How to Fix Windows Update Error? (Easy Troubleshooting)

Windows update not working is one of the common problems that occur on your Windows 10 PC. On getting this problem, you are stuck on or stopped at the Checking for updates messages or you won’t be able to download or install the updates. 

This problem mainly appears if the system files are corrupted or missing. Apart from that, a disabled Windows update service, an outdated version of the device drivers, incorrect DNS settings can also lead to this problem. 

Effective Fixes to “Windows Update Not Working” on Windows 10 

There are various solutions to solve this issue on your computer. Here we will be discussing all the possible solutions that will help you to get rid of the “Windows update not working” problem on Windows 10. Try them one by one down the list and find the one that works best for you.

Solution 1 – Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

One of the easy ways in which you can solve this problem is running the Windows update troubleshooter. For that,

1. Press the Start button and then click on the Settings icon.
2. From the Settings window, navigate to the Update & Security section.
3. After that, click on the Troubleshoot tab on the left panel.
4. On the right of the window, scroll down the page until you find the Windows Update troubleshooter section, select it and then click on the Run the troubleshooter option.
5. Now, the troubleshooter will find the problems and then you can solve them by clicking on the Apply fix option.
6. Once the process is complete, reboot your Windows 10 computer.

Solution 2 –  Restart the Windows Update Service

If the Windows update service has stopped working then you may find that the Windows update is not working. So, you need to restart the service by following these steps:

1. Right-click on the Start icon and then select Run.
2. In the Run box, type services.msc and then click on the OK button or press the Enter button.
3. When you are in the Services window, locate the Windows Update service, double-click on it to open the Properties window.
4. In the Properties window, set the Startup type to Automatic from the drop-down menu list.
5. After doing this, click on the Apply option and then OK button to save the changes.

Solution 3 – Install the Latest Version of the Device Driver

Updating the driver is an easy task and can help resolve this problem on the device. Therefore, you must keep the driver up to date. 

1. Press the Windows Home button and then choose Device Manager.
2. From the Device Manager window, look for the device drivers with a yellow mark and then right-click on them one by one.
3. After that, select the Update Software option from the menu list.
4. Once the update completes, reboot the system and then check if the Windows update works properly or not.

Solution 4 – Change the DNS Server Settings

Incorrect DNS settings can also result in the ‘Windows Update not working’ problem on Windows 10. Therefore, you need to change the DNS server settings. If you do not know how to do that, then follow these steps given below.

1. Click on the Start icon and then choose Control Panel.
2. When you are in the Control Panel window, go to the Network and Sharing Center section and then click on the Change adapter settings option on the left panel.
3. In the Connections window, locate the connection that you want to change, right-click on it and then choose Properties.
4. From the Properties window, scroll down the list and click on Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) under “This connection uses the following items” section.
5. Thereafter, click on the Properties option.
6. When the Properties window opens, click on the Advanced option.
7. In the Advanced window, move to the DNS tab. If you see any IP address is listed then note that down and then click on the Remove option.
8. After that, click on the Add button and then type the Google DNS server IP address 8.8.8.8 or 8.8.4.4
9. Click on the Add button. After that, click on the OK button to save it.
10. Reboot the computer and then check if the problem still occurs or not.

Solution 5 – Using the Command Prompt

1. Press the Start button and X key together to launch the WinX menu list and then choose Command Prompt(Admin).
2. In the Command Prompt window, type the following commands one by one and then press the Enter key after typing each.
   

   net stop wuauserv
   net stop cryptSvc
   net stop bits
   net stop msiserver
   ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
   ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 catroot2.old
   net start wuauserv
   net start cryptSvc
   net start bits
   net start msiserver
   net localgroup administrators networkservice /add
   net localgroup administrators localservice /add

3. Once these commands are executed, reboot the device and then check if the issue is resolved or not.

Solution 6 – Perform a System Restore

Performing a System restore can eliminate the “Windows update not working” issue on. Below are certain steps that you can follow.

1. Type ‘system restore’ in the Search box and then hit the Enter button.
2. When you are in the System Restore window, click on Next.
3. In the next window, select the restore point and then click on the Next button.
4. Check all the details and then click on the Finish button. Now the process will begin.
5. After the system restores to a previous working state, reboot the computer.

Solution 7 – Update Patches

Sometimes, this problem appears if you miss some Microsoft patches on your computer. Therefore you should download and install the patches on your computer. Follow these steps:

1. Press the Start button and select Control Panel.
2. In the Control Panel window, go to the Windows Update section.
3. From the Windows Update window, click on the Change Settings option on the left panel.
4. Select the Never check for updates (recommended) from the drop-down menu list under the Important updates section.
5. After that, click on the OK option to save the changes and then reboot the PC.
6. Next, visit the Microsoft official website, download the patches and then restart the device.
7. After restarting the device, go to the Sevices window and locate Windows Update service, right-click on it. Then choose the Stop button.
8. Next, navigate to the C:\Windows folder and find the SoftwareDistribution folder, right-click on it and then choose the Delete button.
9. After that, double-click on the patches setup files and then install them.
10. Once you are done with these steps, restart the Windows 10 PC and then check if it fixes the issue or not.

Solution 8 – Run the System File Checker Tool

Corrupted system files can cause this issue on your computer. To perform this fix, follow these steps:

1. Right-click on the Windows Home button and then choose Command Prompt(Admin).
2. Type SFC/scannow and then press the Enter key.
3. It will take a few seconds to complete.
4. After the tool finishes checking, reboot your PC and then check if the issue has been solved or not.

These are the solutions for the ‘Windows update not working’ issue on a Windows device.