[Fix] Windows Could Not Search For New Updates (100% Working)

Windows update gives you the latest features and bug-fixed patches. It also keeps your PC free from viruses. To run your PC smoothly, it is crucial to keep it up to date.

In general, windows download and install updates and restart the PC without facing any problems. But in some cases, few users receive the error message that windows could not search for updates.

If you are one of them, then this article is just for you.

Windows Could Not Search For New Updates – Reasons Why Windows 11/10/7 Can’t Find Updates

If windows can’t find an update for you, it’s either because of the connection problem or something went wrong with the windows updater. The instructions below will surely solve your problem.

If you are Windows 7 user, then you can’t find new updates because Microsoft ended Windows 7 and will not give any further updates in 2020.

Precedents of How to Fix Windows 11/10 Could Not Search for New Update

There are some basic methods of troubleshooting to fix the windows could not search for new updates. You must try these first before going to advanced methods.

Scan for virus.
Update drivers.
Synchronize Date & time.
Disable Anti-virus.
Connect with internet.
Disable Proxy.
Free up your hard drive and ensure enough space for the update.
Pull out external USB devices.

The Solutions to Windows Cannot Find Update Problem

If the methods mention above fails, then go further troubleshooting from the description below:

Solution 1: Run Troubleshooting

If the basic tricks do not work the first thing you should do is open Windows Update Troubleshooter. Then follow the instructions:

Press Win + I key simultaneously to open Settings

Go to Update & Security

After that, Select Troubleshoot from the left menu bar

Go to Additional troubleshooters

Finally, click on Run the troubleshooter under Windows Update

Reboot the PC after the process is completed.

Solution 2: Remove Corrupted System Files

If you have corrupted files on PC, your windows will never able to find update. To delete corrupted files from your computer, follow the steps:

Click on Search button and search for Command Prompt then click Run as administrator

Now type chkdsk C:/f /r /x and press Enter
A message will show that “Chkdsk cannot run…the volume is…in use process”. Now click Y and press Enter to restart your PC.

Again type sfc/scannow on the command prompt and press Enter

The system will provide a message out of these four:

Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.
Windows Resource Protection could not perform the requested operation.
Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them.
Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them.

Open Command Prompt again after Restart your PC
Now copy and paste commands one by one which are given below and press Enter.

Precaution: Stay connected to the internet to run DISM properly.

net stop wuauserv

net stop cryptSvc

net stop bits

net stop msiserver

ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old

ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 Catroot2.old

net start wuauserv

net start cryptSvc

net start bits

net start msiserver

Solution 3: Remove History of Previous Updates

If windows cannot some find necessary files, it will show you windows won’t update by showing an error message with the error code 0x80070002.

You can fix this error by removing windows update history with the following instructions:

To stop Windows update service, run Command Prompt as administrator and type net stop wuauserv
Now delete Windows update history by typing this command into the Command Prompt:

del “%systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore\Logs\edb.log”

In the end, type net start wuauserv to restart Windows update service.

Solution 4: Re-run Windows Update Service

It often happens that windows update service cannot push Windows to search for new update. This problem can only be solved by restarting Windows Update Service manually. Here are the steps to restart it:

Press Win + R key simultaneously to open Run dialog box.

To launch Service window, type services.msc into the search bar.
Now find Windows Update and right-click on it.
Click Stop the status is running.

Press Win + E keys together to open File Explorer
Go to this- C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore path
Select all files and folders and press Delete

Anticipation: You can only delete files from here using an administration account.

Now go to this- C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download path
Again delete everything in this folder.

Finally, go to Service window again and right-click on Windows Update
Click Start to restart the Windows Update Service again.

Solution 5: Make Changes to Registry Editor

If the above method does not solve your problem, then try to re-edit the Registry Editor by following steps:

Open Run dialog box by pressing Win + R keys simultaneously.
Type regedit inside the search box and press OK.

In the User Account Control, press Yes.
Go to this- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Update\AU path.
Go inside NoAutoUpdate and change the value data to 1.

Press Ok and Restart your PC.

Solution 6: Delete Software Distribution in Safe Mode

When the issue – “Windows unable to find update” comes up, you can fix it by deleting Software distribution files from your PC. But the fact is you cannot delete it normally. So what you need to do is – boot your PC into recovery mode and delete the file in safe mode. Follow the given instruction to do it easily:

Search Recovery options in your search bar.

Click Restart now inside the Advanced startup

From Choose an option window, choose Troubleshoot

After that, click on Advance options

Now, to restart your PC, click on Startup Settings and click Restart

Press F5 when the PC restarts.
Select Enable Safe Mode with Networking option

Go to File Explorer and type this- C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution. on the search panel.

Delete all from here

Finally, reboot your PC and try to update Windows this time.

Solution 7: Download Update Manually

If no methods work for you try to download the update manually.

Here are the instructions:

Go to settings by clicking Win + I keys.
Now click on Update & Security

Inside Windows Update tab, click on View update history

Copy the KB number and paste into the search bar of Microsoft Update Catalog

Solution 8: Reset PC

Yes, you’ve tried all possible steps and none of them didn’t work for your PC. Then the final and assured solution is resetting your PC.

Something may wend wrong during the installation of the window and you have to re-install it so that the PC runs and can find the update properly. Follow the instruction to reset PC:

Go to settings by pressing Win + I keys
Select Update & Security.

Now, select Recovery from the left menu bar and click on Get started.

After that, Choose the Keep my files option to erase all apps except your files or choose to Remove everything to clear all files, apps, and settings from your PC and start as new.

Follow the OS instruction to complete the process.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and Answers

Q. Why is Windows Update Showing Error 80244001/ 80244001B/ 8024A008/ 80072EFE/ 80072EFD/ 80072F8F/ 80070002/ 8007000E?

A. If you find an error code during your update then you have some problems with your PC. Each code refers to a specific problem. Take a look at the code and the reason and match it with your code to find your solution:

80244001: Missing or damaged files in PC.
80244001B: Corrupt programs.
8024A008: Virus or malware attack on PC.
80072EFE: Incomplete or interrupted Windows Update Components in PC.
80072EFD: Other background programs interfere with the updating process.
80072F8F: Invalid Windows registry keys in PC.
80070002: Antivirus program interference.
8007000E: Unstable internet connection.

Q. When do Windows check for updates and why?

A. Windows normally checks for updates every 17 to 22 hours randomly. However, you can set a time to check for updates manually from the Windows Update Settings.

Windows do not check for updates at the same time on every PC because Microsoft thinks that their server might down if millions of computers search for updates at the same time. That’s why they didn’t set the same checkout time for every computer.

Last Words

Windows update is a very simple method that occurs automatically. But it becomes a great hassle for some users who are stuck with the problem- Windows could not find a new update.

In windows 10, the Troubleshooter solves the problem in most cases. But if it fails then try other given methods serially from this article. It will surely solve the problem and allow you to update your windows.

Tell us in the comment section which method among the list solved your problem and let us know which one is the best solution to this problem.