Windows Update Failed [SOLVED]

Microsoft releases new updates regularly to fix old problems, update drivers and software, and important features of Windows for all its users. Sometimes it is just security improvements. More specifically, the “Windows Update Failed” problem can be fixed by running the Windows update troubleshooter, stopping or pausing the Windows updates temporarily, deleting the “SoftwareDistribution” folder, or fixing the issues with the files by using the SFC scan.

This article will outline multiple ways to fix the “Windows Update Failed” Issue.

How to Fix the “Failing Windows Update” Issue?

To fix the “Windows Update Failed” Issue, try the following fixes:

Run the Update Troubleshooter
Stop Windows Update
Delete “SoftwareDistribution” Folder
Run SFC Scan

Method 1: Run the Update Troubleshooter

Troubleshooting comes built-in with Windows to fix basic issues. Run “Windows Update Troubleshooter” by following the provided steps.

Step 1: Launch Settings

To open “Settings” by pressing “Windows” and “I”:

Step 2: Open Update & Security

Select “Update & Security”:

Step 3: Click Troubleshoot

Choose “Troubleshoot” as highlighted:

Step 4: See All Troubleshooters

Click “Additional Troubleshooters” as shown below:

Step 5: Windows Update Troubleshooter

Locate and click on “Windows Update” when found:

Step 6: Run the Troubleshooter

Then, start the troubleshooting process:

Method 2: Stop Windows Update

You can pause the updates for now and resume them at a later date by following the detailed instructions provided.

Step 1: Choose Windows Update

Go to “Settings”, choose “Update & Security”, and select “Windows Update”:

Step 2: Pause Updates

Click on the button that is highlighted in the below-given image:

Method 3: Delete the “SoftwareDistribution” Folder

To fix this issue, delete the “SoftwareDistribution” folder by following the given guide.

Step 1: Navigate to Windows Folder

Make your way through your Computer and open the Windows Folder:

Step 2: Delete the “SoftwareDistribution” Folder

Locate the “SoftwareDistribution” folder and delete it when found:

Method 4: Run SFC Scan

You can also run the SFC scan to try to find and fix the issue with files.

Step 1: Launch Command Prompt as Admin

Type “cmd” in the search box of the Startup menu and tap the “Run as administrator” option:

Step 2: Run the System File Checker Command

Run the “sfc” command given below:

sfc /scannow

As a result, sfc will scan the corrupted file and fix them.

Conclusion

The “Windows Update Failed” problem can be solved by following various fixes. These methods contain running the update troubleshooter, stopping the Windows update, deleting the “SoftwareDistribution” folder, and running the SFC scan. This article provided easy ways to fix the Windows update issue.