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).

Пакеты обновления и Центр обновления

Получение последнего обновления Windows 10

Windows 10 автоматически загружает и устанавливает обновления, чтобы обеспечить безопасность вашего устройства и доступ к актуальным возможностям. Это означает, что вы получаете последние исправления и обновления системы безопасности, а это обеспечивает безопасность вашего устройства и помогает ему работать эффективно.

Несмотря на то что обновления загружаются и устанавливаются автоматически, они могут быть доступны не на всех устройствах одновременно; мы следим за тем, чтобы обновления были готовы и совместимы.

Чтобы проверить наличие обновлений вручную, нажмите кнопку Пуск , а затем выберите Параметры > обновить & безопасность > центра обновления Windows >и выберите пункт проверить наличие обновлений.

Пакет обновления (SP) для Windows часто включает ранее выпущенные обновления и помогает повысить надежность Windows. Пакеты обновления могут содержать улучшения для компонентов безопасности и производительности, а также предоставлять поддержку для новых типов оборудования. Установите последнюю версию пакета, чтобы Windows оставалась в актуальном состоянии. Установка пакетов обновления занимает приблизительно 30 минут. Во время установки потребуется перезагрузить компьютер.

Рекомендуемый (и самый простой) способ получать обновления — включить Центр обновления Windows для Windows 8.1. После этого Windows будет уведомлять, когда обновления будут готовы к установке.

Пакет обновления (SP) для Windows часто включает ранее выпущенные обновления и помогает повысить надежность Windows. Бесплатные пакеты обновления на этой странице могут содержать улучшения для компонентов безопасности и производительности, а также предоставлять поддержку для новых типов оборудования. Установите последнюю версию пакета, чтобы Windows оставалась в актуальном состоянии. Установка пакетов обновления занимает приблизительно 30 минут. Во время установки потребуется перезагрузить компьютер.

Поддержка Windows 7 закончилась 14 января 2020 г.

Чтобы продолжить получать обновления системы безопасности от Майкрософт, мы рекомендуем перейти на Windows 10.

Последний пакет обновления для Windows 7 — это пакет обновления 1 (SP1). Узнайте, как получить пакет обновления 1 (SP1).

Поддержка Windows 7 RTM (без пакета обновления 1 (SP1)) завершилась 9 апреля 2013 года.

Security intelligence updates for Microsoft Defender Antivirus and other Microsoft antimalware

Microsoft continually updates security intelligence in antimalware products to cover the latest threats and to constantly tweak detection logic, enhancing the ability of Microsoft Defender Antivirus and other Microsoft antimalware solutions to accurately identify threats. This security intelligence works directly with cloud-based protection to deliver fast and powerful AI-enhanced, next-generation protection.

Microsoft security intelligence updates include software that incorporates material from third parties. Third-party notices and information

Automatic updates

To help ensure your antimalware solution detects the latest threats, get updates automatically as part of Windows Update. If you are having problems with Windows Update, use the troubleshooter.

If you don’t already use Microsoft Defender Antivirus, learn how to turn it on.

Trigger an update

A manually triggered update immediately downloads and applies the latest security intelligence. This process might also address problems with automatic updates. Microsoft Defender Antivirus and other Microsoft antimalware solutions provide a way to manually trigger an update.

In Windows 10, select Check for updates in the Windows Security Virus & threat protection screen to check for the latest updates.

Enterprise administrators can also push updates to devices in their network. To clear the current cache and trigger an update, use a batch script that runs the following commands as an administrator:

Manually download the update

You can manually download the latest update.

Latest security intelligence update

The latest security intelligence update is:

• Version: 1.335.1193.0
• Engine Version: 1.1.18000.5
• Platform Version: 4.18.2103.7
• Released: 4/19/2021 10:41:36 AM
• Documentation: Release notes

You need to download different security intelligence files for different products and platforms. Select the version that matches your Windows operating system or the environment where you will apply the update.

Note: Starting on Monday October 21, 2019, the Security intelligence update packages will be SHA2 signed.
Please make sure you have the necessary update installed to support SHA2 signing, see 2019 SHA-2 Code Signing Support requirement for Windows and WSUS.

Antimalware solution	Definition version
Microsoft Defender Antivirus for Windows 10 and Windows 8.1	32-bit | 64-bit | ARM
Microsoft Security Essentials	32-bit | 64-bit
Windows Defender in Windows 7 and Windows Vista	32-bit | 64-bit
Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset (DaRT)	32-bit | 64-bit
System Center 2012 Configuration Manager	32-bit | 64-bit
System Center 2012 Endpoint Protection	32-bit | 64-bit
Windows Intune	32-bit | 64-bit

The links point to an executable file named mpam-fe.exe , mpam-feX64.exe , or mpas-fe.exe (used by older antispyware solutions). Simply launch the file to manually install the latest security intelligence.

End of life for Microsoft Forefront Client Security was on July 14, 2015. Customers are encouraged to migrate to System Center Endpoint Protection. For more information, visit the Microsoft support lifecycle website.

Network Inspection System updates

The following products leverage Network Inspection System (NIS) updates:

• Microsoft Security Essentials
• Forefront Endpoint Protection
• System Center 2012 Endpoint Protection

These updates are designed to protect you from network threats, including exploits as they are transmitted. Check the version of the Antimalware Client component on your security software and download the right version of the NIS updates for your platform.