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Windows Update error 0x80070422 means the Windows Update service is disabled or stopped. On a standalone PC, open services.msc, set Windows Update to Automatic, start it, and check for updates again. On a WSUS-managed computer, continue with the cache, policy, firewall, and server checks below if the service is running but updates still fail.
What error 0x80070422 means
Microsoft identifies 0x80070422 as ERROR_SERVICE_DISABLED. Its Windows Update error table describes the condition as: “Windows Update service is disabled or stopped.” A separate Microsoft support statement says, “The service cannot be started because it is disabled.” These definitions point first to the local service, not to a damaged game, a missing driver, or an automatically infected computer.
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The code can appear on a normal Windows installation or on a device that receives updates from Windows Server Update Services (WSUS). The first repair is the same in both cases: make sure the local Windows Update service can run. If that does not restore updating, the problem moves into one of two broader scopes:
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- Infrastructure scope: WSUS policy, firewall access, upstream synchronization, or the client’s server configuration is wrong.
Fix the disabled or stopped service first
You need an account with permission to change Windows services. Save open work before restarting the computer.
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- Press Win + R to open the Run dialog.
- Type
services.mscand press Enter. Confirm the User Account Control prompt if Windows displays one. - In the Services console, locate Windows Update. The list is alphabetical, so you can click the list and type “Windows Update” to jump to it.
- Right-click Windows Update and select Properties.
- On the General tab, open Startup type and choose Automatic.
- Look at Service status. If it says Stopped, select Start.
- Select Apply, then OK.
- Close the Services window. Restart Windows if the service would not start cleanly or if another update component requested a restart.
- Open Settings, choose Windows Update (or Update & Security > Windows Update on older Windows editions), and select Check for updates.
If the service starts and the update downloads normally, the repair is complete. Do not change other services simply because they have “update” in their names; changing unrelated startup settings can create a second problem.
If Windows Update will not start
Check the exact service state
Return to services.msc and open Windows Update Properties again. A service that immediately returns to Stopped is different from one that is merely set to Disabled. Set the startup type to Automatic before trying Start again. If Windows displays an error number, record it; that secondary number is useful when the problem is escalated to a WSUS administrator.
Consider management policy
On an organization-managed computer, Group Policy, mobile-device management, or security software can write the service setting back after you change it. If the startup type reverts to Disabled, contact the administrator rather than repeatedly forcing the change. The administrator must verify that the device is intended to receive updates and that its update policy does not disable the service.
Check whether a restart is pending
A pending restart can leave update components in an incomplete state. Restart Windows once, sign in, and check the service again before performing more invasive maintenance. If the service remains enabled and running after the restart, try Windows Update once more.
Reset the Windows Update cache when the service is running
Microsoft’s documented cache-reset path is to stop Windows Update, clear the contents of C:WindowsSoftwareDistribution, and start Windows Update again. This removes downloaded update payloads and temporary metadata; it does not remove personal documents.
- Open
services.mscwith Win + R. - Open Windows Update Properties and select Stop. Leave the Services window open.
- Open File Explorer and enter
C:WindowsSoftwareDistributionin the address bar. - Delete the contents inside that folder, not the
SoftwareDistributionfolder itself. If Windows says a file is in use, return to Services and confirm that Windows Update is stopped, then retry. - Return to the Services console, open Windows Update Properties, select Start, then Apply and OK.
- Restart the computer and select Check for updates.
The first scan after a cache reset can take longer because Windows must rebuild local update metadata and download files again. If the same code appears immediately, the service state or an administrative policy is still the more likely cause.
Use the Windows Update troubleshooter
Run the built-in Windows Update troubleshooter after confirming that the service is enabled. In current Windows 11 releases, open Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters, find Windows Update, and select Run. On Windows 10, open Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooters, choose Windows Update, and select Run the troubleshooter.
Allow the troubleshooter to apply a proposed repair, then restart if requested and test Windows Update. The troubleshooter can identify a disabled service or a damaged local cache, but it cannot repair a WSUS server’s firewall, upstream synchronization, or policy configuration. Those checks require the administrator responsible for the update infrastructure.
WSUS-specific checks after local repair
A WSUS client can have a correctly enabled Windows Update service and still fail because it cannot reach its configured server or because the server cannot provide current metadata. Separate local-client work from WSUS infrastructure work so that a working service is not mistaken for a working end-to-end update path.
| Remedy scope | Who needs access | What changes | Diagnostic signal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enable Windows Update in Services | Local administrator | Startup type and running state of one client service | The service is disabled or stopped; error 0x80070422 is the expected clue |
Run the troubleshooter or clear SoftwareDistribution |
Local administrator | Local update components and cached metadata | The service runs, but scans or installations fail locally |
| Verify WSUS policy and client targeting | WSUS or domain administrator | Which server and update source the client uses | Several clients show the same failure or point to an unexpected server |
| Verify firewall and upstream connectivity | WSUS and network administrator | Network path between clients, WSUS, and its upstream source | Clients cannot contact the server, or the server cannot synchronize |
Confirm the client is configured for the intended WSUS server
Ask the WSUS administrator to verify that the computer’s update policy points to the organization’s current WSUS endpoint and that the device is in the expected computer group. A stale policy can leave the local service running while directing the client to an unavailable or retired server. If only one computer is affected, compare its policy and WSUS identity with a working computer in the same group.
Check the WSUS server firewall and listening ports
Microsoft’s WSUS deployment guidance calls for checking the server firewall and the path from clients to the server. WSUS uses ports 80 and 443 for HTTP and HTTPS connections to Microsoft Update. Your organization may use one of these ports for the WSUS endpoint, so the administrator should confirm that the selected port is allowed through host and network firewalls. Opening unrelated ports will not fix this error and can weaken the network boundary.
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Verify upstream access and synchronization
The WSUS server must be able to reach its configured upstream source. If synchronization is failing, clients may scan successfully but receive no current approvals or metadata. Check the WSUS console’s synchronization history, the server’s proxy or firewall rules, and whether the upstream source is reachable. Resolve the server-side failure before resetting every client; a client cache reset cannot repair an unavailable upstream connection.
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Compare one failing client with one working client
Use the comparison to narrow the fault:
- If the failing client alone has Windows Update disabled, stay in the local-service scope.
- If several clients have a stopped or disabled service, inspect domain policy or management tooling.
- If services and policy match but only one client cannot scan, reset its local cache and inspect its network path.
- If many clients fail at the same time, investigate WSUS synchronization, firewall rules, or a server outage before making broad client changes.
Do not confuse the July 2026 WSUS synchronization advisory with 0x80070422
Microsoft’s July 2026 advisory describes a separate WSUS synchronization issue caused by a buildup of published test detectoids. The advisory provides server-side cleanup and remediation instructions, followed by a confirmation scan from clients. That incident is not the definition of error 0x80070422: Microsoft’s error reference still defines 0x80070422 as the disabled-service condition.
Use the advisory’s remediation only when the WSUS administrator has confirmed that the server has the test-detectoid buildup described there. Do not treat it as a universal fix for every report containing 0x80070422. First restore the client service, then establish whether the WSUS server actually matches the advisory’s symptoms.
Confirm the repair and document what changed
- In
services.msc, verify that Windows Update shows Running and Startup type: Automatic. - In Windows Update settings, select Check for updates and note whether the scan begins, finds updates, or returns another code.
- If the computer is managed by WSUS, record the time of the scan and ask the administrator to check whether the client reported to the expected WSUS server.
- If you cleared
SoftwareDistribution, expect a longer first scan and allow it to finish before judging the result. - If the service becomes disabled again, capture the time and the device’s management context; that pattern strongly suggests policy or management software is reversing the setting.
Stop troubleshooting the local machine when the service is enabled, the cache has been rebuilt, and the client still cannot contact WSUS. At that point, provide the WSUS administrator with the client name, the exact error code, the service state, the time of the failed scan, and whether other clients are affected. This avoids repeating destructive cache resets when the remaining fault is on the server or network.
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Quick Recap
Which fix should you try?
| Situation | Next action | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Windows Update is Disabled or Stopped | Set Startup type to Automatic and start the service | This directly addresses Microsoft’s definition of 0x80070422 |
| The service runs, but scans fail on one PC | Run the troubleshooter, then reset the SoftwareDistribution contents |
The fault is likely within local update components |
| The startup setting keeps reverting | Have the domain or device-management administrator review policy | A centrally applied setting can overwrite local changes |
| Several WSUS clients fail together | Check WSUS policy, firewall access, ports 80/443, and upstream synchronization | A shared infrastructure fault is more likely than identical local corruption |
| The server matches the July 2026 test-detectoid advisory | Follow the advisory’s server cleanup and client confirmation scan | That is a distinct, confirmed WSUS synchronization incident |
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