Microsoft Update: How to Install and Fix Windows Updates

To install a Microsoft update on Windows, open Settings > Windows Update and select Check for updates. Then choose Download & install and restart when asked. That covers most people.

The rest of this page helps when that does not work, when you run an older version, or when an email claims to be a Microsoft update. Search interest in this topic is trending in the US right now. The reason for the spike is not confirmed; check the Windows release health pages on learn.microsoft.com for current known issues.

Install the update in five steps

These steps match Windows 11 and current Windows 10 builds. Menu names can shift slightly between versions.

1. Save your work and plug in a laptop charger.

2. Open Settings > Windows Update.

3. Select Check for updates.

4. Select Download & install for anything listed.

5. Select Restart now when the button appears.

If you see Pending restart, restart first. Many failed installs come from skipped restarts.

To see what already installed, open Windows Update > Update history. Failed items show there with an error code. Search that code on Microsoft Support for the exact fix.

Check your version and installed patches first

Know what you run before you chase a download. Press Win + R, type winver, and press Enter. The window shows your Windows edition, version and build.

For a list of recent patches, open PowerShell and run:

Get-HotFix | Sort-Object InstalledOn -Descending | Select-Object -First 5

The output lists each update by its KB number and install date. Compare that with the KB number in a Microsoft support article. If it is listed, you already have it.

Pick the right update route for your situation

Not every PC should update the same way. Use this table.

Windows 7 left support in January 2020. Windows 10 reached end of support on October 14, 2025, so free regular security updates stop unless you enroll in Microsoft's Extended Security Updates program. If you still run it, check Microsoft's current options and plan an upgrade.

On a work PC, do not bypass your admin. Managed devices often get patches in stages on purpose.

Fix an update that is stuck or keeps failing

Work through these in order. Stop when the update installs.

1. Restart the PC and check again.

2. Free disk space. Feature updates commonly need many gigabytes free on C:.

3. Run Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters > Windows Update.

4. Repair system files. Open PowerShell as administrator and run:

sfc /scannow
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

1. Reset the update services. In an administrator Command Prompt:

net stop wuauserv
net stop bits
ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
net start wuauserv
net start bits

This renames the update download cache. Windows rebuilds it on the next check. You can delete the .old folder later.

If all of this fails, note the error code from Update history and install that single patch from the Microsoft Update Catalog by its KB number.

Worked example: one patch fails on a laptop

Say Update history shows a cumulative update failing at 30 percent. You restart, retry, and it fails again. You run sfc /scannow, which reports it repaired files.

You then run the DISM command and retry. The update installs after one more restart. Running Get-HotFix now lists the new KB number with today's date. That is your proof it worked.

Spot a fake Microsoft update email

Fake update emails are common, so treat unexpected ones with caution. Microsoft does not need you to open an attachment to patch Windows. The safe route is always your own Settings app.

Use this checklist before you click anything:

• Sender domain: it should end in microsoft.com. Look-alikes such as extra words or swapped letters are red flags.

• Attachments: do not open .exe, .zip or .msi files sent as an update.

• Urgency: threats like your account will be closed today are a warning sign.

• Link target: hover over the link. If the address is not a Microsoft domain, delete the email.

• Your own check: ignore the email and open Settings > Windows Update instead.

If you already clicked, change your Microsoft account password from a clean device. Then run a full scan with Microsoft Defender. Our guide to microsoft.com and its safe links shows which Microsoft addresses are real.

Outages are not the same as updates

An Outlook or Teams problem is often a service issue, not a bad Windows patch. Reinstalling updates will not fix a service outage. Check your Microsoft 365 admin center service health if you are an admin. Otherwise check Microsoft's public service status pages before you change anything.

Turn patching skills into a career step

Patching is a daily task for help desk, sysadmin and security roles. Understanding why patches matter is part of security work. See what a large patch batch looks like in Microsoft Fixes Nearly 1,100 Security Vulnerabilities.

If you want a credential that tests this thinking, the SC-200 exam guide covers security operations work. For a Microsoft security voucher, see AZ-500 Azure Security Engineer Associate at $44.99. We email the code within 12 hours of payment, and one voucher covers one exam attempt.

Sources

• Google Trends: microsoft update (US)