Windows Update Stuck at 0% or 100%? Try This

Updated October 2026. Steps checked against Microsoft Support's Windows Update troubleshooting and recovery pages on 22 October 2026.

Short answer: if Windows Update is stuck at 0% or 100%, give it a proper chance first (an hour on a fast PC, longer on an old hard drive), then restart, run the Windows Update troubleshooter in the Get Help app, and if it's still stuck, reset the update cache by renaming the SoftwareDistribution and catroot2 folders. Still failing? Install the update manually from the Microsoft Update Catalog, or use "Fix problems using Windows Update" in Settings to repair Windows without losing your files.

That's the whole order. Below is each fix in detail, starting with the ones that take a minute and ending with the ones that take an hour.

Jump to:

• Why it gets stuck
• Step 1: Wait (with limits)
• Step 2: Restart, check space
• Step 3: Troubleshooter
• Step 4: Reset update components
• Step 5: DISM and SFC
• Step 6: Manual install
• Step 7: Reinstall, keep files
• FAQ

Why Windows Update gets stuck at 0% or 100%

The two numbers usually mean different things.

• Stuck at 0% (downloading) is almost always a download problem: a broken update cache, the Windows Update service hanging, a VPN or firewall blocking Microsoft's servers, or just a slow connection.
• Stuck at 100% (installing, or "Working on updates, don't turn off your computer") usually means Windows is doing the slow part, unpacking and configuring files, which can crawl on an old hard drive. Sometimes it's genuinely hung on a driver or a corrupted file.

Most of the time, the fixes below sort out both.

Step 1: Wait, but not forever

I know this is the answer nobody wants. But the percentage on that screen is a rough guess, not a real progress bar, and the jump from 99% to done can take a while. Big monthly updates on a laptop with a spinning hard drive are the classic case. On a laptop, plug in before a big update so it doesn't run flat halfway. If the battery barely lasts these days, here's how to check laptop battery health on Windows 11.

My rule: if the screen says "don't turn off your computer", leave it for at least an hour. If the drive light is still blinking or the fan is busy, it's working. Pulling the power mid-install is the one move that can turn a slow update into a PC that won't boot, so I only do that as a last resort, after two or three hours with zero disk activity.

If you're stuck at 0% in Settings rather than on a full-screen install, you don't need to wait that long. Fifteen to twenty minutes with nothing moving is enough to move on.

Step 2: Restart and check disk space

If Windows is running normally and the update is stuck in Settings, restart the PC properly (Start > Power > Restart, not Shut down). Then check you have enough room: open Settings > System > Storage. Microsoft's own error list mentions running out of space as a common cause of failed upgrades. I'd want at least 10 to 20 GB free on the C: drive for a big update.

While you're there, turn off any VPN for a bit. Microsoft lists VPN connections as a cause of the 0x800F0922 update error. And if the PC shows Wi-Fi as connected but nothing loads, fix that first with my Wi-Fi connected but no internet guide.

Step 3: Run the Windows Update troubleshooter

On Windows 11, Microsoft's troubleshooter page now sends you to the Get Help app first. Search for Get Help in Start, type "Windows Update troubleshooter", and let it run its checks. It can reset services and clear common problems by itself.

If that doesn't help, try the classic one: Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters, then Run next to Windows Update. Restart afterwards and check for updates again.

Honestly, the troubleshooter fixes it less often than I'd like. But it's two minutes, so it's worth trying before you open a command prompt.

Step 4: Reset Windows Update components

This is the fix that works most often for a stuck download. Windows keeps downloaded update files in a folder called SoftwareDistribution and update signatures in catroot2. If either gets corrupted, updates sit at 0% forever. Renaming them makes Windows build fresh copies.

Search for Command Prompt, choose Run as administrator, and run these one at a time:

net stop wuauserv
net stop bits
net stop cryptsvc
ren %systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.bak
ren %systemroot%\System32\catroot2 catroot2.bak
net start cryptsvc
net start bits
net start wuauserv

Microsoft's own version of this list on its troubleshooting page stops just BITS and Windows Update. I add the Cryptographic service (cryptsvc), because catroot2 is usually in use by it and the rename fails with "Access is denied" otherwise.

If a ren line says the file already exists, you've done this before. Delete the old .bak folder first, or use a different name like SoftwareDistribution.old.

Restart, then go to Settings > Windows Update and check again. The first check can take a few minutes because Windows is rebuilding its update history. Your installed updates aren't affected, though the history list in Settings may look emptier than before.

Step 5: Repair system files with DISM and SFC

If the update downloads but fails or hangs while installing, damaged system files are a likely cause. Microsoft's fix for error 0x80073712 is exactly this. In an admin Command Prompt:

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
sfc /scannow

DISM can sit at 20% or 62% for a long time. That's normal; let it finish. Then run SFC, restart, and try the update again.

Step 6: Install the update manually

If one particular update keeps failing, skip Windows Update and grab it yourself:

• Open Settings > Windows Update > Update history and note the KB number of the failed update (it looks like KB5127648).
• Search that number on the Microsoft Update Catalog.
• Download the file that matches your Windows version and type (x64 for most PCs, ARM64 for Snapdragon laptops) and double-click it to install.

This also tells you something useful: if the manual install fails too, the problem is on your PC, not with the download.

Step 7: Reinstall Windows without losing files

When nothing else works, Windows 11 has a built-in repair that I wish more people knew about. Go to Settings > System > Recovery and, under Fix problems using Windows Update, click Reinstall now. According to Microsoft, it reinstalls your current version of Windows and keeps your apps, files and settings.

Keep the PC plugged in and online the whole time. The option won't appear on work or school-managed PCs, or on very old Windows 11 builds. I'd still back up your important files first. "Keeps your files" is the plan, and backups are for when plans go wrong.

If you're deciding whether a feature update is even worth installing right now, my post on Windows 11 26H2 vs 25H2 covers support dates and current known issues.

And if the update finally goes through but your disk still sits at 100% with nothing open, my guide to 100% disk usage on Windows 11 picks up from there.

If the update did install but now your PC won't start, or it keeps landing on a Recovery screen, that's a different fix. I've covered October's problem update here: KB5127648 broke boot? Fixes for the Windows 11 October update.

What not to do

• Don't download "update fixer" tools from random sites. Everything they do is in the steps above, and some of them bundle junk.
• Don't disable Windows Update permanently to make the problem go away. You'll stop getting security fixes. Pausing updates for a week or two in Settings is fine if you need breathing room.
• Don't delete random folders in C:\Windows. Renaming SoftwareDistribution and catroot2 is safe. Most other things in there aren't.

If you hit an error code I haven't covered, drop it in the comments with your Windows version, and I'll add it.

FAQ

How long should I wait if Windows Update is stuck at 100%?

At least an hour, longer on an old hard drive. If the disk light is blinking, it's still working. I'd only force a restart after two or three hours with no disk activity at all.

Is it safe to delete the SoftwareDistribution folder?

Renaming it is safe and is what Microsoft suggests. Windows creates a new one and downloads what it needs again. Your installed updates and personal files aren't touched.

Why is Windows Update stuck at 0% downloading?

Usually a corrupted update cache, a hung Windows Update service, or something blocking the connection, like a VPN. Resetting the update components (Step 4) fixes most cases.

Can I turn off my PC during "Working on updates"?

Try not to. Cutting power mid-install can leave Windows unable to boot. If it's truly frozen for hours, a forced restart is a last resort, and Windows will usually roll the update back.

Does resetting Windows Update delete my files?

No. Steps 1 to 6 only touch update files. Step 7 reinstalls Windows but is designed to keep your apps, files and settings; still, back up first.