If Windows 10 shows 0x80070057 while downloading or installing an update, start with the Windows Update troubleshooter and an elevated sfc /scannow scan. If corruption remains, run DISM, run SFC again, and then reset the Windows Update cache. The code written as 0x800070057 contains an extra zero and is not the spelling documented by Microsoft, so verify the exact message before changing anything.
This guide covers the manual repairs in a safe order, explains when each one applies, and identifies what to do if the error appears during activation, an upgrade, or an app installation instead of Windows Update.
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First, verify the code and where it appears
Error codes are easy to mistype when copied from a photograph or handwritten note. Microsoft’s current Windows Update guidance documents 0x80070057. The exact string 0x800070057 was not matched in that guidance, so do not silently treat both strings as identical.
Record the complete message
Before running a repair, copy the entire dialog or update-history entry. Note whether the failure occurs while Windows is:
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- Downloading an update
- Installing an update or restarting after one
- Upgrading to another Windows release
- Activating Windows
- Installing or updating an app
Those contexts can use the same-looking hexadecimal format but point to different components. The steps below are aimed at Windows Update failures. If the message is tied only to activation or an app installer, keep that distinction for the escalation step rather than repeatedly clearing update files.
Check the Windows edition and build
- Press Windows key+R.
- Type
winverand press Enter. - Write down the Windows 10 edition, version, and OS build shown in the dialog.
The build matters when you contact Microsoft or compare a log entry with documentation. It also confirms that the affected machine is actually running Windows 10 rather than a different release with a similar message.
What 0x80070057 usually means
Microsoft associates 0x80070057 with corrupted files or incorrect system configurations in the Windows Update path. Corruption can involve downloaded update files, protected Windows components, or the component store used to service the operating system. Security software can also interfere with an update operation. The code alone does not identify one failed file, so the practical approach is to repair the operating-system components first, then refresh the update cache if the downloaded package is damaged.
A repair command may report that it found no problem, repaired files, or could not repair everything. Treat each result as a decision point: a clean result moves you to the next relevant check, while a repair result requires a restart and a new update attempt before you add more changes.
Prepare before changing Windows Update
- Save open work and connect the PC to reliable power.
- Use an account with administrator rights. SFC, DISM, and service-reset commands require elevation.
- Disconnect removable drives that are not needed for the repair so you do not accidentally delete files from the wrong location.
- Record the current error text and the
winverresult. - If a restart is pending, restart once before beginning the sequence. A pending restart can leave an update transaction incomplete.
Do not delete the entire Windows directory. The cache reset later in this guide removes the contents of a specific update-download folder, not the operating system itself.
Step 1: Run the Windows Update troubleshooter
Microsoft says the troubleshooter can help with error codes encountered while downloading and installing updates. It automatically runs diagnostics and attempts to fix many problems.
- Open Start and select Settings.
- Open Update & Security, then choose Troubleshoot.
- Select Additional troubleshooters.
- Choose Windows Update, select Run the troubleshooter, and follow the prompts.
- Read the result rather than closing it immediately. If it reports a change, restart Windows when prompted.
- Return to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and select Check for updates.
Windows 10 builds can present the troubleshooter through slightly different Settings labels. If you do not see the exact path, search Settings for troubleshoot and open the Windows Update troubleshooter from the result.
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Step 2: Run System File Checker
System File Checker checks protected Windows system files and repairs files it can replace. Microsoft lists sfc /scannow as part of the troubleshooting path for 0x80070057.
- Open Start and type
Command Prompt. - Right-click Command Prompt and choose Run as administrator. Approve the User Account Control prompt.
- At the elevated prompt, enter:
sfc /scannow- Press Enter and let the verification reach 100 percent. Do not close the window while it is checking.
- Read the final message. Restart Windows if SFC repaired files, then try Windows Update again.
If SFC says it found no integrity violations, the protected system files it checked are not the obvious cause; proceed to the component-store repair. If it says it found corrupt files but could not fix some of them, DISM can repair the underlying component store before you run SFC a second time.
Step 3: Repair the component store with DISM, then run SFC again
DISM repairs the Windows component store that supplies replacement files. Microsoft Learn documents this sequence for corruption-related update errors: run DISM, restart, and run SFC again.
- Open an elevated Command Prompt again if the previous window is closed.
- Run:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth- Press Enter and allow the operation to finish. DISM can appear to pause while it checks or restores components; do not interrupt it solely because the percentage has not changed for a while.
- Restart the computer after DISM completes.
- Open an elevated Command Prompt and run:
sfc /scannow- Restart again if SFC reports a repair, then use Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Check for updates.
This order matters. SFC may be unable to replace a damaged file when the component store that contains the replacement is also corrupted. DISM addresses that store; the second SFC pass then checks the protected files against the repaired source.
If DISM ends with an error instead of completing, copy its final message and the Windows build from winver. Do not repeatedly run the same command without recording the result; the exact DISM message is useful when reviewing logs or contacting Microsoft Support.
Step 4: Reset the Windows Update download cache and services
Use this step when update downloads are corrupted, when the troubleshooter and file repairs did not clear the error, or when Windows Update repeatedly retries the same package. Microsoft Support instructs stopping Windows Update, clearing the contents of C:WindowsSoftwareDistribution, and starting the service again. Microsoft Learn documents equivalent command-line cache-clearing steps.
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Option A: Clear the folder from File Explorer
- Open Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and select Pause updates if that control is available. This prevents a new download from starting while you work.
- Press Windows key+R, enter
services.msc, and press Enter. - In the Services window, locate Windows Update, right-click it, and select Stop.
- Open File Explorer and enter
C:WindowsSoftwareDistributionin the address bar. - Select the contents of that folder and delete them. Leave the
SoftwareDistributionfolder itself in place. - Return to Services, right-click Windows Update, and select Start.
- Restart Windows, remove the pause if you used it, and select Check for updates.
Windows may refuse to delete a file that is still in use. If that happens, confirm that the Windows Update service is stopped, close File Explorer, and try again. Do not force-delete unrelated files elsewhere in C:Windows.
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If the Services interface does not stop the service cleanly, an elevated Command Prompt provides a repeatable method. Run each line separately and wait for the confirmation before entering the next one:
net stop wuauserv
net stop bitsAfter the services report that they are stopped, clear the contents of C:WindowsSoftwareDistribution in File Explorer. Then start the services:
net start bits
net start wuauservRestart and test Windows Update. If a command reports that a service is not running, note that result; it is different from a permission error and helps explain what happened if the problem persists.
Step 5: Check for security-software interference
Microsoft identifies antivirus or other security software as a possible cause of update failures. Security products can inspect files as they are downloaded or replaced, so a temporary conflict test may distinguish interference from Windows corruption.
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- Temporarily disable only the protection component needed for the test, if the vendor allows that action.
- Immediately attempt the pending Windows Update operation.
- Re-enable protection as soon as the test finishes, whether the update succeeds or fails.
Do not leave protection disabled while browsing, downloading, or troubleshooting unrelated problems. If the update works only while protection is disabled, contact the security vendor for a compatible configuration rather than permanently removing protection. A security-software test does not prove that Windows is infected, and it is not a substitute for normal security protection.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Step 6: Review logs and check the disk when the error remains
When the troubleshooter, SFC, DISM, and cache reset do not resolve the failure, gather evidence instead of cycling through the same commands. Microsoft Learn recommends reviewing Windows Update and CBS logs, confirming disk health, and escalating corruption scenarios when repairs fail.
Review the relevant logs
- Windows Update logs: Look for entries at the time of the failed download or installation and record the component name, package identifier, and any accompanying error code.
- CBS logs: SFC and servicing operations write component-based servicing information. A repeated file or package name can identify what the repair could not replace.
- Update history: In Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > View update history, note the update’s knowledge-base identifier and the date of each failed attempt.
Save copies or screenshots before clearing another cache. A log captured after repeated resets may no longer show the original failure clearly.
Confirm disk health and free space
Servicing needs a functioning system drive and enough room for temporary files. Check the drive’s available space in File Explorer > This PC and use the manufacturer’s or Windows diagnostic guidance to investigate reported disk errors. If the drive is failing, software repairs may be temporary; back up important files and seek hardware support before continuing with repeated update attempts.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsEscalate with a complete record
Contact Microsoft Support when the code persists, changes after a repair, or is accompanied by a DISM, SFC, or disk error. Provide the exact on-screen code, the context in which it appears, the winver result, the update identifier, and the final messages from the troubleshooter, SFC, DISM, and service reset. That record is more useful than reporting only “Windows Update failed.”
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Windows 10 support ended: what that changes
Microsoft states, “Support for Windows 10 has ended on October 14, 2025.” A successful repair can restore the update process, but it does not change that support status. Once the immediate error is understood, decide whether the computer can move to Windows 11 or another supported release.
Check upgrade readiness separately
Do not use an unexplained 0x80070057 failure as proof that the hardware is incompatible with Windows 11. First repair the current installation and record the build. Then evaluate the target release using Microsoft’s current requirements and compatibility checks. If the device cannot move to a supported release, plan how you will protect data and operate it safely rather than assuming that every future Windows 10 update will remain available.
Keep the immediate repair and the migration decision separate
The troubleshooting sequence answers why this update failed. The support-lifecycle decision answers how the PC should be maintained afterward. Keeping those questions separate prevents an unsuccessful update from leading directly to an unnecessary reset or an unsupported configuration change.
Choosing the next step by symptom
| Observed situation | Most useful next action | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The code appears during an update download | Run the troubleshooter, then reset the Windows Update cache if the download repeats | The failure may involve a damaged download or update service state |
| The code appears while installing or restarting | Run SFC; use DISM followed by SFC if corruption is reported | Protected files or the component store may be damaged |
| SFC cannot repair files | Run DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth, restart, then run SFC again |
DISM repairs the source used by SFC |
| The problem occurs only while third-party security software is active | Perform a brief vendor-approved disable test and re-enable protection immediately | Security software is a documented possible interference point |
| The code appears during activation or an app install | Keep that context in the record and use the relevant support path | Windows Update cache procedures may not address another component |
| DISM, SFC, and cache reset all fail | Review Windows Update/CBS logs, check disk health, and contact Microsoft Support | Further repetition without evidence is unlikely to identify the cause |
Common mistakes to avoid
- Changing the code in your notes:
0x800070057and0x80070057are not the same text. Verify the screen before applying a guide. - Running commands without elevation: A normal Command Prompt may return an access or permission error. Reopen it with Run as administrator.
- Stopping after the first SFC pass: When DISM repairs the component store, the required follow-up is a restart and another SFC scan.
- Deleting the wrong folder: Clear only the contents of
C:WindowsSoftwareDistributionafter stopping Windows Update. - Leaving security protection disabled: Re-enable it immediately after the controlled test.
- Ignoring a changed error: A new code after a repair is new evidence. Record it instead of assuming the original diagnosis still applies.
- Forgetting the support date: Windows 10’s end-of-support date affects the long-term plan even if this particular update succeeds.
When the repair is complete
Consider the incident resolved when Windows Update completes without the code, the update appears in update history, and a restart leaves the system operating normally. Keep the recorded build, update identifier, and successful step in case the same package fails again. If the error returns, compare the new context with the old one: a download failure points back toward cache and service state, while an installation failure after repeated corruption repairs warrants log review and support escalation.
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