Windows Update Stuck? Fix Frozen Downloads & Installs

Why Windows Update Gets Stuck

Windows Update can freeze at any point — stuck downloading at 0%, hung "Installing" at 27%, or looping through restarts. The root cause is usually one of these:

Before you try anything complex, check the basics:

If the update is still stuck after a restart, work through the steps below.

Step 1: Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

Microsoft's built-in troubleshooter fixes many common issues automatically.

This resets several update components and clears minor configuration issues. It works about 40% of the time on its own.

Step 2: Clear the Update Cache

Corrupted cached files are the most common cause of a frozen download. Clearing the cache forces Windows to download the update fresh.

Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run these commands one by one:

net stop wuauserv
net stop bits
net stop cryptSvc
ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 catroot2.old
net start wuauserv
net start bits
net start cryptSvc

Then go to Settings → Windows Update and click Check for updates again. Windows will rebuild the cache from scratch.

Step 3: Reset Windows Update Components Completely

If clearing the cache was not enough, a full component reset is the next step. Open PowerShell as Administrator:

# Stop all update-related services
Stop-Service -Name wuauserv, bits, cryptSvc, msiserver -Force

# Delete BITS queue
Remove-Item "$env:ALLUSERSPROFILE\Application Data\Microsoft\Network\Downloader\*" -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

# Reset Winsock and proxy
netsh winsock reset
netsh winhttp reset proxy

# Restart services
Start-Service -Name wuauserv, bits, cryptSvc, msiserver

Restart your PC after running this.

Step 4: Manually Install the Stuck Update

If a specific KB number is stuck:

This bypasses the normal update pipeline entirely.

Step 5: Fix "Working on Updates" Boot Loop

If your PC restarted during an update and is now stuck on the "Working on updates" screen:

Wait at least 2 hours. Some updates genuinely take a long time, especially cumulative or feature updates. If it has been more than 2 hours with no progress:

If it loops back to "Working on updates" after the hard restart:

Step 6: Check for Disk Errors

Corrupted system files can prevent updates from installing:

sfc /scannow
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Run sfc first. If it finds and repairs files, run Windows Update again. If sfc reports it could not fix some files, run the DISM command — it downloads clean copies from Microsoft's servers — then run sfc a second time.

Step 7: Temporarily Disable Third-Party Software

VPNs, firewalls, and third-party antivirus (especially Norton, McAfee, and Kaspersky) are known to interfere with Windows Update downloads. Temporarily disable them, run the update, then re-enable.

How This Differs From Update Error Codes

If Windows Update gives you a specific error code (like 0x80070002 or 0x800f081f), our guide on fixing Windows Update errors covers those specific codes in detail. This guide is for when the update just freezes — no error, just stuck.

Still Stuck? Get AI Help

If you have worked through every step and updates still will not install, the cause may be specific to your PC's configuration — a conflicting driver, a group policy, or a damaged component store that DISM cannot reach. Describe what is happening at DiagnoseMyPc and get a targeted fix. The first diagnosis is free.