How to Fix 'We could not complete the installation because an update service was shutting down'
One of the common issues that users encounter while trying to update their Windows is 'We could not complete the installation because an update service was shutting down.' This issue may prevent you from applying any updates at all, and this is a major issue. Because of this, you may lack the latest security patches, exposing you to potentially dangerous attacks. Furthermore, this may prevent you from taking advantage of the latest Windows features and improvements.
Of course, you should try to deal with this as soon as possible. The best tips to fix the 'update service was shutting down' error are available below:
Table of Contents
Use the Built-in Windows Update Troubleshooter
Microsoft Windows 10 has tons of features, which can help you fix a wide range of issues. This includes the dedicated Windows Update troubleshooter as well.
- Open Start Menu -> Troubleshoot Settings
- Select the Windows Update option.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the task, and try to re-apply pending updates.
Restart Services Related to the Windows Update
Windows Update has its own services, but it is also supported by several other services. If there is an issue with one of Windows Update's dependencies, you may see the 'update service was shutting down' issue. To reset all of these components, you will need to execute several commands in the Command Prompt.
- Go to Start Menu -> Command Prompt. Select the Run as Administrator option.
- Start entering these commands one by one.
- net stop bits
- net stop wuauserv
- net stop appidsvc
- net stop cryptsvc
- All services are now stopped. The next step is to start them up again.
- net start bits
- net start wuauserv
- net start appidsvc
- net start cryptsvc
Use the Deployment Imaging and Servicing Management Tool
DISM, for short, is a tool that helps users scan their Windows install and discover issues. It can then try to fix them automatically. To run this feature, you will need to load the Command
