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If Windows 10 sits on “Checking for updates” for a long time, start with Microsoft’s built-in Windows Update troubleshooter, restart the PC, and check again. If the scan still does not finish, confirm your internet connection and free disk space, then move to the symptom-specific steps below. Back up important files before attempting anything deeper. No single step fixes every stuck scan, so work through the sequence in order and stop when the problem clears.
One point to keep in mind first: Microsoft ended free Windows 10 support on October 14, 2025. A stuck scan is a fault on your PC, not a sign of that date. Your PC still runs after support ends, but Microsoft no longer provides free software updates from Windows Update, technical assistance, or security fixes for Windows 10. That makes the fix below worth doing, and it also makes the upgrade question worth thinking about (covered at the end).
Run the fix sequence in order
The steps below move from the lowest-risk checks to the most involved. Each one is a reasonable stopping point if the scan finishes.
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Run the Windows Update troubleshooter. Go to Start > Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooters > Windows Update, then select Run the troubleshooter and follow its prompts. Menu labels can differ slightly between Windows 10 builds, so look for the Windows Update entry under Additional troubleshooters if the wording does not match.
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Restart and check again. Microsoft recommends restarting once the troubleshooter finishes. Then return to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and select Check for updates. Give the scan a few minutes before deciding it has stalled, since a normal scan can take longer on a slow connection.
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Confirm the basic conditions. Check the connection and free space (see the next section). Restarting can also clear an interrupted process.
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Back up personal files before deeper changes. Microsoft’s guide recommends this before its more involved solutions. A USB drive is a simple way to copy documents, photos, and other personal files.
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Use the service or cache steps only for matching symptoms. These are described in the escalation section below. They are not a universal first move.
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If the problem persists, identify your exact version and update stage. Open Settings > System > About to find your Windows 10 version and build, then match your symptom in the table below.
Check the connection and free storage
Many stalled scans trace back to a basic condition rather than a damaged update component. Check these before changing system files:
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Internet connection: Confirm the PC can load a website. If you are on a metered or unstable network, try a different connection or a wired link for the scan.
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Free disk space: Confirm there is enough room on the system drive for the update. Microsoft’s guidance ties successful download and installation to available space, so a nearly full C: drive is a likely cause of trouble. Use Settings > System > Storage to see what is using space.
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Download and installation time: Microsoft notes that download and installation time depends on connection speed, network settings, and update size. That applies to an update that is actively downloading or installing. It does not mean a scan that never returns results is normal.
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Match the symptom before escalating
The phrase “stuck” covers several different situations. Microsoft’s troubleshooting guidance separates a scan that never finishes from a download or installation that stops at a percentage, so identify which one you have.
| What you see | What it usually points to | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| “Checking for updates” with no result for a long time | Scan stage; often connection, storage, or a stalled Windows Update component | Troubleshooter, restart, connection and storage checks, then the cache reset below if an error code appears |
| Update stuck at 0% or 100% | Download or installation stage; Microsoft lists this as its own symptom | Restart, confirm free space, then Microsoft’s guidance for that specific symptom |
| A specific error code appears | The code identifies the failing component | Look up that code in Microsoft’s error-code guidance before changing system folders |
| Low-storage warning during an update | Insufficient free space on the system drive | Free space first, then retry the scan |
Escalation: the Windows Update service and cache reset
Microsoft’s guidance includes stopping the Windows Update service, clearing the contents of the SoftwareDistribution folder, and starting the service again. It describes this for specific update and cache errors. Use it when the error or symptom matches, not as a routine first step.
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Back up personal files first. This is the step where a backup matters most.
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Open Command Prompt as administrator and run
net stop wuauserv. -
Open File Explorer and go to
C:WindowsSoftwareDistribution. Delete the contents of the folder, leaving the folder itself in place. -
Return to Command Prompt and run
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Restart the PC, then check for updates again.
A cache reset is one documented remedy for certain problems. It is not a guaranteed cure for every stuck scan. Do not delete other Windows folders or use third-party “cleaner” tools on the strength of this step; the guidance does not establish that they are safe or needed.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Older builds: the automatic scan repair
Microsoft documents an automatic repair troubleshooter for Windows 10 version 1903 and 1909 devices that cannot scan for updates for internal reasons. It resets the update scanning process. Microsoft states that this troubleshooter cannot be run manually, so you cannot launch it from the menus above. If you are on one of these builds and the scan still fails, check your version in Settings > System > About and consider the upgrade path below.
When the fix does not hold: the upgrade question
Repairing a stuck scan keeps your current Windows 10 installation working, but it does not restore free updates. Microsoft’s stated position is that Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025, and that Windows 11 is the recommended move. Before choosing, check Windows 11 hardware requirements on your PC and back up your files, since a major upgrade changes system components.
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