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You can use the Microsoft Update Catalog in current versions of Edge, Chrome, Firefox, and other modern browsers; Internet Explorer and ActiveX are not required for ordinary searching and downloads. Search for an update by its KB number, choose a package that matches your Windows version and architecture, then select the direct file link in the separate download window.
Open catalog.update.microsoft.com. If selecting Download appears to do nothing, allow pop-ups for the Catalog and retry.
Open Microsoft Update Catalog in any modern browser
- Open https://catalog.update.microsoft.com/.
- Enter the update’s KB number in the search box. You can enter it as
KB1234567or enter only the numeric portion, such as5043080. - Select Search.
- Review the results and identify the package that matches your computer.
- Select Download beside the correct result.
- In the separate download window, select the direct link ending in
.msu,.cab, or.exe. - Save the file through your browser’s normal download prompt.
Selecting Download in the results list often does not download the update immediately. It normally opens a second window containing the actual file link. If that window is blocked, the page can appear to do nothing.
Choose the correct Catalog result
A KB number can return several packages. Before downloading one, compare these details with the computer or Windows image you intend to update:
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| Check | Examples | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Windows product and version | Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows Server | A package for another release may be rejected as not applicable. |
| Architecture | x64-based Systems, x86-based Systems, arm64-based Systems | An arm64 package cannot normally be installed on an x64 device. |
| Language | English, German, Japanese | Some packages are language-specific or depend on installed language components. |
| Classification | Security Updates, Updates, Drivers | Several entries can share related KB information while serving different purposes. |
| Release date | The date shown in the results list | It helps distinguish the current package from older or superseded entries. |
| Server or client target | Windows Server versus Windows client | Packages are not interchangeable simply because the version numbers look similar. |
The Catalog also supports searches by update title, description, applicable product, classification, driver model, manufacturer, device class, and four-part hardware ID. Put a phrase in quotation marks when you need a more specific search.
Download several updates with the basket
To collect multiple packages before downloading them:
- Search for each update.
- Select Add beside each required result.
- Select view basket (n), where
nis the number of selected updates. - Select Download in the basket.
- Use the links in the separate download window to download the individual files.
Check each file before installing it. Adding an update to the basket does not remove the need to match its architecture, Windows version, language, and prerequisites.
Allow the Catalog’s download window
The most common reason that Download appears not to work is a blocked pop-up. Create an exception for the Catalog, then retry.
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- Select Settings and more (
...). - Go to Settings > Privacy, search, and services.
- Select Site permissions > All permissions > Pop-ups and redirects.
- Under Allowed to send pop-ups and use redirects, select Add site.
- Enter
https://catalog.update.microsoft.comand select Add.
If the page still behaves incorrectly, review Edge’s tracking-prevention and cookie settings under Settings and more > Settings > Privacy, search, and services. Strict privacy settings can prevent parts of the Catalog from working.
Google Chrome
- Select More (
...) > Settings. - Select Privacy and security > Site settings.
- Select Pop-ups and redirects.
- Under Not allowed to send pop-ups or use redirects, select Add.
- Add
https://catalog.update.microsoft.com.
Chrome may also show a Pop-up blocked icon in the address bar after you select Download. Select the icon, choose Always allow pop-ups and redirects from [site], and select Done.
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- SMOOTH ACTION WITH ADAPTIVE-SYNC: Adaptive-Sync technology ensures fluid action sequences and rapid response time. Every frame will be rendered smoothly with crystal clarity and without stutter
- INCREDIBLE CONTRAST: The VA panel produces brighter whites and deeper blacks. You get true-to-life images and more gradients with 16.7 million colors
- THE PERFECT VIEW: The 178/178 degree extra wide viewing angle prevents the shifting of colors when viewed from an offset angle, so you always get consistent colors
Mozilla Firefox
- Select the Firefox menu button and choose Settings.
- Select Privacy & Security.
- Scroll to Permissions.
- Beside Block pop-up windows and third-party redirects, select Exceptions or Manage exceptions.
- Enter
https://catalog.update.microsoft.com. - Select Allow, then Save Changes.
Fix a blank window or a download that does nothing
- Confirm that pop-ups and redirects are allowed specifically for
https://catalog.update.microsoft.com. - Temporarily disable ad blockers, script blockers, and privacy extensions for the Catalog.
- Permit cookies and site data for the Catalog.
- Clear the Catalog’s saved site data, reopen the browser, and try again.
- Try another current browser.
- If the problem began suddenly and affects multiple browsers, wait and retry later. The Catalog can experience service-side failures that local browser changes cannot fix.
A blank download window means that the separate response window did not render correctly or that its file-link content was blocked. A June 2026 Microsoft Q&A report described blank download windows and error 8DDD0020 in modern browsers; Microsoft has not published a definitive root cause for that incident. The error does not prove that Internet Explorer or ActiveX is required.
Ignore the legacy ActiveX message
The Catalog homepage still contains instructions telling users to enable ActiveX controls and active scripting in Internet Explorer. That content is legacy guidance. It is not a requirement for ordinary searching and downloading in a current browser.
Internet Explorer is deprecated, and current browsers do not support ActiveX. Do not install an unofficial “ActiveX plugin” or browser extension claiming to make the Catalog work. If the download fails, troubleshoot pop-ups, cookies, extensions, and site availability instead.
Install a downloaded MSU package
The simplest method is to double-click the downloaded .msu file. Windows passes it to Windows Update Standalone Installer, also known as Wusa.exe.
To install it quietly from an elevated Command Prompt, use:
wusa.exe "C:\Path\To\Update.msu" /quiet /norestart
/quiet suppresses interactive prompts. /norestart prevents an automatic restart, so restart Windows manually when the installation is complete. Microsoft notes that /norestart is ignored unless /quiet is also present.
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Install an MSU or CAB with DISM
For a running Windows installation, open Command Prompt as administrator and use:
DISM /Online /Add-Package /PackagePath:"C:\Path\To\Update.msu"
DISM can service both .msu and .cab packages and checks whether the package applies to the target system.
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Do not assume that one file is always sufficient. Check the Microsoft Support article for the specific KB when it lists prerequisites or a required installation order.
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Checkpoint cumulative updates
Some newer Windows 11 cumulative updates use checkpoint cumulative updates. The Catalog’s download dialog may therefore list the target .msu and one or more preceding checkpoint packages.
For an affected update:
- Search for the KB number.
- Select the result for the correct Windows version and architecture.
- Select Download.
- Download every
.msufile listed in the download dialog. - Place the files in a folder containing no unrelated
.msufiles. - Install them in the order specified by Microsoft, or follow the DISM instructions for that KB.
Installing only the newest file by double-clicking it can produce Operation is not supported in checkpoint, language-pack, and Features on Demand scenarios. That error indicates a package or servicing requirement, not a browser-access problem.
WSUS administrators: downloading is not importing
The Catalog’s normal Download action gives you update files. It is separate from importing an update into Windows Server Update Services.
WSUS cannot import an .msu file directly. The old ActiveX-based Catalog import function has been deprecated. Microsoft’s current process uses the update’s Catalog UpdateID and a PowerShell script.
- Search for the update in the Catalog.
- Open the update details page.
- Select Copy to copy the UpdateID.
- Run Microsoft’s
ImportUpdateToWSUS.ps1script.
The documented syntax is:
C:\temp\ImportUpdateToWSUS.ps1 [-WsusServer] <String> [-PortNumber] <Int32> [-UseSsl] [-UpdateId] <String> [-UpdateIdFilePath] <string> [<CommonParameters>]
For example:
\.\ImportUpdateToWSUS.ps1 -WsusServer WSUSServer.contoso.com -PortNumber 8530 -UpdateId 12345678-90ab-cdef-1234-567890abcdef
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For multiple updates stored in an ID file:
\.\ImportUpdateToWSUS.ps1 -WsusServer WSUSServer.contoso.com -PortNumber 8531 -UseSsl -UpdateIdFilePath C:\temp\UpdateIDs.txt
Use the script and parameters supplied in Microsoft’s current WSUS documentation rather than attempting to import the downloaded file itself.
FAQ
Do I need Internet Explorer to use Microsoft Update Catalog?
No. Current browsers can search the Catalog and download update files through the normal results and download-window workflow. Internet Explorer and ActiveX are not required for ordinary downloads.
Why does clicking Download do nothing?
The Catalog usually opens a separate download window. A browser pop-up blocker, privacy extension, ad blocker, blocked cookie, or site script can prevent that window from opening. Allow pop-ups for https://catalog.update.microsoft.com and retry.
Where do I enter the KB number?
Enter the KB number in the search box on the Microsoft Update Catalog page, then select Search. The separate download window contains file links; it does not normally contain another KB search box.
Which file should I download from the Catalog?
Download the file matching your Windows product, version, architecture, language, and package type. Common file types are .msu, .cab, and .exe. The direct file link is usually shown in the separate window opened after selecting Download.
Why will a downloaded update not install?
The package may target a different Windows version, architecture, edition, language, or servicing level. It may also require a prerequisite or an earlier checkpoint package. A successful download does not prove that the package applies to the device.
Can I import a downloaded MSU directly into WSUS?
No. Microsoft states that WSUS cannot import MSU files directly. Use the update’s Catalog UpdateID with Microsoft’s PowerShell import script.
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Use https://catalog.update.microsoft.com/ in Edge, Chrome, Firefox, or another current browser. Search by KB number, verify the Windows version and architecture, select Download, and then select the actual file link in the separate download window. If nothing happens, allow pop-ups for the Catalog before changing anything related to Internet Explorer or ActiveX.
Quick Recap
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