Windows Update provides a variety of updates for Windows 10 systems, ranging from feature updates to quality updates, security patches. If there is any problem with the Windows Update process, your machine will miss out on important updates. You will see ‘We couldn’t connect to the update service’ if the Windows Update can’t connect with the server. Simply follow these easy solutions to fix the problem on your computer.
Workarounds –
1. Make sure you are using an unlimited network connection (non-metered connection).
2. You need at least 20-30 GB of free space in the C drive (the drive where Windows is installed).
3. Disable the antivirus on your system and restart your PC once. Give the update process another try.
Fix 1 – Change DNS
You have to set the IPv4 settings yourself. Follow these easy steps –
1. Simply, press the Windows Key+R keys to launch the Run window.
2. Now, type this and hit Enter to open the Network Connections window.
ncpa.cpl
3. To access the properties of the network, right-click on your network and then click on the “Properties“.
4. After that, to access IPv4 properties, double click on “Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)“.
5. Then, click on “Use the following DNS server addresses:“.
6. Now, put these server addresses correctly-
Preferred DNS server: 8.8.8.8 Alternate DNS server: 8.8.4.4
7. To save these settings, click on “OK“.
Now, try again
Fix 2 – Restart Windows Update service
1 – Search services in Windows search and then click on gear shaped services icon.
2 -Now, locate Windows update service.
If it is running, Just right click and select restart to restart update service
If it is not running, Just right click and click Start to start the service
Fix 3 – Rename the SoftwareDistribution
Corruption in the SoftwareDistribution folder may cause this problem on your system.
1. Write “cmd” in the search box.
2. After that, right-click on “Command Prompt” and choose “Run as administrator“.
3. As the first step, you need to pause some services. To do that, simply Copy-paste and hit Enter to execute these commands.
net stop wuauserv net stop cryptSvc net stop bits net stop msiserver
4. In the second step, you have to modify two file names. After that, type these codes and hit Enter to execute them.
ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 catroot2.old
5. After renaming the files, you have to again resume the stalled services. To do that, run these 4 codes sequentially.
net start wuauserv net start cryptSvc net start bits net start msiserver
Close the Command Prompt window.
Restart your computer to finalize this process.
Fix 4 – Reset IP
Resetting IP on your computer will solve this issue.
1. Press Windows key+R.
2. Type “cmd” and then hit Ctrl+Shift+Enter keys together.
2. You have to reset the IP configuration settings. To do that, simply type or copy-paste these codes one-by-one and then hit Enter.
NETSH INT IP RESET C:\RESETLOG.TXT netsh winsock reset ipconfig /flushdns
After executing these codes, reboot your device.
Fix 5 – Reset Windows Update client
You can reset the Windows update with an easy command.
1. Now, press the Windows key along with the ‘X‘ key.
2. Then, click on the “Windows PowerShell (Admin)” to access the PowerShell.
3. When you have the access to the PowerShell terminal, run this command by pasting it and hitting Enter afterward.
wuauclt.exe /updatenow
After updating the Windows Update client, just reboot your machine once.
This should re-establish the connection with the Windows Update server.
Fix 6 – Run Windows Update troubleshooter
Windows has an inbuilt Update troubleshooter which may solve this issue.
1. Just right-click on the Windows icon.
2. Then, click on the gear-shaped icon to access the Settings.
2. Here, click on the “Update & Security” settings.
3. After that, click on the “Troubleshoot“.
4. On the right-hand side, click on the “Additional troubleshooters“.
5. You have to click on the “Windows Update“, on the left-side pane.
6. To start the troubleshooting process, “Run the Troubleshooter“.
Once the troubleshooting process is over, close the troubleshooter window.
Fix 7 – Update Windows services
Sometimes the dependent services are not running in the background of the Windows Update process.
1. Press the Windows key+R keys.
2. Write “cmd“. Press Ctrl+Shift+Enter together.
3. Once the terminal opens up, copy-paste these four commands one-by-one and hit Enter after pasting it.
sc config wuauserv start=auto sc config bits start=auto sc config cryptsvc start=auto sc config trustedinstaller start=auto
Restart and Try to update your system once more. Check if this helps.
Fix – 8 Install the updates with Update Assitant
You can update your computer with an Update assistant.
1. Visit this link.
2. Once you have opened the site, click on “Update Now“.
2. Visit the download location on your drive.
3. Double click on the downloaded package.
This tool will search for the latest update package for your computer and download it.
Depending upon the update package, it may take 30 minutes -1 hour to complete the process.
Please be patient.
4. Your device will reboot automatically once you “Exit” the setup.
5. After rebooting your computer, press Windows key+I.
6. Then, click on the “Updates & Security“.
7. After that, click on “Check for Updates” in the Settings window.
This should have fixed the problem you are facing.
Fix 9 – Update your system with MCT
If nothing is working out for you, you can use the Media Creation Tool to update your computer. To do that, simply follow these easy steps-
1. At first, you need to go to this Microsoft Software Download page.
2. Once you are there, click on the “Download tool now“.
3. Choose a location to save the file and then, click on “Save” to save the package.
4. Once the downloading process completes, go to the file location.
5. Then, double click on “MediaCreationTool2004“.
6. Click on “Accept” to accept the terms and conditions.
7. Click on the radio button beside, “Upgrade this PC now“.
8. Then, click on “Next” to start the up-gradation process.
MCT will detect the update package for your computer. Let it download and install the package on your computer.
Reboot your computer to complete the installation process.
Fix 10 – Run SFC scan
You can run an SFC and DISM check on your system to check for any system file corruption.
1. Press the Windows key+R.
2. Then, type this code and hit CTRL + Shift + Enter.
cmd
3. Simply copy this command and paste it in CMD window. Thereafter, hit Enter to run the scan.
sfc /scannow
4. To launch a DISM scan, paste this command in the terminal and then hit Enter.
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
Once all these checks are complete, close the terminal and restart your device.
Try to update your computer when it restarts.
Fix 11 – Run a disk check operation
Sometimes corrupted regions in the C: drive can hinder the Windows Update process.
1. Type “cmd” in the search box.
2. Then, right-click on “Command Prompt” and choose “Run as administrator“.
Command Prompt with administrative rights will be opened.
3. When the terminal opens up, paste this code, modify it, and hit Enter.
chkdsk <drive letter> /r
[You have to replace the <drive letter> with the drive letter where Windows is installed on your computer.
Example– It is the C: drive for our system. For us, the command will look like this-
chkdsk C: /r
]
4. Press the “Y” key and hit Enter if there is a question ‘Would you like to schedule this volume to be checked the next time the system restarts? (Y/N)’.
After that, close the CMD screen on your system and reboot your computer.
When your system is booting up, Windows will perform a disk check operation. When your system normally restarts, check for Windows Updates again.
Your problem should be solved.
Fix 12 – Reset Windows update
1. Download this windows 10 update script bat file from here
2. Extract it and run it on your PC.
Thanks for this useful and comprehensive guide. For the past 4 months, I have tried these steps (save “reset Windows update”) and others I have found on the web to regain access to the Windows Update Service — except the dire step of a clean reinstall of Windows 10. Everything seems to work normally except for the message that “We couldn’t connect to the update service. We’ll try again later, or you can check now. If it still doesn’t work, make sure you’re connected to the Internet.”
My solution has been to learn what updates and fixes are available and install them from the Microsoft Update Catalog.