Windows Help

"We Couldn't Complete the Updates, Undoing Changes" — What to Do

Your PC spent an hour installing updates, then rebooted to this message and went back to square one. Here is exactly why it happens and how to fix it for good.

Priya Sharma Updated Jun 10, 2026 · 2 min read
"We Couldn't Complete the Updates, Undoing Changes" — What to Do
Photo: Nathan Riley · Unsplash
On this page
  1. Why This Happens
  2. Step 1: Check Your Free Disk Space
  3. Step 2: Clear the Windows Update Cache
  4. Step 3: Repair the Component Store
  5. Step 4: Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter
  6. Step 5: Install the Update Manually

"We couldn't complete the updates, undoing changes" means Windows downloaded and started installing an update, hit an error, and rolled itself back to the previous state. Your PC is safe — nothing is broken — but the update didn't install.

Why This Happens

The most common causes are corrupted update cache files, a full or nearly-full system drive, a conflicting driver, or a damaged Windows component store. The good news: each of these is fixable.

Step 1: Check Your Free Disk Space

Open File Explorer and check how much space is free on your C: drive. Windows Updates need at least 10–20 GB of free space to install safely. If you're low, use Settings > System > Storage > Temporary files to clean up.

Step 2: Clear the Windows Update Cache

Stale or corrupted update files are the most common cause. Here's how to wipe them cleanly:

  1. Right-click the Start button and choose Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin).
  2. Run these commands one at a time, pressing Enter after each:
net stop wuauserv
net stop bits
net stop cryptsvc
  1. Open File Explorer and navigate to C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download. Select all files inside and delete them. Do the same in C:\Windows\System32\catroot2.
  2. Restart those services:
net start wuauserv
net start bits
net start cryptsvc

Now go to Settings > Windows Update and try again.

Step 3: Repair the Component Store

In the same elevated terminal, run:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

This can take 15–30 minutes. Don't close the window. When it finishes, run:

sfc /scannow

Restart your PC and attempt the update again.

Step 4: Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

Go to Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters and run the Windows Update troubleshooter. It can detect and fix issues that the manual steps above don't catch, such as incorrect service permissions.

Step 5: Install the Update Manually

If a specific update keeps failing, look up its KB number in Settings > Windows Update > Update history, then visit the Microsoft Update Catalog (search the KB number) to download and install it directly.

Frequently asked questions

Is it safe to keep using my PC if updates keep failing?

Yes, your PC will work normally — the update rollback is a safety feature. However, failing to install security updates does leave you exposed over time. Try the steps above, and if the same update keeps failing after two or three attempts, try installing it manually from the Microsoft Update Catalog using its KB number.

The update worked before but now the same error keeps coming back. Why?

This often means the update cache is getting corrupted repeatedly, which can point to a failing drive or file system errors. Run chkdsk C: /f in an elevated Command Prompt (it will schedule the scan for next reboot) to check for drive errors. A bad sector on the system drive can corrupt downloaded update files before they install.

Priya Sharma

Hands-on help writer who tests phone, tablet and security fixes on real devices before recommending them.

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