printer problems

Windows updates are at it again. After a fairly stable February, it looked like Windows 10 had maybe turned a corner, but it’s back to business as the KB5000802 update – an automatic security update – has been causing problems.

The problem appears when you try to use your printer, at which point you may experience a BSOD crash with the error code APC_INDEX_MISMATCH for win32kfull.sys.

According to a report at Windows Central, it occurs specifically when using “Kyocera Universal Print Drivers.”

There are no known workarounds, though Microsoft has announced it’s working on a fix. In the meantime, if you’re having this problem, the best thing to do is uninstall the update. (Head down to the fixes section to see how.)

January 2021 -KB4598242 | KB4598229

Problems: Install Failure | Error messages | File Explorer crashing | System Repair Loop | BSoD

Among the first batch of Windows 10 updates in 2021, the above updates were designed to “improve basic functions of the OS” and fix some minor security vulnerabilities and issues with dark mode. However, many users have reported that these updates have caused problems rather than improvements.

The most prevalent problem with these updates is a failure to install them in the first place, with error messages that include:

• 0x8007000d
• 0x800719e4
• 0x80073701
• 0x80070002
• 0x800f081f

For others, the updates do install but trigger boot failure, which is pretty alarming, as well as File Explorer stalling.

Our advice here is to hold off on the update for now. (See how further down this list). If you’ve already installed them and your OS is working fine, then you’re probably out of the woods.

[FIXED] KB4586781

Problems: Install Failure | Blinking Mouse Pointer | User Profile Bug | BSOD

The latest update causing headaches for Windows 10 users was released in mid-November. For the most part, it works fine, but a small yet sizeable bunch of users have complained of various issues with it.

First of all, it can fail to install, leaving you with the message: “Some update files are missing or have problems. We’ll try to download the update again later. Error code: (0x8007000d).” Thankfully, a possible workaround to this is pausing the update, then continuing it after rebooting your PC.

There have been other reports of the update wiping out user profile settings like desktop shortcuts and user settings, as well as fewer reports of outright Blue Screen of Death failures. To address these, scroll down to our fixes section.

KB4579311/KB4577671

Problems: Install Failure | BSOD | File Explorer crashing | Audio problems | Printer problems

Microsoft released a bunch of patches for those on Windows 10 versions 1903, 1904 and 2004. Updates KB4579311 and KB4577671 were designed to fix a bunch of security vulnerabilities and the “No Internet” bug (which we cover further down this list).

While the fixes worked for most users, they’ve brought a host of new problems for a handful.

First of all, many get the message that their “device is missing important security fixes” and can’t install the updates – not even manually. Unless Microsoft fixes the issue before then, you’ll need to use the Media Creation Tool (with the October patches) later in the month to get these updates.

Other problems have included BSOD, crashes and various sound and printer problems. The solution here is to uninstall the patch and pause updates until it’s been fixed. (See info on uninstalling and pausing updates further down in this article.)

How to Fix and Avoid Broken Windows 10 Updates

Install Optional “Quality” Update

If you go to the Windows Update screen (Settings -> Update & Security -> Windows Update -> Check for Update), you may occasionally see an option called “Optional quality update available.” These updates are designed specifically to address problems with recent Windows updates and become “proper” updates a few weeks later once they’ve been thoroughly tested.

These updates are still pretty stable, though, so may be worth a shot if a recent update has broken something on Windows 10 for you.

Uninstall Windows 10 Updates

You can uninstall smaller Windows 10 updates (to roll back builds, see the next section) by doing the following: in Windows, go to Settings -> Update & Security -> View update history -> Uninstall updates.

In this window, scroll down in the main pane to the “Microsoft Windows” heading, and you’ll see all the KB and security updates for Windows 10, along with the dates they were installed. Simply right-click the one you want to uninstall and reboot your PC.

How to Roll Back Windows 10 Builds

After every major update, Windows 10 gives you a 10-day window to roll back to a previous version of Windows. It’s a useful feature and should give you enough time to judge whether you have a problematic update. Of course, this won’t recover your files if Windows 10 deletes them, but at least you’ll be on a more stable version of the OS.

To do this, go to Windows 10 Settings, then click “Update & security -> Recovery.” Below “Reset this PC,” you should see the option to “go back to the previous version of Windows 10.” Click “Get started,” then follow the steps to roll back Windows 10. Again, this option is only available for 10 days after a Windows 10 build update.

Check Your Windows 10 Build

Before looking into rolling back and fixing broken Windows 10 updates, you need to check which build of Windows you’re currently on, which will confirm which issues are affecting you. To do this, just go to “Settings -> Update & Security -> View update history.”

In the new window, click the arrow next to “Feature Updates” to see the version of Windows that you’re currently using and click “Quality Updates” to see all the smaller “KB” updates you have installed.

Block and Defer Windows 10 Updates

The first thing you can do to avoid getting the above update problems and more is to take over the control when your Windows 10 updates. This way you can hold off getting updates the moment Microsoft rolls them out, monitor the news for a bit to see if any major errors crop up, then manually do the update yourself.

In the meantime, if you’re on Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, Education or S, you can postpone updates by going to “Settings -> Update & Security -> Windows Update.” Here, select the option “Choose when updates are installed” and pick the number of days you’d like to delay it.

Few things on PC are more frustrating than an update – ostensibly to improve performance – borking your system, but unfortunately, Microsoft has form in this respect. Other teething issues with Windows 10 include the Start menu search not working and the Windows Store not working, so we can help you with these, too!

Related:

Content Manager at Make Tech Easier. Enjoys Android, Windows, and tinkering with retro console emulation to breaking point.

13 comments

Another software update by Microsoft figured this one is going to be a doozie because it took six hours to install everything. Now my Lenovo is experiencing all kinds of problems. I feel like my life has been taken over without my permission. You are forced to update and then suffer the consequences. Then spend hours researching how to fix your computer. Thank you for the information you provided, I just wish I would have read it before I hit the start updates (it’s Microsoft’s gun to your head) if you want the use of your computer, while they test drive their latest programming issues and we suffer the consequences.

Totally agree with you Cheri but at the same time, all the likes we click on social media is the why it is all happening. Imagine you leave a comment on LinkedIn (which is owned by Microsoft) but you don’t click on any icon to start with. Then, = No Metrics. So imagine you multiply that by billions of people, then, Microsoft has nothing to sell. Same thing for Google and the others.

Metrics tells Microsoft to work on certain things and that work is toward just one goal : Getting information on you. What you do with your pc, when you do it, where you go, so they can sell that information to a third party and get paid for it. So it is easy to send FREE new versions to ALL users without their permissions because they didn’t pay for it and they accepted the EULA. As “THEY”, I’m included in this because, like you, I don’t have a choice. We are all on the same boat here.

Solutions to have them hear us ?
We have to hit them where they make money.
Metrics.
Ask to be paid to leave fill up a survey. Any survey.
Want to hear a silly story ?
Many small companies will return to old PC with old Windows that they still have old software.
They paid for those license and they were “Permanent”, so they can still use it and they don’t need support from Microsoft if they have good IT people.
Support is still somewhere on some websites.

They use an hybrid network.
Disconnected their own network from the internet and use the last (none automatic update window version) and installed the “from that year” old software like office suite and pdf software.
Which is mainly all you need to work
Sounds silly ?
Employees never been so productive.
They don’t receive stupid notifications that doesn’t have any connections with the work they are doing so they can stay focus on what they are doing.
They receive emails from other employees, inside the same organization inside that closed network, like we were doing before all that non-sense automatic update where we spend more time debuging our pc than actually working, and that is more than enough.
They need to see what is on their smartphone ? They wait for their 15min break.

Connected network team is for people who get the information for the other people on the closed network.
Efficiency here is the key.
some (a little team) get the information for the big team that works.

This way, Microsoft sells less license and they will start listening to us.

I have an old pc with windows XP and Office 2007.
Took the whole WIFI and ethernet out.
Installed with CDs.
It is “lightning”.
You click on the Excel icon and in a 1/100 of second, the windows is open.
No bug for 4 years and I rarely have to reboot so I do most of my work on that machine.
I accomplish more than on my new Lenovo X1 Carbon and I do programming on Python presently.

We have to stay connected but we need to find a way to checkmate them and not the other way around.

So tired of feeling powerless.

Presently, I just try to move my mouse on my 3 screens and it takes 3 seconds to get across.
It lags like hell.
It is a nightmare.
So tired of this.

Yes, I have an HP Z2 Mini workstation running Windows 10 Pro and after a unusually long running update 20H2 on 13 March, my workstation was completely unusable and I have had to roll back to 1909.
I have multiple monitors connected via DisplayPort and 2 of the 3 stopped being seen by Windows. The third monitor was black much of the time and when I did get a desktop to display, my Logitech keyboard didn’t want to work and then I got errors about the Wacom Tablet drivers and diagnostics reported a memory problem. System Restore was unable to repair automatically and I thought my machine was fried.
Now that I have removed the feature update and the machine is back on 1909, everything works perfectly and my three screens are back as normal.
Microsoft may blame drivers but to have such a massive failure with so many different manufacturers’ drivers indicates to me that MS should do be much better with their pre-release testing.

Hi–When i update to new version my fingerprint ID stopped working–Anybody ideas to fix?
Thank you

Why can’t the idiots at Microsoft work out that if you are updating an installed OS then any software installed is required to run?

We spend thousands on software required to run our business so why would anybody accept that that software will no longer run if Windows is updated. Thankfully the latest version seems to have an easy way to disable S and software verification garbage (why do you think we use Windows and not Mac), had to roll back the installation of 2004 as there was no clear easy way to disable this STUPID feature.

Still need to work out whether or not this is going to work out.

No there are more issues. My logon key no longer works. Cannot roll this crap out to the company.

one of the sytem updates has effectively disabled send/receive on my btconnect email account (using Outlook) on a Dell laptop – and is preventing any backup MS Mail account from being created. other devices woking normally – so far. online assistance has been unable to fix this and it looks like a complete reinstall of Win10.

one difficulty is that it isn’t clear which update is responsible and another is that the system restore to a prior date is also disabled.

any ideas for a fix would be greatly appreciated along with the heads of Microsoft senior management on a platter

I use Gatekeeper GKChain 2FA to log on to my PC. The update closed down previously used ports, not sure what other damage it has done, but I’ll have to cross each one as I come to it, and hope that they don’t cancel the updates on all the rest of the company’s PC’s until I know how to fix everything.

This article is useful in that it reminds us how egregiously absent are Microsoft’s contributions to product quality.

Would you buy a car with a fault record showing that it was mode often being repaired than on the road?

Yes — why are you so foolish?

No? are you stuck with Microsoft? You should change to a non-Microsoft product if you can. Is Microsoft’s monopoly stopping you? Where are the lawyers?

Any suggestions on how to fix missing letters when typing in a search bar on a Lenovo after the March 2021 update? I don’t get the following letters, b, f, g, j, l, p, q, v, x, z and numbers 0-9. After a while one could get these numbers and letters to appear but it takes a real long while of waiting.

I can’t read the cards in the solitaire collecting since the latest updated, and I can’t change them.

Above it says you can uninstall problem updates but how do you do that if it causes a BSOD on boot?
Today, got an update on my work laptop titled DPTF – 8.1.10600.150 and after it installed instant BSOD. Tried booting up again and BSOD. Booted to system restore to a week ago so that I can boot up and head to Windows Update to see if I can disable this particular update. Windows update no longer allows you to do that and once on Windows Update it reinstalled that update and BSOD. Only way I can boot and use PC now is to go to system restore after three consecutive BSODs, turn off wifi and do a system restore to last week. Now PC will boot and work like normal, just can’t enable wifi which doesn’t solve the problem as some of my work programs require internet connectivity.

Not all of my programs and games are working. If I try to open a program or a game it shows me that it will open and then quickly the window is closed.

I am considering to move to linux.

Over 14th and 15th April 2021 3 cumulative uploads went onto my old back-up Win10 computer.
On restart my TASKBAR stopped working basically could not type into it.

Tried most of the usual fixes suggested on web eg. restarting search/explorer, running sfc etc etc on powershell. Computer too old to reset to earlier times.

SO SIMPLY uninstalled all the new updates.
RESULT- taskbar now working. Have blocked updates for 35 days in the hope microsoft sorts this out.