Windows OS is meant to update automatically (recommended option) and the process should go smoothly.

However, the Windows update does not always work as intended and many users have complained of Windows update not working.

If you are facing similar issues, this post is for you.

Here we have discussed 4 easy-to-follow solutions that could fix the issue.

Solution One- Run Windows Update Troubleshooter

Windows OS features an in-built Windows update troubleshooter that can fix various issues related to Windows update. Here are the steps to follow.

• Click Start
• In the search box, type troubleshooting
• Select Troubleshooting from list of results
• In the Troubleshooting window, go to System and Security section
• Click Fix problems with Windows update
• In the Windows update dialog box, click Advanced

• In the next window, click Run as administrator

• Make sure Apply repairs automatically box is checked
• Click Next
• Windows Update Troubleshooter will scan for update related issues and fix them automatically. This process may take longer so have patience.

Alternatively, you can also download Windows Update Troubleshooter from Microsoft website and run it on your computer.

After Windows Update Troubleshooter process is completed, check whether Windows update is working now. If the issue is not resolved, move to next solution.

Solution Two- Update Network Drivers

A large number of problems in Windows are related to drivers. If network drivers are corrupt, broken, or missing, it can lead to issue like Windows update not working. There are two ways to update network drivers- manually and automatically.

Method One- Update Network Drivers Manually

• Press Windows logo key and R simultaneously on the keyboard to bring up Run command box
• In the Run command box, type devmgmt.msc and click OK
• In the Device Manager window, go to Network adapter category and expand it
• Right-click on the Ethernet controller and click Properties
• In the properties window, go to General tab
• Note down the name of the Ethernet controller, manufacturer name and other details
• Now go to Driver tab and note down the driver version
• Follow the same procedure for Wi-Fi adapter or Wireless adapter in the list to get the details of the network adapter
• (Note-Laptop users who connect to Internet through Wi-Fi need to download latest drivers for Wireless adapter)
• Close Device Manager
• Open Internet browser
• Go to Network adapter manufacturer website and type the name of the network adapter in search box.
• You will see the list of downloads available for network adapter. You need to be careful when downloading network drivers. For example, if your computer has Windows 32-bit OS installed, you need to download and install 32-bit network drivers. Similarly, if you have 64-bit OS, you need to download 62-bit network drivers.
• Once the network drivers are downloaded, double-click on the setup (.exe) file and follow on-screen instructions to install network drivers. If the driver setup file is in .zip format, unzip the file contents to a folder and then double-click on the setup(.exe file)
• Restart PC after installing network drivers

Check whether windows update is working. If the issue remains unresolved, move to next solution

If you feel the method of manually updating drivers is cumbersome, you can opt to update drivers automatically.

Method Two- Update Network Drivers automatically

Automatic driver update tools offer many benefits, the most important ones being:

• You can update device drivers automatically
• The software scans and updates all outdated or missing drivers at one go
• The tool picks the right drivers for your device and operating system, so you won’t have to worry about installing an incorrect driver by mistake
• Automatic driver updates are 100% safe

Driver Updater is one of the best driver update tools out there. Outbyte Driver Updater will give you access to a database of over 1 million drivers. It will regularly scan your PC, suggesting new driver versions to install. Driver Updater contains drivers for a variety of Windows devices. With just one click, you can update drivers in your system.

Step 1
Click here to Install and launch the app

Step 2
Scan all devices

Step 3
Install or update drivers automatically

 

Start Download

 

Solution Three- Restart Windows Update Service

Windows update service is an important software component in downloading and installing Windows update.

There is a possibility the Windows update service is not working as intended and restarting the Windows Update service can make things right.

The troubleshooting steps for this solution are divided into three steps.

Step One – Stop Windows Update Service

• Click Start
• Type cmd in search bar
• From the list of results, right-click cmd and click Run as administrator
• In the Command prompt window, type net stop wuauserv and hit Enter on keyboard

• Wait for the command execution to complete. After some time, you will see a message that says” The Windows Update service was stopped successfully”

Step Two- Delete Two Folders

• Open Windows Explorer
• Navigate to C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution folder
• Delete all files in Download and DataStore folder

Step Three- Start Windows Update Service Manually

• Open Command prompt with admin rights
• Type net start wuauserv and hit Enter on your keyboard

• Wait for the command execution to complete. After some time you will see a message which says ” The Windows Update service was started successfully”
• Close Command Prompt window

Check whether Windows update has started working. If the issue remains unresolved, move to next solution.

Solution Four- Install Patches

• If you have missed some important Windows patches, it might cause issues like Windows update not working. A simple solution to this issue is downloading and installing these patches manually. Here are the steps to follow.
• Click Start and then click Control Panel
• In the Control Panel window, set the View by – Large Icons
• Click Windows Update
• In the next window, click Change Settings in the left-hand column

• Go to Important updates section, click the down arrow button to see all options
• Choose Never check for updates (not recommended)

• Click OK
• Restart your PC
• After booting the PC, open Internet browser and go to Microsoft website
• Download following updates – KB3102810, KB3083710, KB3020369, KB3050265, KB3172605
• Before installing the updates, you need to stop the Windows update service. Refer the Step One in Solution Three. After stopping the Windows Update service, navigate to C: \Windows and right-click SoftwareDistribution folder and select Delete.
• Now, double-click on the downloaded update file to install. After installing all updates, restart your PC.
• You need to restart the Windows update service. Refer the Step Three in Solution Three to restart Windows update service.

Check whether Windows update is working now. In most cases, the Windows update working problem must be solved by one of the solutions given above.