2026-07 Security Update is failing to install on Windows 11 Home 25H2, error code 0x800f0920

Question

For whatever reason, for about the past month or two, my desktop has been unable to install Windows security updates. Other updates work fine, but the security update keeps hanging at 97/98% in the install process and then reverting changes. It got bad enough that a day or two ago it started suggesting that my OS was corrupt and asked me to reinstall. Here are the steps I have tried so far:

Restarting and retrying the update.
Restarting Windows Update.

Confirming sufficient space on drive (about 230 GB free).

Updating drivers for network, storage, graphics, mouse, and keyboard.

Unplugging everything from the computer except mouse, keyboard, Wifi, and one monitor.

Clearing Software Distribution folder.

Doing a system reinstall from within Windows Update.

Running SFC and DISM clean ups in command.

Doing a system reinstall from an ISO.

After doing the reinstall from the ISO (which failed initially but worked after SFC and DISM cleanups), Windows Update no longer says my system needs reinstalled but I still can't get the security update to install, which was the initial issue. The install error I'm receiving is 0x800f0920.

Any help fixing this error would be greatly appreciated!

Answer 1

Hi,

Please try the following solutions below.

1. Reset Windows Update components
   1. Right-click on Start, then click on Windows PowerShell (Admin)
   2. Type these commands and press Enter on each command:

net stop wuauserv
net stop cryptSvc
net stop bits
ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 Catroot2.old
net start wuauserv
net start cryptSvc
net start bits
netsh winsock reset

c. Restart your PC, then go to Start > Settings > Update & Security and try to install the update again.

1. If you have a 3rd-party anti-virus and firewall app, please disable or uninstall them. Then try to install the update again. Sometimes a 3rd-party anti-virus and firewall app blocks updates.
2. Please try to perform a clean boot, then update again. There can be an app that blocks you from updating.
3. If none work, please reset your PC and choose to keep the files and cloud install. Make sure that your internet connection is working.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/reset-your-pc-0ef73740-b927-549b-b7c9-e6f2b48d275e

Please let me know how it goes. I look forward to your response.

Stay Safe!