Windows Update stuck in Windows 11: how to fix it

Applies to: Windows 11 home and work PCs where an update sits at a percentage while downloading or installing, never leaves Pending, or keeps the PC on an update screen during a restart. If the screen says “Getting Windows ready” at startup or shutdown, our guide on Getting Windows ready being stuck goes deeper into that screen.

Match your symptom

What you see	Likely cause	Go to
Download stays at 0%	No connection to the update servers, or a paused service	Fix 1, Fix 3
Install stops at the same percentage	A large update still working, or damaged cache files	Check, Fix 2, Fix 4
Stuck at 100% or on Pending restart	Windows waits for a restart to finish	Fix 1, Pending
Pending download or Pending install never changes	Active hours, a metered connection or paused updates	Pending
“Working on updates” at restart for hours	Install finishing offline, or stalled	Restart section
An error code appears	A specific download or install failure	Fix 2, Fix 4

First, check whether it’s slow or frozen

A slow update and a frozen one look the same in Settings: a number that doesn’t change. Microsoft’s Windows Update troubleshooting page says the time an install takes depends on connection speed, network settings and the size of the update, and it doesn’t give a set number of minutes to wait. A monthly quality update is usually smaller than a feature update to a new Windows version, so a new version can take noticeably longer.

Before you change anything, look for signs of activity:

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager and select Performance.
2. Watch Disk and Ethernet or Wi-Fi for a minute or two. Steady network traffic during a download, or disk activity during an install, suggests Windows is still working.
3. If both stay near zero and the percentage hasn’t moved for an hour or more, treat it as stuck and continue with Fix 1.

This is a practical rule of thumb, not a Microsoft limit. On a slow connection or an older hard drive, allow more time before you step in.

Fix 1: Restart and check for updates again

Microsoft’s page has a specific section for updates stuck at 0% or 100%, and its suggestions are to restart, check the internet connection and check free disk space. For an install that stays at the same percentage, it recommends checking for updates again or running the troubleshooter.

1. Save your work and close open apps.
2. Select Start, then Power. If you see Update and restart, choose it, since Microsoft notes that many updates need a restart to finish. Otherwise choose Restart.
3. After you sign in, open Settings > Windows Update and select Check for updates.
4. If updates are listed, select Download & install and let it run.

A restart clears a stalled download session and lets Windows finish any step that was waiting on a reboot. If you want to start a check from the command line instead, see how to force Windows Update to check and install updates.

Fix 2: Run the Windows Update troubleshooter

Microsoft lists its automated troubleshooter as the first step for update problems. On Windows 11 it runs through the Get Help app. You can also start it from Settings:

1. Open Start > Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters.
2. Select Run next to Windows Update.
3. Follow the prompts, then restart and check for updates again.

If Windows Update shows an error code alongside the stuck progress, note it down. Microsoft’s troubleshooting page covers several codes, including 0x80240034 for downloads that fail; our guide to error 0x80240034 walks through that one in detail.

Fix 3: Check the connection, storage and clock

A few basic conditions can keep an update from moving, and Microsoft’s page lists each of them:

• Power and internet. Keep a laptop plugged in, and open Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi to confirm you’re connected. Disconnect a VPN while you test, since Microsoft lists VPNs among the things to turn off temporarily for some update errors.
• Free space. Microsoft says the device needs at least 16 GB of free space for a 32-bit OS or 20 GB for a 64-bit OS. Open Settings > System > Storage to see what’s left on the C: drive, and free space if you’re short. A PC with a small drive may need a USB drive to complete the update.
• Date and time. Open Settings > Time & language > Date & time, turn on Set time automatically and Set time zone automatically, then select Sync now if it’s offered.
• Extra hardware. Unplug external drives, docks and other devices you don’t need, then try again. Microsoft also suggests checking the hardware maker’s site for third-party driver updates.

Fix 4: Clear the Windows Update cache

Windows keeps downloaded update files in C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution. If those files are partly downloaded or damaged, the same update can stall each time. Clearing the folder makes Windows download fresh copies. You need an administrator account.

Using Services:

1. Press Win + R, type services.msc and press Enter.
2. Right-click Windows Update and select Stop.
3. Open C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution in File Explorer and delete everything inside it. Delete the contents, not the folder itself.
4. Back in Services, right-click Windows Update and select Start.
5. Restart, then check for updates again.

Using Command Prompt: Microsoft’s advanced steps rename the cache folders instead of emptying them, which keeps the old files as a backup. Open Command Prompt as administrator and run these lines one at a time:

net stop bits
net stop wuauserv
ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 catroot2.old
net start bits
net start wuauserv

If a ren line reports that access is denied, a service is probably still running; run the matching net stop line again and retry. Restart the PC when you’re done. Our Windows Update command line guide explains these commands and the PowerShell options.

Fix 5: Repair system files and check the disk

Damaged system files can stop an install partway. Microsoft’s advanced steps run DISM first, then the System File Checker. In an administrator Command Prompt, run:

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

DISM can sit at one percentage for a while too; let it finish. When both commands complete, restart and try the update again. To understand what SFC’s result messages mean, see how to run sfc /scannow.

Microsoft also suggests checking the drive for file system errors with chkdsk /f C:. Microsoft says to restart when prompted; because C: is in use, the check runs during that restart. The check can take a long time on a large drive, so run it when you don’t need the PC.

Fix 6: Rule out security software and startup apps

Third-party antivirus or firewall software can interfere with downloads and installs. Microsoft’s page suggests removing third-party security software temporarily, installing the update, then reinstalling it, and checking that the product supports Windows 11.

If the update still won’t finish, Microsoft recommends a clean restart: starting Windows with a minimal set of drivers and startup programs. That separates a conflict with another app from a problem in Windows Update itself. Remember to switch your startup items back on once the update is installed.

Updates that sit on Pending

Windows Update can show a status next to each update, such as Pending download, Pending install or Pending restart. These aren’t errors on their own. Microsoft’s install updates page doesn’t explain each status, so the checks below are general ones rather than Microsoft’s list:

• Pending restart: the update is installed and needs a reboot. Use Update and restart from the Power menu.
• Updates paused: if Settings > Windows Update shows that updates are paused, select Resume updates.
• Metered connection: Windows can hold back some downloads on a connection marked as metered. Check the properties of your Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection under Settings > Network & internet and turn off Metered connection if you don’t need it.
• Active hours: Windows may wait until outside your active hours to install or restart. Select Download & install or Install all to start it now.

If a status still doesn’t change after a restart, go back to Fix 2 and Fix 4.

Stuck on “Working on updates” at restart

Part of an update installs while Windows is restarting, so a screen saying it’s working on updates, with a percentage or a spinning circle, is part of the normal process. Turning the PC off in the middle can leave the install half done, so wait while the drive light blinks or the fans change pitch.

If the screen hasn’t changed for several hours and there’s no drive activity, hold the power button until the PC turns off, then turn it on again. Windows may then continue the update or roll it back. If it loops or won’t start, our Getting Windows ready guide covers Startup Repair, uninstalling the latest update from recovery, System Restore and Safe Mode. Forcing power off carries some risk, so only do it once you’re confident nothing is happening.

Last resort: reinstall Windows 11

When none of the fixes work, Microsoft’s page points to the Windows 11 software download page, where a tool labeled Download tool now can reinstall Windows. Microsoft advises reading the notes on that page before you use it. Back up your files to an external drive or cloud storage first, and make sure you know your Microsoft account password and any app license keys you’ll need again.

Known issues

As of November 2026, Microsoft’s Windows 11, version 25H2 known issues and notifications page, last updated on November 11, 2026, lists no issue about updates getting stuck while downloading or installing, failing to install or rolling back.

If an update stalls right after a new release, check that page again, since Microsoft adds issues as they’re confirmed.

Related guides

• Getting Windows Ready, Don’t Turn Off Your Computer: Stuck? How to Fix It
• How to force Windows Update to check and install updates
• Windows Update from the Command Line: CMD and PowerShell Commands
• Windows Update error 0x80240034: how to fix “Update failed to download”
• How to run sfc /scannow in Windows 11 and 10 (and read the results)

Official sources

• Microsoft: Troubleshoot problems updating Windows
• Microsoft: Install Windows updates
• Microsoft: Windows 11, version 25H2 known issues and notifications