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If you’ve been a Windows user for a long time, you know how crucial updates are for keeping your system secure and running smoothly. But there’s nothing more frustrating than hitting a wall with an error saying:
“Windows Update cannot currently check for updates because the service is not running. You may need to restart your computer.”
It’s annoying, we know. But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! Whether you’re a casual user or more of a tech-savvy person, we’ll walk you through a few solutions to get your Windows Update service back on track.
Why is the Windows Update Service Not Running On My PC?
Before we list down the fixes, let’s take a look at why this happens:
- Faulty apps or services: Sometimes, background apps or even third-party antivirus software can interfere with Windows Update.
- Corrupted update cache: Over time, your update cache might get bloated or corrupted, which can prevent new updates from installing.
Worth noting: these and other issues can cause other similar Windows update errors such as:
6 Ways on How to Fix Windows Update Service Not Running
Below, we have divided the fixes into two types; beginner-friendly fixes for those who just want quick and easy solutions, and some advanced methods in case the easier ones don’t work for you.
3 Beginner-Friendly Ways to
Fix a Not Running Windows Update Service
Let’s start with the basics. These steps are easy to follow, even if you don’t have much tech experience.
Solution 1. Restart Your PC
It sounds cliché, but sometimes a simple reboot can resolve the issue. If Windows Update can’t check for updates, restart your computer and see if that resolves the error. If not, move on to the next step.
Solution 2. Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter
Windows has a built-in troubleshooter that often works wonders with update issues.
Here’s how to use it:
- Press the ‘Windows + I‘ keys to open Settings.
- Go to “Update & Security”.
- Click on “Troubleshoot” in the left pane.
- Next, click on “Additional troubleshooters”.
- Find “Windows Update” and click on “Run the troubleshooter”.
This built-in tool is great at detecting problems, and it will suggest solutions automatically. Follow any recommendations, then try updating again.
Solution 3. Disable Third-Party Antivirus
Your antivirus could be getting in the way of Windows Updates, especially if it’s overly aggressive.
Try temporarily disabling it by following these steps:
- Right-click on your antivirus icon in the system tray.
- Look for the option to disable or turn off protection.
- Once disabled, try running “Windows Update” again.
If it works, consider switching to a less restrictive antivirus program.
3 Advanced Ways to Fix Windows Update Service Not Running
For the tech geeks out there, these advanced methods involve a bit more digging but can be incredibly effective if the beginner fixes don’t work.
Adv. Solution 4. Clear the Windows Update Cache
Sometimes the update cache can get corrupted, causing it to stop running.
Try clearing it out by following these steps:
- Press the ‘Windows + R’ keys and type “services.msc”, and press ‘Enter’.
- In the “Services” window, find “Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS)” and “Windows Update”.
- Right-click on both and click on “Stop”.
- Open “File Explorer” and navigate to “C:/Windows/SoftwareDistribution”.
- Delete all the files in the folder.
- Go back to the “Services” window and right-click on “BITS” and “Windows Update”.
- Finally, select “Start”.
Clearing the update cache is like giving the Windows Update service a fresh start.
Adv. Solution 5. Perform a Clean Boot
If a service or app is preventing the update service from running, a clean boot can help you identify the culprit.
Here’s how to perform a Clean Boot:
- Press the ‘Windows + R’ keys and type “msconfig”.
- Press ‘Enter’.
- In the “System Configuration” window, go to the “Services” tab.
- Check the box for “Hide all Microsoft services”, then click “Disable all”.
- Go to the “Startup” tab and click on “Open Task Manager”.
- Disable every startup item by clicking them and selecting “Disable”.
- Go back to the “System Configuration” window, click “Apply”, then “OK”.
- Restart your PC.
If Windows Update works after the restart, some third-party app is causing the problem. You’ll need to enable the services and startup items one by one to find the troublemaker.
Adv. Solution 6. Reset Windows Update Components via Command Prompt
This is a more manual way of resetting the Windows Update service if the other methods haven’t worked.
- Open the “Start” menu and type “cmd”.
- Click on “Command Prompt” to select “Run as administrator”.
- In the “Command Prompt”, type the following commands one by one and hit ‘Enter’ after each:
net stop wuauserv
net stop cryptSvc
net stop bits
net stop msiserver - Next, rename the update folders by running these two commands:
ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.oldren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 catroot2.old
- Finally, restart the services by typing these commands:
net start wuauserv
net start cryptSvc
net start bits
net start msiserver
- Restart your computer, and Windows Update should be working again.
Check for “Corrupt System Files”. Corrupted system files can sometimes block updates. You can use the System File Checker (SFC) to repair them:
- Open “Command Prompt” as an administrator.
- Type “sfc /scannow” and press ‘Enter’.
- Wait for the process to finish. If SFC finds any corrupted files, it will automatically replace them.
After the scan, try running Windows Update again.
By now, you will be able to run the Windows Update service.
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