Use these steps in order; test Windows Update after each major step.
- Verify power and internet
- Make sure the PC is plugged in and has a stable internet connection.
- Go to Start > Settings > Network & Internet > Wi‑Fi and confirm it is connected.
- Confirm administrator access
- Ensure the signed‑in account has administrator rights, because some updates require this.
- Disconnect unnecessary hardware
- Unplug external drives, docks, and other non‑essential USB devices.
- Try Windows Update again.
- Clear the Windows Update cache
- Press Win + R, type
services.msc, press Enter. - Find Windows Update, right‑click, Stop.
- Open File Explorer and go to
C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution. - Delete all files and folders inside SoftwareDistribution.
- Go back to Services, right‑click Windows Update, choose Start.
- Reopen Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and check for updates.
- Rename SoftwareDistribution and Catroot2 folders (deeper reset)
- In the taskbar search, type command prompt.
- Right‑click Command Prompt, choose Run as administrator, select Yes.
- Run these commands one by one, pressing Enter after each and waiting for completion:
net stop bits net stop wuauserv ren %systemroot%\softwaredistribution softwaredistribution.bak ren %systemroot%\system32\catroot2 catroot2.bak net start bits net start wuauserv - Close Command Prompt and restart the PC, then try Windows Update again.
- Check date, time, and free space
- Go to Start > Settings > Time & language > Date & time.
- Turn on Set time automatically and, if available, select Sync now.
- Ensure enough free disk space: at least 16 GB free for 32‑bit or 20 GB for 64‑bit Windows.
- Run the Windows Update troubleshooter
- Go to Start > Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters.
- Run Windows Update and follow the on‑screen instructions.
- Restart to apply pending updates
- If updates install but remain pending, select Start > Power > Update and restart or Update and shut down to complete installation.
If Windows Update still shows “Something went wrong” after these steps, perform a clean restart (clean boot) to rule out software conflicts and try Windows Update again.
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