Windows 10 update not downloading properly

Whether it fixes your problem or not but it can surely identify and provide you with useful information regarding the problem.

If the Troubleshooter stops before completing the process, fix it with the help of this complete guide.

Solution 2 – Use System Restore to roll back and uninstall a bad update

If Windows Update is not working, System Restore might be the best way to fix it. System Restore takes your computer back into the past when it was working fine.

It can fix your problem but before anything else, you would need to identify when the problem started and what was the real reason behind it.

First of all, to find the problem you need to follow these steps:

1. Open Start Menu from the Taskbar at the bottom of the screen.</li>
2. Click to open the Settings right above the Power button.
   
3. Click on the tab of Update & Security.
   
   
4. In this new window, you need to select Update History and find the last successful update installed on your windows.
   

After pointing out the origin of the problem now you need to restore your computer right before that event so that it works fine as before that update. The following should be followed to restore your windows.

1. Now when you click that option, you will now see a list of updates installed on your system.
2. You will also see an option to Uninstall updates at the top. Click it.
   
3. When you click Uninstall updates, a new window will pop up which shows the new updates that are installed on the PC.
4. You can choose to uninstall any of these updates but proceed with caution as uninstalling a critical update will lead to a PC that is full of bugs.

After the completion of restore, your computer will work fine.

If you’re having trouble opening the Setting app, take a look at this article to solve the issue.

Solution 3 – Scan your PC for malware

Windows Update provides updates that eliminate the effect of this malware hence many of this malware target Windows Update to stop it from working correctly.

Not only that but this malware also affect other important Windows services. These services include Windows Update, System Restore , and sometimes even your antivirus program.

If Windows Update is not working you will have to make sure your PC is clean and does not have any kind of malware.

To do so, scan your PC with a security program that you have or if you just use Windows Defender, then go ahead and scan it using Windows Defender.

You need to make sure your security programs are up to date in order to keep your PC safe.

Solution 4 – Install a fresh version of Windows

If nothing works for you, then it is a wise choice to install Windows freshly using Microsoft Windows 10 Install Drive.

For this option, it is very important that you create a backup of your data on an external drive because this option will erase all of your data.

And the product ID of your windows should be saved or should be written at a safe place before reinstalling your Windows.

If you want to back up your data, this amazing guide will help you keep all your files safe.

If your interested in a software that will do it for you, check out this list with the best back up software available right now.

Epic guide alert! Reinstall Windows 10 with a few quick steps. Everything you need to know is right here.

Solution 5 – Delete all files from the Software Distribution directory

If Windows Update is not working on your PC, you might be able to solve the problem simply by deleting files from SoftwareDistribution directory.

Sometimes files in this directory can become corrupted and that can cause this problem to appear. To fix the issue, you need to delete these files by doing the following:

1. Press Windows Key + R and enter services.msc. Press Enter or click OK.
   
2. When Services window opens, locate Background Intelligent Transfer Service, right-click it and choose Stop from the menu. Do the same for Windows Update service.
   
3. After disabling these services go to C:WindowsSoftwareDistribution directory.
   
4. Select all files in the SoftwareDistribution directory and click on Delete.
   
5. Go back to Services window and start both Windows Update and Background Intelligent Transfer Services.

After doing that, try to download updates manually and check if the problem is resolved.

Need additional info on how to delete the Software Distribution folder? Here’s a dedicated guide about that.

If you’re an advanced user, you can fix this problem by using Command Prompt. This method is a bit more complex, but it’s also faster. To do it, follow these steps:

1. Open Command Prompt as administrator. To do that, press Windows Key + X to open the Win + X menu and choose Command Prompt (Admin). If the Command Prompt isn’t available, you can also use PowerShell (Admin).
2. When Command Prompt opens, you need to paste the following lines and run them one by one:
   • net stop wuauserv
   • net stop cryptSvc
   • net stop bits
   • net stop msiserver
   • ren C:WindowsSoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
   • <strong>ren C:WindowsSystem32catroot2 catroot2.old</strong
   • net start wuauserv
   • net start cryptSvc
   • net start bits
   • net start msiserver
   • pause
   • Exit

After running these commands, the issues with Windows Update should be resolved and everything will start working again.

If you’re having trouble accessing Command Prompt as an admin, then you better take a closer look on this guide.

Solution 6 – Change your DNS

According to users, sometimes Windows Update is not working due to problems with your DNS.

Sometimes your default DNS might have some issues that are preventing you from using Windows Update.

To fix this issue, you need to do the following:

1. Right-click the network icon in the bottom right corner and choose Open Network and Sharing Center.
   
2. In the left pane, click on Change adapter settings.
   
3. Locate your network connection, right-click it and choose Properties from the menu.
   
4. Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and click on Properties.
   
5. Select Use the following DNS server addresses and enter 8.8.8.8 as a Preferred >DNS server and 8.8.4.4 as Alternate DNS server. Click OK to save changes.
   

After changing your DNS server the issue should be resolved and Windows Update will start working again without any problems.

Your freshly set up DNS is looking ok but the server is not responding? Check out this nifty guide to solve the issue.

If Windows Update is not working on your PC, the problem might be your Internet connection or file corruption.

Even though this can be a big problem, we hope you managed to solve it by using one of our solutions.

If you have any more suggestions or questions, don’t hesitate to leave them in the comments section below.

FAQ: Read more about Windows Updates

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in March 2019 and has been since revamped and updated in April 2020 for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.