Before we dive in, it’s important to note that completely disabling automatic updates is generally not recommended from a security standpoint. Microsoft releases these updates to address vulnerabilities and protect your system. However, if you’re experiencing severe problems, temporarily pausing updates may be necessary while you resolve the underlying issues.
Method 1: Change Windows Update Settings
One of the first things to try is adjusting your Windows Update settings. Here’s how:
Open the Settings app by pressing Windows Key I.
Go to the Update & Security section.
Click on Advanced options.
Disable the Give me updates for other Microsoft products when I update Windows option.
Scroll down and navigate to the Delivery Optimization section.
Locate the Allow downloads from other PCs option and disable it.
Making these changes to your Windows Update settings may help resolve automatic update problems. If not, move on to the next method.
Method 2: Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter
Windows 10 includes a built-in troubleshooter that can often fix issues with Windows Update. Here’s how to run it:
Open the Settings app and go to Update & Security.
Click on Troubleshoot in the left-hand menu.
Scroll down and select Windows Update, then click Run the troubleshooter.
Follow the on-screen instructions to let the troubleshooter diagnose and attempt to fix any problems.
The troubleshooter will automatically detect and resolve common Windows Update issues. If it doesn’t work, proceed to the next method.
Method 3: Disable Your Antivirus Software (Temporarily)
Your antivirus program may be interfering with Windows Update. Try temporarily disabling it and see if that resolves the automatic update problems:
Open your antivirus software and look for an option to disable real-time protection or turn off the firewall.
If you can’t find those options, right-click on the antivirus icon in the system tray and select Disable or Turn off.
After disabling the antivirus, try running Windows Update again.
If the updates work without the antivirus running, you may need to whitelist the Windows Update components in your antivirus settings or switch to a different security program. Proceed with caution, as running without antivirus protection leaves your system vulnerable.
Method 4: Free Up Disk Space
Automatic updates require a significant amount of free space on your system drive to download and install. If you’re running low on disk space, it can cause update problems. Here’s how to free up some space:
Press Windows Key S and enter disk cleanup. Choose Disk Cleanup from the list of results.
Select your system drive and click OK. Disk Cleanup will now scan your drive.
When the Disk Cleanup window opens, select the files you want to remove and click OK.
The tool will now remove the selected files and free up space on your PC.
If you’re not a fan of Disk Cleanup, you can also use third-party disk management tools to reclaim more space on your system drive. After freeing up space, try running Windows Update again.
Method 5: Disconnect External Storage Devices
Believe it or not, external storage devices like USB hard drives can sometimes interfere with Windows Update. Try disconnecting all external storage devices from your PC and see if that resolves the automatic update issues:
Shut down your PC and unplug any external hard drives, USB flash drives, or other storage devices.
Turn your PC back on and try running Windows Update.
If the updates work without the external drives connected, you may need to update the drivers for those devices or try a different USB port. Reconnect the drives one by one to determine if a specific device is causing the problem.
Method 6: Reset Windows Update Components
If none of the above methods work, you can try resetting the Windows Update components on your system. This involves stopping and restarting the relevant services and clearing the update cache. Here’s how:
Press Windows Key X and select Windows PowerShell (Admin).
In the PowerShell window, run the following commands one by one:
net stop wuauserv
net stop cryptSvc
net stop bits
net stop msiserver
Run these commands to delete the update cache:
Ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
Ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 Catroot2.old
Run these commands to restart the services:
net start wuauserv
net start cryptSvc
net start bits
net start msiserver
Restart your PC and try running Windows Update again.
Resetting the Windows Update components can resolve issues caused by corrupted files or service problems. If you’re still having trouble, move on to the final method.
Method 7: Perform a Clean Install of Windows 10
As a last resort, you can perform a clean install of Windows 10 to resolve any deep-seated issues causing automatic update problems. This will erase everything on your system drive, so make sure to back up your important data first.
Download the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool from Microsoft’s website.
Run the tool and select Create installation media for another PC.
Choose your language, edition, and architecture, then click Next.
Select the option to create a bootable USB drive or DVD.
Once the media is created, boot from it and follow the on-screen instructions to perform a clean install of Windows 10.
After the clean install, your system will be in a fresh state without any conflicting software or corrupted system files. Be sure to install your drivers, apps, and restore your data from the backup. Then try running Windows Update to see if the automatic update issues are resolved.