October 2026

Windows 10 Update Service Not Running: How to Restart It and Get Updates Working Again

An error saying the Windows 10 update service not running often appears when you run the troubleshooter or select Check for updates. Windows may add that you might need to restart judolbet88 your computer.

Windows Update depends on a few background services. If one of them has been stopped or disabled, updates cannot be checked, downloaded, or installed.

The message can look worrying because it suggests a core part of Windows has failed. In most cases nothing is broken at all. The service has merely been switched off, sometimes deliberately and sometimes as a side effect of other software.

Possible Causes

• The Windows Update service was disabled by a tweak tool or an old “stop updates” guide.
• A related service, such as Background Intelligent Transfer Service, is stopped.
• Malware has interfered with system services.
• System files or the update cache are damaged.

Start With These Basic Checks

1. Restart the computer, as the message suggests, and try again.
2. Press Windows + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
3. Find Windows Update in the list, double-click it, set Startup type to Manual, select Apply, and then select Start.
4. Do the same check for Background Intelligent Transfer Service and Cryptographic Services, making sure neither is set to Disabled.

Close the window and check for updates once more.

Do not be concerned if the Windows Update service shows as stopped while you are not updating. It is designed to start on demand and stop again when idle. The setting that matters is the startup type, which must not read Disabled.

Going a Step Further

1. Run the Windows Update troubleshooter under Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooters.
2. Open Windows Security and run a full scan, since some malware deliberately disables updates.
3. Open Command Prompt as administrator and run sfc /scannow.
4. If the service will not start, stop it, rename C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution to SoftwareDistribution.old, and start it again.
5. Remove any third-party program that was installed to block or control updates.

If the service keeps switching itself back to Disabled, a tweak tool is almost certainly still active.

Safety and Data Warning

The Services window controls many parts of Windows, so change only the entries named here. Disabling the wrong service can stop networking or sign-in from working. Avoid registry “fixes” copied from forums unless you have a backup and understand what they change.

The Bottom Line

When the update service is not running, the cure is usually to switch it back on and remove whatever turned it off. A quick visit to the Services window fixes most cases. If malware is involved, clean the PC first, then let Windows catch up on its updates.

Afterwards, check for updates manually and let the PC install whatever it finds. A machine whose update service was off for months may need several rounds of downloads and restarts before it is fully current.