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.

FIX: Windows 10 won’t shut down

• If Windows 10 is not fully shutting down, the issue might be with your drivers.
• The problem may also be due to the Intel(R) Management Engine Interface driver. To fix this problem, it’s advised to update the drivers for this device to the latest version.
• If you have any other issues with the Shutdown process, take a look at our Shutdown section where you can find all our articles about this topic.
• For a broader approach, go to our Complete guides on troubleshooting Windows 10 hub. As it says on the label, there you will find all our solutions for Windows 10 problems.

1. Download Restoro PC Repair Tool that comes with Patented Technologies (patent available here).
2. Click Start Scan to find Windows issues that could be causing PC problems.
3. Click Repair All to fix issues affecting your computer’s security and performance

• Restoro has been downloaded by 0 readers this month.

Many Microsoft Windows users have reported problems when trying to shut down their laptops.

These problems have appeared after upgrading to Windows 10 and even after doing a fresh, clean install of the same operating system.

How do I fix Windows 10 won’t shut down or restarts instead?

Sometimes Windows 10 is not shutting down properly, and that can be a big problem, however, you can fix that issue by doing the following:

• Windows 10 won’t shut down after update – This issue can occur if you have issues with your drivers. To fix it, simply update the drivers to the latest version and check if that helps.
• Computer won’t shut down Windows 10 – Many users reported that their PC won’t shut down at all. This can occur due to Intel(R) Management Engine Interface device, so be sure to disable it and check if that helps.
• Windows 10 shutting down stuck – Sometimes the shutdown process can get stuck. This can occur if you have problems with Windows Update. To fix the issue, run the Windows Update troubleshooter and check if that helps.
• Windows 10 not shutting down completely, black screen – In some cases, this issue can occur due to the Fast Startup feature. To fix it, simply turn this feature off and check if that solves your problem.
• Windows 10 restarts instead of shutting down – The cause of this issue is the fast startup feature that Microsoft has introduced with Windows 10.
• Computer won’t shut down windows 10 – This problem can also be caused by the fast startup feature that allows Windows 10 to boot faster.
• Windows 10 takes forever to shut down – If your computer takes a lot of time at the programs need to close window or doesn’t go beyond that, then you have a problem with a malfunctioning software.
• Windows 10 computer turns on after shutting down – One common cause for this problem is a system crash . Windows is configured to automatically restart when the system crashes.
• Windows 10 not fully shutting down – There’s a slight chance that this problem could also be caused by the fast startup feature in Windows 10.

These problems are usually related to the power management configuration used or are caused by using wrong or outdated drivers.

In this article, we’ll list some of the methods that have fixed this problem for the majority of Windows 10 users.

Solution 1 – Update the drivers

If Windows 10 is not fully shutting down, the issue might be your drivers.

Having the latest drivers is important, especially if you want to ensure that there are no conflicts between your operating system and your hardware.

Therefore, it’s quite important to keep all your driversup to date.

To do this, you simply have to visit the manufacturer’s website of the device you want to update and download the latest drivers for your version of Windows.

To do that, first, you need to know the model of your device and then download the appropriate driver for it. Keep in mind that you need to do this for all devices that you want to update.

This can be quite tedious, so many users lean towards using third-party solutions such as TweakBit Driver Updater to update their drivers.

By using this tool you’ll automatically update all your drivers in a matter of minutes, so you might want to try it out.

It will also keep you safe from downloading and installing the wrong driver versions, thus damaging your system and its functionalities.

After updating your drivers, check if the problem is still there.

Solution 2 – Disable Intel Management Engine Interface

Many users reported that Windows 10 takes forever to shut down due to Intel(R) Management Engine Interface driver.

To fix this problem, it’s advised to update the drivers for this device to the latest version.

In addition, you might want to try using the older drivers if the latest ones don’t work properly.

In the worst-case scenario, you might even have to disable this device completely. To do that, just follow these steps:

1. Open Win + X menu by pressing Windows Key + X and choose Device Manager.
   
2. Locate the Intel(R) Management Engine Interface right-click it and choose Disable device from the menu.
3. When the confirmation dialog appears, click Yes.

After disabling this device, check if the problem with the shutdown is still there.

Solution 3 – Run chkdsk command

In some cases, it’s possible that there’s a bad sector on your hard drive that is causing problems with Windows shutdown.

If Windows 10 is not shutting down properly, you might be able to fix the problem simply by running the chkdsk scan. To do that, follow these steps:

1. Open Command Prompt as administrator. To do that, press Windows Key + X and select Command Prompt (Admin) or PowerShell (Admin) from the menu.
   
2. When Command Prompt opens, enter chkdsk /f :X and press Enter. Replace the :X with the letter of your system drive. In most cases, that would be C.
   
3. You’ll be asked to schedule a scan. Press Y to confirm.