Reset Windows Update in Windows 11

If you’re having issues with Windows Update, follow the steps in this tutorial to reset the update components and resolve any issues on Windows 11.

Windows Update keeps Windows 11 up to date by automatically downloading and installing the most recent Microsoft updates, drivers, and hotfixes.

You may encounter problems with Windows Update, such as inability to download or install updates, error messages, inability to search for new updates, pending update issues, and so on. These problems can occur when the Windows Update database or components are corrupted, one or more Windows Update services are not running, and so on.

These problems are usually resolved by resetting the Windows Update components.

Reset Windows Update if:

• You can’t install Windows Updates.
• You can’t check for new Windows Updates.
• Miscellaneous errors while installing updates.
• Can’t upgrade to new version or build due to Windows Updates.
• Updates are remaining pending.
• Windows Updates stuck.
• Windows Update installation revert itself

How To Reset Windows Update in Windows 11

Step 1. First, download reset Windows Update batch script at here.

(Content of BAT file for reference)

@echo off

:: Prompt to Run as administrator
Set "Variable=0" & if exist "%temp%\getadmin.vbs" del "%temp%\getadmin.vbs"
fsutil dirty query %systemdrive%  >nul 2>&1 && goto :(Privileges_got)
If "%1"=="%Variable%" (echo. &echo. Please right-click on the file and select &echo. "Run as administrator". &echo. Press any key to exit. &pause>nul 2>&1& exit)
cmd /u /c echo Set UAC = CreateObject^("Shell.Application"^) : UAC.ShellExecute "%~0", "%Variable%", "", "runas", 1 > "%temp%\getadmin.vbs"&cscript //nologo "%temp%\getadmin.vbs" & exit
:(Privileges_got)

:: Checking and Stopping the Windows Update services
set b=0

:bits
set /a b=%b%+1
if %b% equ 3 (
   goto end1
)
net stop bits
echo Checking the bits service status.
sc query bits | findstr /I /C:"STOPPED"
if not %errorlevel%==0 (
    goto bits
)
goto loop2

:end1
cls
echo.
echo Cannot reset Windows Update since "Background Intelligent Transfer Service" (bits) service failed to stop. Please restart the computer, and try again.
echo.
pause
goto Start


:loop2
set w=0

:wuauserv
set /a w=%w%+1
if %w% equ 3 (
   goto end2
)
net stop wuauserv
echo Checking the wuauserv service status.
sc query wuauserv | findstr /I /C:"STOPPED"
if not %errorlevel%==0 (
    goto wuauserv
)
goto loop3

:end2
cls
echo.
echo Cannot reset Windows Update since "Windows Update" (wuauserv) service failed to stop. Please restart the computer, and try again.
echo.
pause
goto Start



:loop3
set c=0

:cryptsvc
set /a c=%c%+1
if %c% equ 3 (
   goto end4
)
net stop cryptsvc
echo Checking the cryptsvc service status.
sc query cryptsvc | findstr /I /C:"STOPPED"
if not %errorlevel%==0 (
    goto cryptsvc
)
goto Reset

:end4
cls
echo.
echo Cannot reset Windows Update since "Cryptographic Services" (cryptsvc) service failed to stop. Please restart the computer, and try again.
echo.
pause
goto Start


:Reset
Ipconfig /flushdns
del /s /q /f "%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\Microsoft\Network\Downloader\qmgr*.dat"
del /s /q /f "%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Network\Downloader\qmgr*.dat"
del /s /q /f "%SYSTEMROOT%\Logs\WindowsUpdate\*"


if exist "%SYSTEMROOT%\winsxs\pending.xml.bak" del /s /q /f "%SYSTEMROOT%\winsxs\pending.xml.bak"
if exist "%SYSTEMROOT%\winsxs\pending.xml" (
    takeown /f "%SYSTEMROOT%\winsxs\pending.xml"
    attrib -r -s -h /s /d "%SYSTEMROOT%\winsxs\pending.xml"
    ren "%SYSTEMROOT%\winsxs\pending.xml" pending.xml.bak
)
 
if exist "%SYSTEMROOT%\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore.bak" rmdir /s /q "%SYSTEMROOT%\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore.bak"
if exist "%SYSTEMROOT%\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore" (
    attrib -r -s -h /s /d "%SYSTEMROOT%\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore"
    ren "%SYSTEMROOT%\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore" DataStore.bak
)

if exist "%SYSTEMROOT%\SoftwareDistribution\Download.bak" rmdir /s /q "%SYSTEMROOT%\SoftwareDistribution\Download.bak"
if exist "%SYSTEMROOT%\SoftwareDistribution\Download" (
    attrib -r -s -h /s /d "%SYSTEMROOT%\SoftwareDistribution\Download"
    ren "%SYSTEMROOT%\SoftwareDistribution\Download" Download.bak
)
 
if exist "%SYSTEMROOT%\system32\Catroot2.bak" rmdir /s /q "%SYSTEMROOT%\system32\Catroot2.bak"
if exist "%SYSTEMROOT%\system32\Catroot2" (
    attrib -r -s -h /s /d "%SYSTEMROOT%\system32\Catroot2"
    ren "%SYSTEMROOT%\system32\Catroot2" Catroot2.bak
)
 

:: Reset Windows Update policies
reg delete "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate" /f
reg delete "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\WindowsUpdate" /f
reg delete "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate" /f
reg delete "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\WindowsUpdate" /f
gpupdate /force


:: Reset the BITS service and the Windows Update service to the default security descriptor
sc.exe sdset bits D:(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;SY)(A;;CCDCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRSDRCWDWO;;;BA)(A;;CCLCSWLOCRRC;;;AU)(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;PU)
sc.exe sdset wuauserv D:(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;SY)(A;;CCDCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRSDRCWDWO;;;BA)(A;;CCLCSWLOCRRC;;;AU)(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;PU)


:: Reregister the BITS files and the Windows Update files
cd /d %windir%\system32
regsvr32.exe /s atl.dll
regsvr32.exe /s urlmon.dll
regsvr32.exe /s mshtml.dll
regsvr32.exe /s shdocvw.dll
regsvr32.exe /s browseui.dll
regsvr32.exe /s jscript.dll
regsvr32.exe /s vbscript.dll
regsvr32.exe /s scrrun.dll
regsvr32.exe /s msxml.dll
regsvr32.exe /s msxml3.dll
regsvr32.exe /s msxml6.dll
regsvr32.exe /s actxprxy.dll
regsvr32.exe /s softpub.dll
regsvr32.exe /s wintrust.dll
regsvr32.exe /s dssenh.dll
regsvr32.exe /s rsaenh.dll
regsvr32.exe /s gpkcsp.dll
regsvr32.exe /s sccbase.dll
regsvr32.exe /s slbcsp.dll
regsvr32.exe /s cryptdlg.dll
regsvr32.exe /s oleaut32.dll
regsvr32.exe /s ole32.dll
regsvr32.exe /s shell32.dll
regsvr32.exe /s initpki.dll
regsvr32.exe /s wuapi.dll
regsvr32.exe /s wuaueng.dll
regsvr32.exe /s wuaueng1.dll
regsvr32.exe /s wucltui.dll
regsvr32.exe /s wups.dll
regsvr32.exe /s wups2.dll
regsvr32.exe /s wuweb.dll
regsvr32.exe /s qmgr.dll
regsvr32.exe /s qmgrprxy.dll
regsvr32.exe /s wucltux.dll
regsvr32.exe /s muweb.dll
regsvr32.exe /s wuwebv.dll
netsh winsock reset
netsh winsock reset proxy

:: Set the startup type as automatic
sc config wuauserv start= auto
sc config bits start= auto
sc config DcomLaunch start= auto

:Start
net start bits
net start wuauserv
net start cryptsvc

:: Restart computer
cls
echo It is required to restart the computer to finish resetting Windows Update.
echo.
echo Please save and close anything open now, before the computer is restarted.
echo.
pause
echo.
echo.
echo.
echo *** Restart computer now. ***
echo.
pause
shutdown /r /f /t 0

Step 2. Right click the .bat file, and select Run as administrator.

Step 3. After Windows Update has been reset, you will be prompted to Please save and close any open windows before restarting the computer, and press any key to continue when ready.

If a service fails to stop after three attempts, the.bat file will automatically end with the message “Failed to reset Windows Update” and prompt you to press a key to continue.

When you press a key, the.bat file will restart any services that it had stopped before closing the command prompt.

Step 4. You will now be prompted to restart the computer by pressing any key.

This will restart the computer immediately. Before proceeding, save and close any open windows.

It is critical to restart the computer immediately after running the.bat file in order for the changes to take effect.

That’s about it.