0x800700 is not a complete Windows Update error code. It is a prefix shared by several eight-digit errors, and the final characters determine whether you need to clear a damaged download, free disk space, correct permissions, or repair Windows components. Open Windows Update history, copy the full code and affected KB number, note your Windows edition/build, and record whether the failure occurs during downloading or installation. Then use the matching procedure below rather than applying a generic registry or “PC cleaner” fix.
What the “0x800700” Windows Update error means
When Windows Update says “There were problems downloading some updates” or shows “Download error,” the visible text may include only 0x800700. That six-digit prefix is incomplete. Windows displays a full eight-digit hexadecimal code such as 0x80070002, 0x80070003, 0x80070005, 0x8007000d, 0x80070070, or 0x80070570. Microsoft assigns different meanings and remedies to those variants.
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The same prefix can therefore describe a missing path, an access or permission failure, corrupt update data, insufficient storage, or broader file and component-store corruption. A fix that is sensible for one suffix can be irrelevant—or make diagnosis harder—for another. Treat the prefix as a prompt to collect better information, not as a diagnosis.
Capture the exact failure before changing anything
Do this while the failed update is still listed. The details determine which branch of the guide is safest.
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- In Windows 11, open Settings > Windows Update > Update history. In Windows 10, open Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > View update history.
- Expand the failed quality, feature, driver, or definition update entry and copy the complete eight-digit code. Do not stop at
0x800700. - Write down the update’s KB number, if one is shown. A KB identifier lets Microsoft Support match the failure to the exact package.
- Record the Windows edition, version, and build. Press
Win+R, typewinver, and press Enter, or look under Settings > System > About. - Note whether the message appeared while Windows was downloading or only after a restart while it was installing. “Download error” and an installation rollback can have different causes.
- Keep the date and time of the failure and any accompanying text. These details help correlate entries in Windows Update and component-servicing logs later.
If history shows several failed entries, start with the newest one and check whether they all contain the same suffix. Different suffixes may represent separate problems.
Which suffix are you seeing?
| Full code | Documented or likely issue | Failure stage to check | Lowest-risk first action | Escalation if it persists |
|---|---|---|---|---|
0x80070002 |
A file or path Windows expects is missing. | Usually download or staging, but confirm in history. | Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter, then reset the update cache. | Check the affected path and reset update components; provide logs and the KB to Microsoft Support. |
0x80070003 |
A required path cannot be found or used. | Download, staging, or installation. | Run the troubleshooter and inspect the path-related details before deleting anything. | Reset update components and review Windows Update/CBS logs. |
0x80070005 |
Access is denied; permissions or security software can interfere. | Download or install. | Run the troubleshooter and check security software and service permissions. | Use logs to identify the denied operation and obtain support rather than changing broad registry permissions. |
0x8007000d |
Update data or files are corrupt or invalid. | Often download or validation. | Reset the SoftwareDistribution cache and retry. | Repair system components and inspect CBS.log if the same package fails again. |
0x80070070 |
There is not enough free space on the operating-system disk. | Download, staging, or installation when Windows cannot create the required files. | Free space on the disk containing Windows; Microsoft recommends at least 20 GB available for best results. | Retry after cleanup; if space is available and the code remains, return to the cache and log checks. |
0x80070570 |
Investigate corrupt update files, component-store or disk corruption, interrupted downloads, and security-software interference. | Download or installation; the history entry matters. | Clear the update download cache and reboot. | Back up the operating-system disk, review WindowsUpdate.log/CBS.log, run system-file and component-store checks, and verify disk health. |
This table is a triage guide, not a promise that one code has only one cause. Windows can surface a secondary error when an earlier storage, service, or file-system problem prevents the update from completing.
Run the built-in Windows Update Troubleshooter
Start with Microsoft’s own troubleshooter because it gathers common service and configuration diagnostics and attempts several standard repairs without requiring you to guess which component is damaged.
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- Open Settings.
- In Windows 11, select System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters, find Windows Update, and select Run. In Windows 10, select Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooters, choose Windows Update, and select Run the troubleshooter.
- Allow the diagnostic checks to finish. Apply a suggested repair only when the result identifies Windows Update or one of its services.
- Restart the PC if the troubleshooter requests it, then return to Settings > Windows Update and select Check for updates.
If the same full code returns, keep the result and the timestamp. The troubleshooter is a first action, not evidence that the update package itself is healthy.
Check storage for 0x80070070
0x80070070 indicates that Windows cannot obtain enough space for the update operation. Check the disk that contains the operating system, normally C:, rather than a secondary drive where you store games or media. Microsoft’s current troubleshooting guidance says: “For best results, your operating system disk should have at least 20 GB of available space.” That is an available-space recommendation, not the size of the update itself.
- Open Settings > System > Storage and check the free space shown for the Windows drive.
- Empty the Recycle Bin and remove files you recognize as unnecessary. Use Temporary files in Storage settings carefully; review the categories before selecting them.
- Move or uninstall large personal applications or games only if you have backups or can reinstall them. Do not delete folders inside
C:Windowsmanually. - Restart Windows after making room, then run Windows Update again.
If at least 20 GB is free and the same suffix still appears, storage may no longer be the active cause. Continue with the cache reset and log-based checks instead of repeatedly deleting personal files.
Reset a corrupted Windows Update download cache
An interrupted or incomplete download can leave files that Windows tries to reuse. Microsoft documents stopping the update service, clearing the contents of C:WindowsSoftwareDistribution (or its Download subfolder for the 0x80070570 procedure), starting the service again, and retrying. The folder contains update working data; Windows recreates the needed structure.
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- Save open work. Search for Command Prompt, right-click it, and select Run as administrator. Approve the User Account Control prompt.
- Stop Windows Update and Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS):
net stop wuauservnet stop bits - Open File Explorer and enter
C:WindowsSoftwareDistributionin the address bar. Delete the contents inside that folder. For a targeted 0x80070570 attempt, delete the contents ofC:WindowsSoftwareDistributionDownloadfirst. Leave the parent folder itself in place. - If a file is locked, confirm that both services stopped. Do not force-delete unrelated system folders. Close File Explorer and repeat the stop commands only if necessary.
- Return to the elevated Command Prompt and restart the services:
net start bitsnet start wuauserv - Restart the computer. Open Windows Update and select Check for updates.
The first scan after a reset can take longer because Windows must rebuild update metadata and download packages again. If the exact same code appears immediately, note whether it happens before any download begins; that points away from a simple stale cache.
Use File Explorer instead of deleting from the command line
If you are uncomfortable with deletion commands, the service-stop and service-start steps above are still required. After stopping the services, select the contents of the specified SoftwareDistribution folder in File Explorer and press Delete. Skip files that Windows reports as in use, restart the services, reboot, and then retry. Do not rename or remove the entire C:WindowsSoftwareDistribution directory while services are running.
Apply the branch that matches your suffix
0x80070002: a missing file or path
Confirm whether the failure is during download or installation. Run the troubleshooter and reset the cache before making path changes. If the update history or logs identify a particular missing directory, check that the directory exists and that the Windows Update services can access it. Avoid creating arbitrary folders to satisfy an error message; the expected path depends on the update package and Windows build. If the cache reset does not help, capture the KB, build, and relevant log entries for Microsoft Support.
0x80070003: an unavailable path
Use the same low-risk order: troubleshooter, cache reset, reboot, and retry. Check that the operating-system drive is mounted normally and that the free-space check did not reveal a broader disk problem. If a path is named in the error details, record it rather than changing permissions globally. Persistent failures call for update-component and log review, not a registry cleaner.
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0x80070005: access denied
This suffix can involve permissions or security software blocking a file, service, or operation. First run the troubleshooter and confirm that you are using an administrator account for the repair steps. Check whether security software recently quarantined or blocked an update file. Follow the security product’s documented temporary-disable or allow-list procedure only for diagnosis, disconnecting from untrusted networks and re-enabling protection immediately after the test. Do not grant broad “Everyone” permissions to Windows folders or change registry ownership as a guess; those changes can create new security and servicing problems.
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0x8007000d: invalid or corrupt update data
Reset the SoftwareDistribution cache, restart Windows, and request the update again so the package is downloaded afresh. If the code returns for several different KB numbers, treat it as a possible system-file or component-store issue rather than assuming every download is independently bad. Proceed to the component checks in the escalation section and preserve the logs if repair does not complete.
0x80070070: insufficient disk space
Follow the storage procedure above and verify free space on the Windows disk after the reboot. External storage does not substitute for free space on the operating-system disk during servicing. Once the disk meets Microsoft’s at-least-20-GB guidance, retry the update. If the code changes, use the new suffix; if it remains 0x80070070 despite adequate space, document the free-space figure and move to cache and log diagnosis.
0x80070570: corruption, interruption, or interference
Start by clearing the SoftwareDistributionDownload contents with Windows Update and BITS stopped, restart both services, reboot, and retry. If the package still fails, several possibilities remain: the downloaded files may be corrupt, the Windows component store or system files may be damaged, the disk may have file-system problems, the download may have been interrupted repeatedly, or security software may be interfering.
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Before repair work, back up important data and, ideally, the operating-system disk. Then collect the Windows Update and component-servicing evidence available on your build. Windows Update troubleshooting commonly refers to WindowsUpdate.log and the Component-Based Servicing log, CBS.log. On modern Windows versions, generate a readable Windows Update log with PowerShell’s Get-WindowsUpdateLog if that command is available; otherwise preserve the event details and CBS entries that identify the failing KB.
Escalate with system-file, component-store, and disk checks
Use these checks after the low-risk steps fail, especially for 0x80070570 or repeated 0x8007000d failures. They can take time and may repair files rather than merely clearing a download.
- Open Command Prompt (Admin) or Windows Terminal (Admin).
- Run the component-store check:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
Wait for it to reach completion. Do not close the window because progress appears to pause during some phases. - After DISM completes successfully, run the system-file check:
sfc /scannow
Read the final result. It distinguishes repaired files from files that could not be fixed. - Restart Windows and retry the update once.
- To check the online file system without scheduling an offline repair, run:
chkdsk C: /scan
ReplaceC:only if Windows is installed on a different drive. If it reports problems requiring repair, back up first and follow the prompt’s recommendation rather than interrupting a repair.
These commands do not prove that an update package is safe or correct; they address Windows files and storage integrity. If a command reports an error, include the exact text with your support request instead of repeatedly rerunning it.
Review logs and retry in a controlled order
When a cache reset and component checks do not resolve the error, stop changing settings at random. Record one clean attempt:
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems- Write down the Windows build, full code, KB number, available space, and whether the failure is download or installation.
- Restart the PC, connect it to a reliable network, and select Check for updates once.
- Record the exact time the failure appears.
- Review Windows Update events and the entries in
CBS.logaround that time. Look for the KB number, a file path, an access-denied message, or a component-store error. - Keep the logs unchanged. Copy relevant lines into a support case rather than editing or deleting the originals.
Microsoft Support can then distinguish a package-specific failure from a servicing-stack, permissions, storage, or component problem. Include the steps already attempted so you are not asked to repeat them blindly.
Windows version and support considerations
Always identify the Windows version when discussing a fix. Settings labels and available troubleshooters differ between Windows 11 and Windows 10, and a procedure that applies to one build may not appear identically on another.
For standard Windows 10 support, Microsoft ended free software updates, technical assistance, and security fixes through Windows Update on October 14, 2025. A Windows 10 PC can still display an old update error after that date, but the support path and eligibility for any separately arranged servicing option depend on the edition and program. Do not assume that installing an older Windows 10 update manually restores ongoing free support. Provide your edition and build when contacting Microsoft or an organization’s administrator.
Common mistakes that make 0x800700 harder to fix
- Using only the prefix: 0x800700 does not identify the cause. Obtain all eight digits.
- Deleting the wrong folder: clear the contents of SoftwareDistribution only after stopping the relevant services; never remove arbitrary folders under
C:Windows. - Ignoring the failure stage: a download failure points first to cache, network, storage, or access issues; an installation rollback may require component and log checks.
- Checking the wrong drive: free space on a secondary game or media drive does not satisfy the operating-system disk requirement for 0x80070070.
- Changing permissions globally: broad ACL or registry edits can damage servicing and create security exposure.
- Disabling security protection permanently: if interference is suspected, use a controlled, temporary diagnostic test and restore protection immediately.
- Repeating a failed retry without new evidence: capture the timestamp and logs after one controlled attempt, then escalate.
When to stop troubleshooting yourself
Seek Microsoft or organizational IT support when the full code returns after the troubleshooter, cache reset, and appropriate code-specific checks; when DISM or SFC cannot complete; when disk checks report errors; or when several KB updates fail with different symptoms. Supply the full code, KB, Windows edition/build, download-versus-install stage, available operating-system-disk space, exact commands run, and relevant WindowsUpdate/CBS log entries. That information is more useful than reporting only “Windows Update says download error.”
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