8 Fixes For Windows Update Error 0x80070020

Microsoft keeps releasing Windows updates regularly to add new features and fix bugs. However, while taking an update, some Windows 10 users encounter errors for which they cannot update their Windows to the latest version. The most common error is the Windows Update 0x80070020 error.

This error is often accompanied by messages such as “Windows could not search for new updates” and “Windows Update has encountered an unknown error. If you have come across this WIndows update error 0x80070020 system issue, you will find the solution to fix the issue easily.

What Causes Windows Update 0x80070020 Error?

It is very important to understand the cause behind an error in order to troubleshoot and stop the error from occurring. Windows 10 0x80070020 can occur for several reasons but the most common reason is that any currently running program is interfering with the update process of Windows. Here are all the possible reasons behind Windows 10 version 2004 0x80070020 error.

Antivirus – Any antivirus software is running can be the reason behind the error. This is because antivirus with real-time scanning can block Windows from downloading the updated files without proper scanning.

Service – If any background process or service related to WIndows Update components is malfunctioning, you can face any Windows update issue. For example, if Background Intelligent Transfer Service gets corrupted somehow, you will see 0x80070020 error.

System File – If certain system files get corrupted or the disk space is damaged, there could have issues in the Windows update method.

Windows update error 0x80070020 can occur while updating Windows 10 as well as older Windows versions.

How can I solve Windows update error 0x80070020 system issue?

Now that you have understood the probable causes of the Windows update 0x80070020 error, it is time to take steps to fix the error so that you can complete the update successfully. We are going to illustrate all the possible solutions and you should follow them one by one to find out which one works for you.

  1. Run Windows Update Troubleshooter
  2. Disable Antivirus Software
  3. Restart Background Intelligent Transfer Service
  4. Restart Windows Update Services
  5. Run DISM and SFC Scan
  6. Check For Disk Error and Fix It
  7. Perform a Clean Boot
  8. Delete Temporary Windows Update Files

Solution 1. Run Windows Update Troubleshooter

Since Windows users facing issues while updating Windows has become a common problem, Microsoft has launched Windows Update Troubleshooter to fix any issue related to Windows update.

Windows updates troubleshooter is a tool that automatically fixes WIndows update issues without the user having to go through any complex step. The tool finds out the problem and diagnoses it quickly. Here are the steps to follow to use Windows Update Troubleshooter.

Step 1: Press the Windows key and type “Windows Update settings” to search it. Once it appears on the search result, click on it to open it.

find windows update troubleshooter to fix 0x80070020 error

Step 2: From the Settings window, select Troubleshoot option from the left menu.

Step 3: Go to Windows Update on the right side and click on Run the troubleshooter option. This will launch Windows Update Troubleshooter.

run windows update troubleshooter

Step 4: Wait some time for the troubleshooter to find the issue and fix it automatically.

Step 5: Once the process gets over, exit the screen and restart your computer.

Solution 2. Disable Antivirus Software

More often than not a third-party antivirus software is the main culprit behind Windows having issues updating the operating system to the latest version. That is why we suggest you uninstall the antivirus software temporarily. You can always reinstall the antivirus software any time after checking if the WIndows update problem is solved or not.

If you do not want to uninstall, you can disable the antivirus software from starting up when you restart your computer. Please note that Windows Security does not cause any issue in Windows update and therefore, there is no need for disabling it.

Solution 3. Restart Background Intelligent Transfer Service

Background Intelligent Transfer Service is an essential Windows component that is instrumental in the Windows updation and installation process. If it starts to malfunction, you will come across 0x80070020 machine error. Here are the steps to fix the Background Intelligent Transfer Service in your system.

Step 1: Press Windows + R keys together and once the Run dialog box appears, type “services.msc” and press Enter key.

Step 2: On the Services window, find Background Intelligent Transfer Service from the list and right-click on it.

Step 3: From the drop-down menu, select Properties option.

restart WU services

Step 4: On Properties window, select Automatic for Startup type.

Step 5: From Service Status, click on Stop button and then click on Start button.

change defined parameters and methods

Step 6: Finally, click on Ok button to save the settings.

Now, restart your computer and see if the updation is going smoothly. If not, try the next solutions.

Solution 4. Restart Windows Update Services

Apart from Background Intelligent Transfer Service, Windows Update uses various other services to complete the entire process. If there is an issue with any of those services, there could be an issue in the Windows update. Here are the steps to follow to restart all Windows Update services so that they can start afresh.

Press Windows + R keys together. Type “cmd” and press Enter to open Command Prompt. Then execute the following commands one by one.

net stop cryptSvc
net stop wuauserv
net stop msiserver
net stop bits
net start bits
net start wuauserv
net start cryptSvc
net start msiserver

Thereafter, exit Command Prompt and close all programs and restart your computer to see if the problem of 0x80070020 error is solved.

Solution 5. Run DISM and SFC Scan

We have already stated that missing and corrupted system files can cause issues with updating Windows. To fix such missing and corrupted files and space, you need to run DISM and SFC scan.

Step 1: Open Command Prompt(Admin).

Step 2: Type “DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth” and press Enter key. Wait for the process to get completed.

Step 3: Type “sfc /scannow” and press Enter key. Wait for the process to get over and exit Command Prompt as well as restart your computer.

You can read more about System File Checker(SFC) tool on Microsoft Support Page.

Solution 6. Check For Disk Error and Fix It

Disk error could be the culprit behind the Windows Update issue. Windows comes with Check Disk(CHKDSK) tool to find out if your hard drive has any issue and fix it immediately.

Step 1: Open Command Prompt(Admin).

Step 2: Type “chkdsk C: /f and press Enter key.

Wait patiently for the tool to scan your Windows drive completely and it will list out the errors, if any. The tool also fixes if there is an error with disk space. You can read more about CHKDSK on Windows Doc.

Solution 7. Perform a Clean Boot

When Windows boots up, there are several applications and services that start along with Windows. Some of these non-essential applications and services could be causing issues in the WIndows update. A clean boot means Windows boots with a minimal number of essential applications, drivers, and services. Here are the steps to perform a clean boot.

Step 1: Press Windows + R keys together and type “msconfig” and press Enter key.

Step 2: On the System Configuration window, go to Services and turn on Hide All Microsoft Services option.

Step 3: Click on Disable All button. Then click on Apply button.

hide all microsoft services

Step 4: Go to the Startup option and click on Open Task Manager.

Step 5: On the Task Manager window, disable all applications one by one from the Startup tab.

disable all applications one by one from Startup tab

Now, restart your computer and start Windows update again.

Solution 8. Delete Temporary Windows Update Files

Something that files that Windows downloaded during the previous update can cause issues when you try to update Windows the next time. That is why you need to delete the temporary Windows Update files that are stored on your hard drive. The temporary Windows update files are available under SoftwareDistribution folder.

1. Go to Windows Explorer and go to “C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution”.

clear folder contents of windows update temp files

2. Select all the folders and files and delete them by pressing Delete key.

Restart your computer and restart Windows Update process again.

Final Words

Windows update 0x80070020 error is a common error message that occurs mostly for Windows 10 and 11 users. We have stated all the different possible solutions and methods to fix all the causes that are responsible for the error to occur that prevents Windows updation.

0x80070020 FAQ

What Is Windows Update 0x80070020 Error?

You get 0x80070020 Xbox error when you launch an app on Xbox console. Restart the app as well as the console to fix it.

Which Tools Are Used To Fix Windows Update 0x80070020 Error?

You can use SFC, DISM and CHKDSK tools to fix system files, windows service files as well disk errors respectively.

What is 0x80070020 Xbox?

You get 0x80070020 Xbox error when you launch an app on Xbox console. Restart the app as well as the console to fix it.