Windows 11 Update Stuck? How Long to Wait and How to Fix It

A Windows 11 update stuck at the same percentage is one of the most common Windows complaints, and it is often not stuck at all. Large updates do a lot of work that the progress number does not show. This guide explains how long it is sensible to wait, then works through the fixes Microsoft documents, from the gentlest to the most thorough. None of the steps below delete your personal files.

The steps apply to Windows 11 version 24H2 and 25H2, which share the same Settings menus.

How long to wait before you act

Microsoft does not publish a fixed time for updates, because it depends on the size of the update, your connection speed, your network settings and how fast the PC is. A monthly security update on a modern SSD-based PC usually finishes quickly. A feature update, or any update on an older PC with a hard disk, can take much longer, and the percentage may sit still for long stretches.

Before deciding it is frozen, check for activity:

• Inside Windows (Settings shows Downloading or Installing): open Task Manager with Ctrl + Shift + Esc and look at the Disk and Network columns. Steady activity means it is still working.
• On the “Working on updates” screen: watch the drive activity light if your PC has one.

Our rule of thumb: if the number has not moved for a couple of hours and there is no disk or network activity, start troubleshooting. On the pre-sign-in “Working on updates” screen, be more patient still, because cutting power during an install is the one thing most likely to make matters worse.

Restart and check again

If the update is stuck inside Settings (download or install not progressing), save your work and restart with Start > Power > Restart. Then go to Settings > Windows Update and select Check for updates. Many stalled downloads simply resume after a restart.

Also unplug non-essential USB drives, docks and other external hardware. Microsoft lists disconnecting external hardware as one of its general troubleshooting steps, because extra devices can interfere with installation.

Run the Windows Update troubleshooter

Windows 11 includes an automated Windows Update troubleshooter:

1. Open Settings > System > Troubleshoot.
2. Select Other troubleshooters.
3. Next to Windows Update, select Run.
4. Follow the prompts in the Get Help app.

The troubleshooter checks services, settings and pending operations, and applies fixes automatically where it can. Restart afterwards and try the update again. If you see a specific error code instead of a stall, our guide to a failed Windows 11 update covers common codes.

Make sure there is enough free space

Low disk space is a quiet cause of updates that never finish. Microsoft states that a device needs at least 20 GB of free space to upgrade a 64-bit operating system (16 GB for 32-bit, which does not apply to Windows 11 because it is 64-bit only).

Check under Settings > System > Storage. To free space:

• Select Temporary files, tick the categories you do not need, and select Remove files.
• Turn on Storage Sense on the same page to clear temporary files automatically.
• Move large videos and photo libraries to an external drive.

If the drive is constantly full or busy, see 100% disk usage in Windows 11.

Pause and resume updates

Pausing updates makes Windows Update drop what it is doing. Resuming forces a fresh check, which can clear a stalled download.

1. Go to Settings > Windows Update.
2. Next to Pause updates, choose a pause length such as 1 week.
3. Restart the PC.
4. Return to Settings > Windows Update and select Resume updates, then Check for updates.

Pausing is temporary. Once the pause limit is reached, Windows requires the latest updates to be installed before you can pause again. For the current limits and how to extend a pause, see pause Windows 11 updates.

Clear the Windows Update cache (the documented way)

Corrupt files in the update cache can block an install. Microsoft documents a way to clear it. Follow the steps in order, because deleting the folder while the service is running can fail or cause new errors.

1. Press Windows key + R, type services.msc and press Enter.
2. Find Windows Update, right-click it and select Stop.
3. Open File Explorer and go to C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution.
4. Delete all files and folders inside this folder (not the folder itself).
5. Go back to Services, right-click Windows Update and select Start.
6. Restart the PC and run Check for updates.

Microsoft also gives an advanced version for people comfortable with the command line. In an administrator Command Prompt, run these one at a time, letting each finish:

net stop bits
net stop wuauserv
ren %systemroot%\softwaredistribution softwaredistribution.bak
ren %systemroot%\system32\catroot2 catroot2.bak
net start bits
net start wuauserv

Then restart. Clearing the cache does not uninstall updates already on the PC, though the update history list in Settings may look shorter afterwards.

Repair Windows with Fix problems using Windows Update

If updates still will not install, Windows 11 can reinstall itself in place:

1. Go to Settings > System > Recovery.
2. Under Fix problems using Windows Update, select Reinstall now.
3. Choose whether the PC may restart automatically 15 minutes after installation, then select OK.

Windows downloads a repair version of the last update that installed successfully and installs it. Microsoft says this repairs system files and components while keeping your apps, files and settings. Keep the PC plugged in and online throughout. The option may be missing on PCs managed by work or school, or on older Windows 11 builds.

Before or instead of this, you can also repair the component store with DISM RestoreHealth and then run sfc /scannow.

If the PC will not start after an update

If the PC restarts into a loop or never reaches the sign-in screen, Windows normally opens the Windows Recovery Environment after repeated failed starts. From there, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Uninstall Updates to remove the latest quality or feature update. You can also start in safe mode to remove a problem driver. If BitLocker or device encryption is on, have your recovery key ready.

For a wider view of all the repair options, see our Windows 11 troubleshooting hub.