Update the Windows Update Agent to the latest version

This article describes how to update the Windows Update Agent to the latest version.

Original product version: В Windows 10 — all editions, Windows Server 2012
Original KB number: В 949104

Summary

If you have automatic updating turned on, the latest version of the Windows Update Agent is downloaded and installed automatically on your computer. Or, you can manually download and install the Windows Update Agent.

Automatically download Windows Update Agent

To download the Windows Update Agent automatically, follow these steps:

Turn on automatic updating. Follow these steps, for the version of Windows that you are running.

Windows 8.1 or Windows 8

1. Open Windows Update by swiping in from the right edge of the screen (or, if you’re using a mouse, pointing to the lower-right corner of the screen and moving up the mouse pointer), tapping or clicking Settings, tapping or clicking Control Panel, and then tapping or clicking Windows Update.
2. Tap or click Change settings.
3. Under Important updates, choose Install updates automatically.
4. Under Recommended updates, select the Give me recommended updates the same way I receive important updates check box, and then select OK.

Windows 7, Windows Vista, or Windows XP

To turn on automatic updating automatically, select the Fix it button or link, and then select Run in the View Download dialog box. Then, follow the steps in the Fix it wizard.

Restart the Windows Update service. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Press the Windows logo Key+R to open the Run box.
2. Type services.msc in the Run box, and then press Enter.
3. Right-click Windows Update in the Services management console, and then select Stop. If you are running Windows XP, right-click Automatic Updates, and then select Stop.
4. After Windows Update stops, right-click Windows Update, and then select Start. If you are running Windows XP, right-click Automatic Updates, and then select Start.

Wait for Windows Update to start, and then verify that the Windows Update Agent is updated.

Manually download Windows Update Agent from Microsoft Download Center

Click the download link for your version of Windows to obtain the latest Windows Update Agent.

Stand-alone packages for Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012

The following files are available for download from the Microsoft Download Center.

Operating system	Update
All supported x86-based versions of Windows 8 (KB2937636)	Download the package now.
All supported x64-based versions of Windows 8 (KB2937636)	Download the package now.
All supported x64-based versions of Windows Server 2012 (KB2937636)	Download the package now.

Stand-alone packages for Windows 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1

The following files are available for download from Windows Update.

Operating system	Update
All supported x86-based versions of Windows 7 SP1	Download the package now.
All supported x64-based versions of Windows 7 SP1	Download the package now.
All supported x86-based versions of Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1	Download the package now.
All supported x64-based versions of Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1	Download the package now.
All supported Itanium-based versions of Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1	Download the package now.

Windows 8.1, Windows RT 8.1, and Windows Server 2012 R2 with update 2919355 already include the latest version of the Windows Update Agent.

More information

If you receive a Windows Update error, try Solutions for common Windows Update errors.

For more information about how to check which version of the Windows Update Agent is installed, follow these steps:

1. Open the %systemroot%\system32 folder. %systemroot% is the folder in which Windows is installed. For example, the %systemroot% folder is C:\Windows .
2. Right-click Wuaueng.dll, and then select Properties.
3. Select the Details tab, and then locate the file version number.

The latest version of the Windows Update Agent for Windows 8.1 is 7.9.9600.16422. The latest version of the Windows Update Agent for Windows 8 is 7.8.9200.16693. The latest version of the Windows Update Agent for Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP is 7.6.7600.256.

Improvements in version 7.6.7600.256 of Windows Update Agent

A hardened infrastructure so that the Windows Update client will trust only those files that are signed by a new certificate. The certificate is used solely to protect updates to the Windows Update client.

A more secure communication channel for the Windows Update client

Improvements in version 7.4.7600.226 of Windows Update Agent

• Improved scan times for Windows updates.
• Improved Windows Update UI for computers that are running Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008.
• More visible and detailed descriptions of updates.
• Improvements in how users are notified about service packs.

Issues that are fixed in version 7.2.6001.788 of Windows Update Agent

Version 7.2.6001.788 of the Windows Update Agent fixes the following issue. This issue was not previously documented in a Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

• When you try to install 80 or more updates at the same time from Windows Update or Microsoft Update, you receive a «0x80070057» error code.

Improvements in version 7.2.6001.784 of Windows Update Agent

• Improved scan times for Windows Update
• Improved speed at which signature updates are delivered
• Support for Windows Installer reinstallation
• Improved error messaging

Issues that are fixed by version 7.0.6000.381 of Windows Update Agent

Version 7.0.6000.381 of the Windows Update Agent fixes the following issues. These issues were not previously documented in a Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

• The Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) crashes on a Windows Vista-based computer. For more information, see An update is available to fix a Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) crash on a Windows Vista-based computer.
• A fix is included that reduces the number of restarts that are required for the stand-alone installer when Multilingual User Interface Pack (MUI) files are being used.
• User interface elements in the Korean, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese languages are fixed.
• The Windows Vista installation experience is improved.

Windows Update helps keep your computer up-to-date and secure by downloading and installing the latest security and other updates from Microsoft. Windows Update determines which updates apply to your computer.

Microsoft periodically makes software updates available to users of Windows and other Microsoft software. These include updates that improve reliability and performance, updates that provide new protections against malware and other potentially unwanted software, and upgrades to Windows features. To improve the performance or the reliability of hardware components on the computer, Microsoft may also provide updates to device drivers that are supplied by the computer manufacturer.

If you turn on Windows Update, software components that are directly related to Windows Update will have to be updated occasionally on your computer. These updates must be performed before Windows Update can check for required updates or before it can install other updates. These required updates fix errors, provide ongoing improvements, and maintain compatibility with the Microsoft servers that support Windows Update. If you disable Windows Update, you will not receive these updates.

Windows Update is configured to install updates automatically when you select the recommended option during Windows Out Of Box Experience (OOBE) Setup. You can also turn on Windows Update by selecting one of following settings in the Automatic Updates item in Control Panel:

• Automatic (recommended).
• Download updates for me, but let me choose when to install them.
• Notify me, but don’t automatically download or install them.

After you turn on Windows Update, the required updates to components of Windows Update will be downloaded and installed automatically without notifying you. This behavior occurs regardless of which setting you use to turn on Windows Update. If you do not want to receive required updates, you can disable automatic updates in Control Panel.

The updates to Windows Update itself typically do the following: Address feedback from customers, improve compatibility, service performance and reliability, and enable new service capabilities. When the Windows Update server is updated, a corresponding client update is typically required. During an agent self-update operation, Windows Update Agent files may be added, modified, or replaced. For example, Windows Update Agent files that help display the user experience or that determine whether updates apply to a particular system may be added. This behavior occurs when a system is set to automatically check for available updates. This does not occur when automatic updates are turned off. For example, this behavior does not occur if you select Never check for updates in Windows Vista and Windows 7 or if you select Turn off Automatic Updates in Windows XP.

Administrators will receive the latest version of the Windows Update Agent for deployment through Windows Server Update Services (WSUS).

Windows Update — additional resources

Applies to:

• Windows 10
• Windows Server 2016
• Windows Server 2019

Windows Server 2016 supports policies available in Windows 10, version 1607. Windows Server 2019 supports policies available in Windows 10, version 1809.

The following resources provide additional information about using Windows Update.

WSUS Troubleshooting

How do I reset Windows Update components?

• Try using the Windows Update Troubleshooter, which will analyze the situation and reset any components that need it.
• Try the steps in Troubleshoot problems updating Windows 10.
• Try the steps in Fix Windows Update errors.

If all else fails, try resetting the Windows Update Agent by running these commands from an elevated command prompt:

Reset Windows Update components manually

Open a Windows command prompt. To open a command prompt, click Start > Run. Copy and paste (or type) the following command and then press ENTER:

Stop the BITS service, the Windows Update service and the Cryptographic service. To do this, type the following commands at a command prompt. Press ENTER after you type each command.

Delete the qmgr*.dat files. To do this, type the following command at a command prompt, and then press ENTER:

If this is your first attempt at resolving your Windows Update issues by using the steps in this article, go to step 5 without carrying out the steps in step 4. The steps in step 4 should only be performed at this point in the troubleshooting if you cannot resolve your Windows Update issues after following all steps but step 4. The steps in step 4 are also performed by the «Aggressive» mode of the Fix it Solution above.

1. Rename the following folders to *.BAK:

To do this, type the following commands at a command prompt. Press ENTER after you type each command.

1. Reset the BITS service and the Windows Update service to the default security descriptor. To do this, type the following commands at a command prompt. Press ENTER after you type each command.

Type the following command at a command prompt, and then press ENTER:

Reregister the BITS files and the Windows Update files. To do this, type the following commands at a command prompt. Press ENTER after you type each command.

Reset Winsock. To do this, type the following command at a command prompt, and then press ENTER:

If you are running Windows XP or Windows Server 2003, you have to set the proxy settings. To do this, type the following command at a command prompt, and then press ENTER:

Restart the BITS service, the Windows Update service and the Cryptographic service. To do this, type the following commands at a command prompt. Press ENTER after you type each command.

If you are running Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008, clear the BITS queue. To do this, type the following command at a command prompt, and then press ENTER:

Центр обновления Windows — дополнительные ресурсы Windows Update — additional resources

Относится к: Applies to:

• Windows 10 Windows 10
• Windows Server 2016 Windows Server 2016
• Windows Server 2019 Windows Server 2019

Windows Server 2016 поддерживает политики, доступные в Windows 10 версии 1607. Windows Server 2016 supports policies available in Windows 10, version 1607. Windows Server 2019 поддерживает политики, доступные в Windows 10 версии 1809. Windows Server 2019 supports policies available in Windows 10, version 1809.

В следующих ресурсах содержатся дополнительные сведения об использовании Центра обновления Windows. The following resources provide additional information about using Windows Update.

Устранение неполадок WSUS WSUS Troubleshooting

Как сбросить компоненты Центра обновления Windows? How do I reset Windows Update components?

• Попробуйте использовать средство устранения неполадок Центра обновления Windows, которое проанализирует ситуацию и сбросит компоненты, которым это требуется. Try using the Windows Update Troubleshooter, which will analyze the situation and reset any components that need it.
• Попробуйте выполнить действия из статьи Устранение неполадок при обновлении Windows 10. Try the steps in Troubleshoot problems updating Windows 10.
• Попробуйте выполнить действия из статьи Исправление ошибок Центра обновления Windows. Try the steps in Fix Windows Update errors.

Если другие действия не помогают, попробуйте сбросить агент Центра обновления Windows, выполнив следующие команды из командной строки с повышенными привилегиями. If all else fails, try resetting the Windows Update Agent by running these commands from an elevated command prompt:

Сброс компонентов Центра обновления Windows вручную Reset Windows Update components manually

Откройте командную строку Windows. Open a Windows command prompt. Чтобы открыть командную строку, нажмите Пуск > Выполнить. To open a command prompt, click Start > Run. Скопируйте и вставьте (или введите вручную) следующую команду в командную строку, затем нажмите клавишу ВВОД: Copy and paste (or type) the following command and then press ENTER:

Остановите службу BITS, службу Центра обновления Windows и службу шифрования. Stop the BITS service, the Windows Update service and the Cryptographic service. Для этого введите следующие команды в командной строке. To do this, type the following commands at a command prompt. После ввода каждой команды нажимайте клавишу ВВОД. Press ENTER after you type each command.

Удалите файлы qmgr*.dat. Delete the qmgr*.dat files. Для этого введите следующую команду в командной строке и нажмите клавишу ВВОД: To do this, type the following command at a command prompt, and then press ENTER:

Если вы впервые пытаетесь устранить неполадки Центра обновления Windows, выполнив действия, перечисленные в этой статье, перейдите к шагу 5, не выполняя действия шага 4. If this is your first attempt at resolving your Windows Update issues by using the steps in this article, go to step 5 without carrying out the steps in step 4. Действия, описанные на шаге 4, необходимо выполнять при устранении неполадок только в случае, если неполадки Центра обновления Windows не удается устранить, выполнив все шаги, кроме шага 4. The steps in step 4 should only be performed at this point in the troubleshooting if you cannot resolve your Windows Update issues after following all steps but step 4. Действия шага 4 также выполняются в «агрессивном» режиме указанного выше решения «Исправить». The steps in step 4 are also performed by the «Aggressive» mode of the Fix it Solution above.

1. Переименуйте следующие папки в *.BAK: Rename the following folders to *.BAK:

Для этого введите следующие команды в командной строке. To do this, type the following commands at a command prompt. После ввода каждой команды нажимайте клавишу ВВОД. Press ENTER after you type each command.

1. Сбросьте службу BITS и службу Центра обновления Windows до значений дескриптора безопасности по умолчанию. Reset the BITS service and the Windows Update service to the default security descriptor. Для этого введите следующие команды в командной строке. To do this, type the following commands at a command prompt. После ввода каждой команды нажимайте клавишу ВВОД. Press ENTER after you type each command.

Введите следующую команду в командной строке и нажмите клавишу ВВОД: Type the following command at a command prompt, and then press ENTER:

Зарегистрируйте файлы BITS и файлы Центра обновления Windows. Reregister the BITS files and the Windows Update files. Для этого введите следующие команды в командной строке. To do this, type the following commands at a command prompt. После ввода каждой команды нажимайте клавишу ВВОД. Press ENTER after you type each command.

Сбросьте WinSock. Reset Winsock. Для этого введите следующую команду в командной строке и нажмите клавишу ВВОД: To do this, type the following command at a command prompt, and then press ENTER:

Если вы используете Windows XP или Windows Server 2003, необходимо настроить параметры прокси-сервера. If you are running Windows XP or Windows Server 2003, you have to set the proxy settings. Для этого введите следующую команду в командной строке и нажмите клавишу ВВОД: To do this, type the following command at a command prompt, and then press ENTER:

Перезапустите службу BITS, службу Центра обновления Windows и службу шифрования. Restart the BITS service, the Windows Update service and the Cryptographic service. Для этого введите следующие команды в командной строке. To do this, type the following commands at a command prompt. После ввода каждой команды нажимайте клавишу ВВОД. Press ENTER after you type each command.

Если вы используете Windows Vista или Windows Server 2008, очистите очередь BITS. If you are running Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008, clear the BITS queue. Для этого введите следующую команду в командной строке и нажмите клавишу ВВОД: To do this, type the following command at a command prompt, and then press ENTER: