Windows OS

How to Fix Windows 10 Update Error 0X8000ffff?

The “0X8000ffff” error appears whenever there is a problem with Windows updates or the Microsoft store. One can not differentiate the reason between the two whenever the described error occurs. There could be several reasons for this error, including incorrect date and time, a malicious attack on Windows, a corrupt user profile, a corrupt Microsoft store, a bug in the Microsoft store, or the current user does not have enough rights.

This tutorial will present numerous approaches to rectify the mentioned error.

How to Fix/Rectify the Windows 10 Update Error 0X8000ffff?

The described error can be repaired by utilizing these approaches:

Fix 1: Run Full System Scan

Malicious bugs and viruses could enter Windows through the internet or USB devices, causing several problems. More specifically, “0X8000ffff” could result from a malicious attack. In such a situation, Windows can be recovered by running a full system scan.

Step 1: Launch Virus & Threat Protection

First, open “Virus & threat protection” from the Start menu:

Step 2: Launch Scan Options

Select “Scan options” from the below window:

Step 3: Run Full Scan

Select “Full scan” and click on the “Scan now” button to initiate the full system scan:

The scan has started to remove the malware:

Fix 2: Set the Correct Date & Time

Incorrect date and time result in an internet connectivity problem which eventually leads to the Windows update issue. Correcting the date and time will help in resolving the described problem.

Step 1: Open System Settings

Initially, navigate to the Start menu and open “Settings” through the Start menu:

Step 2: Open Time Settings

Trigger the “Time & Language”:

Step 3: Update Date & Time

Turn on the “Set time automatically” toggle by clicking on it:

Fix 3: Reset the Store Cache

The common errors/problems of the Microsoft Store can be repaired by clearing or resetting the cache. The “wsreset” is a Windows tool used for the mentioned purpose. For that purpose, first, search and open “wsreset” from the Windows 10 Start menu:

Now, not only “wsreset” utility clear the cache, but it also helps to bypass the store from antivirus and malware detectors:

Fix 4: Run Windows Store Apps Troubleshooter

When there are minor problems with the Microsoft Store then running a Windows apps troubleshooter will fix it.

Step 1: Open the Troubleshoot Settings

Initially, navigate to the Start menu and open “Troubleshooting settings” from the Start menu:

Step 2: Execute the Troubleshooter

First, look for the “Windows Store Apps” section and trigger the “Run the troubleshooter”:

As it can be seen, the troubleshooting of the store has begun:

Fix 5: Reinstall Windows Store

Microsoft Store comes pre-installed in Windows. Therefore, reinstalling Microsoft Store requires administrator privileges. Additionally, it will also resolve the described error.

Step 1: Open PowerShell

First up, search the “Powershell” from the Start menu and open it:

Step 2: Reinstall the Microsoft Store

Copy the given code and paste it into your PowerShell console for reinstalling Microsoft Store:

>Get-AppxPackage -allusers Microsoft.WindowsStore | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}

Fix 6: Switch to Administrator Account

Your user account may not have enough administrative privileges to update apps or Windows. Thus, enabling the administrator account can help you fix the described problem.

Step 1: Launch CMD

Navigate to the Start menu and launch “Command Prompt” from there:

Step 2: Enable Administrator Account

Run the following “net user” command for enabling the administrator account:

>net user administrator /active:yes

Note: The administrator account has been enabled. Log out from your user account and log in to the administrator account.

Fix 7: Create a New User

In case your current user account is corrupt, then creating a new user profile/account is the only choice. Doing so will also fix the 0X8000ffff update error.

Step 1: Open the System Settings

Initially, from the Start menu, open “Settings”:

Step 2: Launch the Accounts Settings

Trigger the “Accounts” section:

Step 3: Add a New User Profile

Now, move to the “Family & other users” and select the highlighted option:

Trigger the highlighted option:

Then, click on the highlighted option:

Step 4: Enter User Profile Login Credentials

Type the username and password and trigger the “Next” button:

Step 5: Enable Administrator Account

Trigger the “Change account type” option:

Choose “Administrator” and trigger the “OK” button:

We have offered authentic solutions relevant to the discussed update error.

Conclusion

The “Windows 10 update error 0x8000ffff” can be repaired by utilizing various approaches. These approaches include running a full system scan, setting the correct date & time, resetting the store cache, running Windows store apps troubleshooter, reinstalling the Windows store, switching to an administrator account, or creating a new user account. This blog has provided multiple methods to repair the mentioned problem.

About the author

Muhammad Farhan

I am a Computer Science graduate and now a technical writer who loves to provide the easiest solutions to the most difficult problems related to Windows, Linux, and Web designing. My love for Computer Science emerges every day because of its ease in our everyday life.