Windows Update Blocked or Not Working: How to Fix it

Windows 10 is an operating system that over the years and updates, does not stop growing and improving, something that all users benefit from. Also after the withdrawal of support for its biggest competitor, Windows 7 , the latest version receives even more users at the moment.

Thus, those of Redmond do not stop improving what could be considered as their star product based on new functions that adapt to the times. At the same time they work to improve some of the already existing features in the operating system. But let’s not forget that this has many advantages, but it also has some disadvantages.

Windows Update Blocked or Not Working: How to Fix

As most of you may already know first hand, this is software that, one way or another, never stops receiving new updates . There are different types depending on their importance. For example, we find security patches that are sent regularly. Then we also have the cumulative updates we receive on the second Tuesday of each month. And we cannot forget the feature updates that the firm tries to put in our hands every six months, more or less.

Problems with Windows Update

Whatever the type, these elements usually arrive and are installed on the computer through the functionality known as Windows Update . But despite the enormous importance of this function that we are talking about, it is also one of the main problems of the firm. What’s more, although Windows 10 is already around a billion users worldwide, everything related to system updates is one of its biggest handicaps.

Windows update

This is mainly due to the almost constant problems they cause among users around the world. Whether they are of the type described above, it is rare that a new Windows update is released, and this does not have any problem. Whether in the download or in its operation, the errors found in these elements that Microsoft sends are a constant.

It is something that over the years we have already been talking about on countless occasions trying to provide solutions when it is possible to do so. Say that these failures we are talking about can lead to blue screenshots , PC crashes, incompatibility with certain components, etc.

What to do if an update crashes

Therefore, and after all the comments, Windows 10 users are already used to the numerous updates that Microsoft releases. Also keep in mind that most of them are downloaded automatically, although Windows Update allows us to schedule their download.

Programar actualizaciones

In addition, these updates are downloaded by the system, then installed by itself, for example when we have to restart the system . But as we say, despite the efforts of the firm, Windows Update continues to give many problems. One of them is that on certain occasions some of these updates are blocked during their installation. This causes that the process as such does not end and remains half without being able to end it or go back. Therefore we are going to show you how to proceed in this situation, that is, solve the blocking of an update in Windows .

Using the troubleshoot function

In the event that we are faced with the problem that we have described to you, that an update has not just been installed and is half done, we have a simple solution. And it is that in case we can use a functionality that is integrated into Windows 10 itself called Troubleshoot. As you can imagine, this refers to various sections of the operating system, so it in turn has a valid option for Windows Update. Therefore, the first thing we do is open the System Control Panel .

Panel de control

Once in this window that opens, we write, for example, Solve problems in the corresponding search box of the Control Panel, and within System and security, we will see the link that interests us. Therefore we click on the one that says Windows Update in the Troubleshooting window.

Solucionador Windows Update

After that, a new window will open in which we must click on the Advanced options to check that Apply repairs automatically is checked. Once we make sure of it, we can now click Next to start the process .

Reparaciones automáticas Windows

Actually what the functionality does internally is to turn off the Windows Update Services service to clear the download cache . After that restart Windows Update Services again to fix the problem with the update.

Fix blocked update with command

As we have previously mentioned, the method we have just seen from the Control Panel is carried out in an automated way. It is a solution that integrates Windows itself, so the system already takes care of everything. However, if we want to fix this bug with the update manually, there is also a way for it. Specifically, what we are going to do is, as before, clear the Windows Update cache, but now manually .

At this point, the first thing we will do is restart the operating system in safe mode. After that we access the Command Prompt function, so we execute the CMD command with administrator permissions. Once we are in the new window that appears, we type the following command: net stop wuauserv.

Cmd windows Update

Of course, once this process is finished, we will have to open a File Explorer window and place ourselves in the C: WindowsSoftwareDistribution folder in order to delete all its content. Then, to restart the Windows Update service again, from the same Symbol window, we type the command net start wuauserv, which should solve the problem.