0x800700 is only the beginning of a Windows error code, not a complete diagnosis. Open Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > View update history and copy the full code, any KB number, your Windows 10 build, and whether the failure happens while downloading, installing, or restarting. The final digits determine which repair is appropriate.
For most update failures, start with the built-in Windows Update troubleshooter, restart, check connectivity and free storage, and retry. Clear the update cache only if files appear incomplete or downloads repeatedly fail. Treat permission error 0x80070005 differently: inspect the servicing logs before changing permissions.
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What a 0x800700 Windows Update error means
Windows error values beginning with 0x800700 share a prefix but can describe different failures. Microsoft lists 0x80070002, 0x80070003, and 0x80070057 among Windows Update installation failures. Code 0x80070005 is different: it represents E_ACCESSDENIED, meaning the update process could not access a required file, folder, registry entry, or servicing component.
Do not apply every fix to every suffix. Record the complete value first. A partial value such as “0x800700” cannot tell you whether the cause is a missing file, an invalid parameter, a permissions block, damaged update-cache data, or component-store corruption.
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Record the details before repairing
- Open Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > View update history and copy the complete hexadecimal code.
- Write down the failed KB number, if Windows displays one.
- Note your Windows 10 edition and build number. Press Windows key + R, type
winver, and press Enter. - Describe the failure stage: download, preparation, installation percentage, shutdown, or restart.
- Keep any text that names a file, registry key, service, or “access denied” object. That detail determines whether a cache reset or permission investigation is justified.
Low-risk checks to run first
These checks address common failures without changing system permissions or deleting servicing components.
Run the Windows Update troubleshooter
- Open Start > Settings > Update & Security.
- Select Troubleshoot, then Additional troubleshooters.
- Choose Windows Update and select Run the troubleshooter.
- Apply any repair it reports, close the troubleshooter, and restart the PC.
- Return to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and select Check for updates.
The troubleshooter can correct routine Windows Update configuration problems, but it cannot repair every damaged component or permission. If the same full code returns, continue with the branch that matches it instead of repeatedly running the same check.
Verify network access and free storage
Confirm that the PC can reach the internet and that the system drive has room for the download, temporary files, and the expanded update package. A nearly full drive can stop an otherwise valid update. Remove or move personal files using normal Windows storage tools, then retry.
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A USB flash drive for Windows update storage is relevant only when the device does not have enough local storage. It is a capacity workaround, not a fix for access-denied errors, damaged update files, or a corrupt component store.
Restart before the next attempt
Restart Windows after the troubleshooter and before resetting files. A pending reboot can leave update services or installers holding files that the next attempt needs. Retry once after the restart so you can distinguish a transient lock from a persistent fault.
Reset the Windows Update cache
Use this procedure when downloads repeatedly fail, files appear incomplete, or the same package fails before installation begins. The cache is stored under C:WindowsSoftwareDistribution. Clearing its contents forces Windows Update to create fresh working data.
- Sign in with an administrator account.
- Press Windows key + R, type
services.msc, and press Enter. - In the Services window, find Windows Update, right-click it, and choose Stop. Wait until its status is no longer Running.
- Open File Explorer and enter
C:WindowsSoftwareDistributionin the address bar. - Delete the contents inside that folder. Do not delete unrelated folders, and do not alter
C:WindowsWinSxSas part of this step. - Return to services.msc, right-click Windows Update, and choose Start.
- Restart Windows, run Check for updates, and watch whether the same KB fails at the same stage.
If Windows says a file is in use, confirm that Windows Update is stopped. If the lock remains, restart and repeat the stop-and-clear sequence before changing permissions. A cache reset does not correct an access-control problem; it only removes potentially damaged or incomplete update data.
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Microsoft describes this specific failure as occurring when “the update process can’t access required files, folders, or registry entries.” The useful question is therefore which object was denied, not simply how to grant broad permissions.
Inspect the servicing evidence first
Review CBS.log and the Windows Update log for entries at the time of the failed installation. Look for an explicit access-denied message, a path, a registry location, or a named account. Common causes identified by Microsoft include incorrect permissions for TrustedInstaller or SYSTEM, altered permissions in servicing-related registry keys, security software locking a file, and Group Policy restrictions.
Do not reset permissions merely because the code is present. ACL changes can create new servicing failures if they affect an object that was not damaged. Back up the operating-system disk before any permission repair, and keep a copy of the relevant log lines so you can undo or explain the change.
Use Microsoft’s documented permission reset only when logs support it
Open Windows Terminal (Admin), Command Prompt (Admin), or another elevated console. Run the following commands exactly as shown when the logs point to the component store or update cache:
icacls "%windir%WinSxS" /reset /t /c /q
icacls "%windir%SoftwareDistribution" /reset /t /c /qThe /reset switch restores inherited default permissions, /t applies the operation through subfolders, /c continues if an individual item reports an error, and /q reduces output. These commands require administrator rights and can take time on a large component store.
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Restart after the commands finish, run Windows Update once, and check the logs again if the error persists. Do not add arbitrary “Everyone” access, take ownership of the entire Windows directory, or disable servicing protections to force an installation. Those actions can make future updates less reliable and are not a substitute for identifying the denied object.
Check security software and policy restrictions
Third-party antivirus or firewall software can temporarily lock files during an update. To isolate that possibility, pause the product’s protection briefly, run one update attempt, and restore protection immediately afterward. If the update succeeds only while protection is paused, update the security product or consult its documentation rather than leaving protection disabled.
On a managed PC, Group Policy may intentionally restrict Windows Update, registry changes, or service access. A work or school administrator should review those policies. Do not edit policy settings on a managed device without authorization.
Repair a damaged component store
Use Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) and System File Checker when the error or log indicates component-store corruption, missing system files, or a missing repair source. These commands are not a universal first step for every 0x800700xx value.
- Save open work and open an elevated console by right-clicking Start and selecting Windows Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin).
- Run:
Dism.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestorehealthWait for DISM to complete. It may appear to pause while checking and repairing the component store. Do not close the console during the operation.
- After DISM finishes, run:
Sfc.exe /Scannow- Restart Windows after both commands have completed, then retry the failed update.
If DISM reports that a repair source is missing, preserve the exact message and the build information from winver. Do not substitute files from another Windows edition or build. A repair source must match the installed system; otherwise, the attempted repair can introduce additional servicing errors.
Choosing the right remedy
The safest sequence depends on the suffix, the observed cause, the reversibility of the action, and whether administrator privileges are required.
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|---|---|---|---|
| Windows Update troubleshooter, restart, and retry | The code is unclear or the failure may be routine. | Low risk; standard user actions may be sufficient, although Windows can request elevation. | It does not guarantee repair of corrupted files or ACLs. |
Clear SoftwareDistribution |
Downloads or update files are incomplete or repeatedly fail. | Moderate and reversible because Windows recreates the cache; administrator access is normally required to stop the service and remove files. | It does not repair TrustedInstaller, SYSTEM, registry, or Group Policy permissions. |
| Inspect CBS and Windows Update logs | The suffix is 0x80070005 or another failure persists after basic checks. |
Low risk; reading logs does not alter the system. | Logs identify evidence but do not automatically change a bad ACL. |
icacls permission reset |
Logs identify affected objects in WinSxS or SoftwareDistribution. |
Higher risk; requires an elevated console and an operating-system backup. | It will not fix a full drive, a missing repair source, or a package that is simply incomplete. |
| DISM followed by SFC | Component-store corruption or missing system files are indicated. | Higher impact; requires administrator rights and a restart. | It is not a general replacement for cache, storage, network, or policy troubleshooting. |
What to do when the update still fails
Run one controlled retry
After each repair, restart and attempt the same KB once. Record the stage and full code if it fails. Applying several unrelated fixes at once makes it difficult to know which change helped and can hide a new permissions problem.
Separate a storage failure from a permissions failure
If Windows reports insufficient space, resolve capacity first and consider a USB flash drive only as additional update storage. If the message names access denied, a registry entry, TrustedInstaller, or SYSTEM, return to the log-based permission branch. Adding storage will not grant access.
Separate a cache failure from component corruption
If stopping Windows Update and rebuilding SoftwareDistribution changes the failure stage, the cache was likely involved. If DISM or SFC reports corruption, follow the component-store branch and retain the command output. Repeating cache deletion will not repair damaged system components.
Escalate with useful evidence
If the error remains, collect the complete code, KB number, Windows edition and build, failure stage, the last relevant CBS and Windows Update log entries, and the output from DISM or SFC. This information gives Microsoft support or a system administrator a specific object and operation to investigate instead of an ambiguous “0x800700” report.
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