Easy Ways to Reset Windows Update on Windows 11

You can fix problems that occur after Windows Update by resetting or removing updates.

Performing a Windows update lets you explore new features, address new security threats, and improve system performance. And the Windows Update Component helps download and install all feature and quality updates, besides drivers and other security enhancements.

But you may also run into issues like being unable to search for new updates, getting stuck in the download process, or eventually failing to install them. The cause of the problem is that the cache of Windows Update is corrupted or the relevant service has encountered an error. Whatever the cause, it can be fixed by resetting the Windows Update component.

In other cases, you may receive a system error after installing the update, and in severe cases, you may not even be able to start the computer. Here, roll back or remove the update.

Reset Windows Update Components via Command Prompt

1. Copy the following code into Notepad and save it as a file (.bat)

@echo off

:: Created by: Shawn Brink
:: Source: https://www.tenforums.com


:: 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 app=0

:appidsvc
set /a app=%app%+1
if %app% equ 3 (
   goto end3
) 
net stop appidsvc
echo Checking the appidsvc service status.
sc query appidsvc | findstr /I /C:"STOPPED" 
if not %errorlevel%==0 ( 
    goto appidsvc 
) 
goto loop4

:end3
cls
echo.
echo Cannot reset Windows Update since "Application Identity" (appidsvc) service failed to stop. Please restart the computer, and try again.v
echo.
pause
goto Start


:loop4
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.bak" rmdir /s /q "%SYSTEMROOT%\SoftwareDistribution.bak"
if exist "%SYSTEMROOT%\SoftwareDistribution" ( 
    attrib -r -s -h /s /d "%SYSTEMROOT%\SoftwareDistribution" 
    ren "%SYSTEMROOT%\SoftwareDistribution" SoftwareDistribution.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
regsvr32.exe /s wudriver.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 appidsvc
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

2. Then run the .bat file.

Reset Update with “ Reset Windows Update Tool ”

Reset Windows Update Tool allows you to reset Windows Update components. It can also delete, scan, detect and repair temporary files using Windows System image, scan all protected system files, replace corrupted files, change invalid values in Windows registry, reset Winsock settings, etc.

You can get the “Reset Windows Update Tool” at the following link github.com/ManuelGil. Follow the installation instructions, or you can get the exe file here