How to fix error 0x80240004 in Microsoft Store and Windows Update

Error 0x80240004 comes from the Windows Update client, which Microsoft lists as WU_E_NOT_INITIALIZED: an object the client needs could not be initialized. Microsoft Store shows it when no app will download or update, and Windows Update shows it after an update fails. Reset the update components first, then clear and repair the Store.

Facts checked on 15 October 2026. Steps written for Windows 11 (25H2 and 26H2) and Windows 10 22H2.

What error 0x80240004 means

Microsoft's Windows Update error code list gives 0x80240004 the name WU_E_NOT_INITIALIZED and the description: "The object couldn't be initialized." The update client is built from several parts: services, a small database of updates and a download cache. When one of them cannot be started or loaded, the client stops before it downloads anything and returns this code.

So if you asked "đây là lỗi gì" (what error is this) or just "explique": it is a start-up failure inside Windows Update, not a broken app and not a hardware fault. Microsoft Store shows it too, because the Store hands its downloads to the same update client.

Why the update client cannot start: the reason for this error

Microsoft gives the meaning of the code but no list of causes. The causes below follow from that meaning and from the answers given on Microsoft Q&A to readers with this error, ranked by how often they explain what readers see.

If you asked "kenapa bisa seperti itu" (why does this happen): most often an update was cut off by a restart or a power loss, and the cache it left behind cannot be loaded the next time.

How to fix error 0x80240004

Fix 1 works for both Microsoft Store and Windows Update and is the one to try first. Fix 2 is for the Store only. Fixes 3 to 5 are for update services and Windows Update. Fixes 6 to 8 repair the Store app and Windows itself.

Fix 1. Reset the Windows Update components and cache

15 minutesLow riskEveryone with 0x80240004, in Microsoft Store or in Settings > Windows Update.

The update client loads its records and downloads from C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution and its signature data from C:\Windows\System32\catroot2. When files there are damaged, the client cannot initialize and returns 0x80240004. Stopping the services and renaming both folders makes Windows build fresh ones on the next start.

1. Open Command Prompt as administrator. Type cmd in the search box, right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator. Select Yes when Windows asks for permission.
2. Stop the update services. Type the commands below and press Enter after each one. If Windows says that other services depend on Cryptographic Services, it stops them too. A message that a service is not started is fine.

   net stop wuauserv
   net stop bits
   net stop cryptsvc

3. Delete the download queue files. This clears the list of downloads that the Background Intelligent Transfer Service keeps. If Windows says it cannot find the files, continue.

   del "%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\Microsoft\Network\Downloader\qmgr*.dat"

4. Rename the update cache folders. Renaming keeps a copy in case you need it; Windows creates new, empty folders when the services start again. If you get Access is denied, a service is still running: repeat the previous step.

   ren %systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
   ren %systemroot%\System32\catroot2 catroot2.old

5. Start the services again. Type the commands below and press Enter after each one. The requested service has already been started is fine: Windows started it on its own.

   net start cryptsvc
   net start bits
   net start wuauserv

6. Restart and check for updates. Restart the PC. Then select Start > Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates. The first check can take longer than usual because everything is downloaded again.

These steps were written for Windows 11 and Windows 10 (the steps are the same). The full page with the other versions and what each result means: Reset Windows Update components

Restart the PC, open Settings > Windows Update and select Check for updates. Then open Microsoft Store and try the download again.

Fix 2. Clear the Store cache, then repair or reset Microsoft Store

5 minutesLow riskMicrosoft Store still shows Try that again with 0x80240004 after Fix 1, and Windows Update works.

The Store keeps its own cache and settings on top of the update client. If they still point at the state from before Fix 1, the Store repeats the failed start. The wsreset command clears that cache. Repair fixes the Store app and keeps its data, and Reset deletes the Store's data on this PC while your apps and purchases stay.

1. Clear the Store cache. Press Windows + R, type wsreset.exe and select OK. A blank Command Prompt window opens; after a short while it closes and Microsoft Store opens by itself.
2. Open System components. If the problem stays, select Start > Settings > System > System components. Next to Microsoft Store, select the three dots and Advanced options. If Microsoft Store is not listed there, look for it in Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
3. Repair first. Scroll to Reset and select Repair. Repair keeps the app's data. Open the Store and check whether it works.
4. Reset if Repair did not help. Select Reset and confirm. This deletes the Store app's data on this PC; your purchases stay in your Microsoft account. Open the Store and sign in again.

These steps were written for Windows 11 26H2 (build 26300). The full page with the other versions and what each result means: Reset the Microsoft Store

Fix 3. Check that the update and Store services can start

5 minutesLow riskDownloads never start, or the error comes back right after Fix 1.

Not initialized often means a service the client needs could not start. A service set to Disabled by a tweaking tool or an old setting stays off after every restart, so the reset in Fix 1 cannot help on its own.

1. Press Win + R, type services.msc and press Enter.
2. Find Windows Update, Background Intelligent Transfer Service and Cryptographic Services.
3. Double-click each one. If Startup type is Disabled, set it to Manual or Automatic, select Apply and then Start.
4. Check Storage Service the same way: it manages storage settings, and the old version of this guide named it for Store downloads.
5. Restart the PC and try the download again.

More detail on starting and restarting services: Check and restart Windows services

Fix 4. Run the Windows Update troubleshooter

5 minutesNo riskSettings > Windows Update still fails after Fixes 1 and 3, or you prefer an automatic check.

It checks the update services, their settings and their permissions in one pass, which can catch a problem the manual steps above do not touch.

1. Open Troubleshoot settings. Select Start > Settings > System > Troubleshoot.
2. Open the list of troubleshooters. Select Other troubleshooters.
3. Run the Windows Update troubleshooter. Under Most frequent, select Run next to Windows Update. The Get Help app opens and starts the checks.
4. Read the result. Wait until Get Help finishes. If it found and fixed a problem, it says so and asks whether this solved the problem. Answer the question so it can offer the next step.
5. Restart the PC. Restart when the troubleshooter finishes, even if it does not ask you to.
6. Check for updates again. Select Start > Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates, and install the updates it finds.

These steps were written for Windows 11 (screenshots: 26H2). The full page with the other versions and what each result means: Run the Windows Update troubleshooter

Fix 5. Install the failing update by hand

10 to 60 minutesLow riskWindows Update error 0x80240004 shows next to one update with a KB number, or a version upgrade will not install.

A manual install does not start the update client's download at all. The Windows Update Standalone Installer takes the package straight from the file, so the part that cannot be initialized is skipped.

1. In Settings > Windows Update, write down the KB number of the update that fails.
2. Press Win + R, type winver and press Enter. Note the version and OS build.
3. Download the file for that KB, your version and your processor from the Microsoft Update Catalog, and run it.

1. Check your Windows version. Press Windows key + R, type winver and press Enter. Note the version (for example 25H2) and the OS build.
2. Find the KB number. Open Settings > Windows Update. A failed or pending update is listed with its KB number; earlier ones are under Update history.
3. Check the processor type. Open Settings > System > About and look at System type: an x64-based PC needs the x64 file, an ARM-based PC (for example Snapdragon) needs the arm64 file.
4. Search the catalog. Open the Microsoft Update Catalog at catalog.update.microsoft.com in your browser, type the KB number (for example KB5124010) in the search box and press Enter.
5. Pick the right row. Find the row whose title names your Windows version and your processor type (x64-based or arm64-based) and select Download on that row.
6. Download every file listed. A window lists one or more .msu links. Download all of them into one empty folder, for example C:\packages. On Windows 11 24H2 and later the list can include earlier checkpoint updates that the new one needs.
7. Install a single file. If there is only one file, double-click it and confirm the installation in the Windows Update Standalone Installer.
8. Install several files with DISM. If there are several files, open an elevated Terminal or Command Prompt and run DISM with the newest file. DISM finds the other files in the same folder and installs them in the right order.

   DISM /Online /Add-Package /PackagePath:C:\packages\<newest-file>.msu

9. Restart. Restart the PC when the installation finishes, then run winver again: the OS build should have changed.

These steps were written for Windows 11 24H2 and later; Windows 10 22H2. The full page with the other versions and what each result means: Install an update from the Microsoft Update Catalog

Fix 6. Re-register the Microsoft Store app

5 minutesLow riskMicrosoft Store does not open, closes at once, or still fails after Fix 2.

The Store app is registered to your user account. If that registration is damaged, the Store may not start its side of the download at all. Re-registering reads the Store's manifest again without downloading anything.

Use the procedure below with *WindowsStore* between the asterisks, so only the Store package is registered again, not every app on the PC.

1. Open PowerShell. Select Start, type PowerShell and select Windows PowerShell. Open it the normal way, not as administrator: in an administrator window the app is registered to the administrator account instead of yours.
2. Find the app's package. Type the command below with a part of the app's name between the asterisks and press Enter. If the app is installed, PowerShell prints its details, including Name and InstallLocation. If nothing is printed, the app is not installed for your account: see the section below.

   Get-AppxPackage -Name '*WindowsCalculator*'

   

3. Re-register the app. Paste the three commands below, with the same name between the asterisks, and press Enter. They read the folder the app is installed in and register its manifest again. If no red text appears, it worked.

   $InstallLocation = Get-AppxPackage -Name '*WindowsCalculator*' |
       Select-Object -ExpandProperty InstallLocation
   $ManifestPath = $InstallLocation + '\Appxmanifest.xml'
   Add-AppxPackage -Path $ManifestPath -Register -DisableDevelopmentMode

4. Open the app. Close PowerShell and start the app from Start. If it still fails, restart the PC and try once more.

These steps were written for Windows 11 25H2 and 26H2, Windows 10 22H2. The full page with the other versions and what each result means: How to re-register Microsoft Store apps with PowerShell

Fix 7. Repair system files with SFC and DISM

20 to 30 minutesLow riskSeveral updates or apps fail, also with other codes, or Fixes 1 to 6 did not help.

DISM repairs the component store that updates install into, and SFC repairs protected system files. If a file the update client loads is damaged, the client cannot initialize no matter how often its cache is reset.

1. Open an elevated command window. Right-click Start and select Terminal (Admin), or type cmd in the search box, right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator. Select Yes when Windows asks for permission.

   

2. Run DISM first. Type the command below and press Enter. DISM downloads clean copies of damaged components from Windows Update, so it can take several minutes. Wait until it says The operation completed successfully.

   DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

   

3. Run System File Checker. In the same window, type the command below and press Enter. Do not close the window until the verification reaches 100%.

   sfc /scannow

   

4. Read the result and restart. Compare the last message with the table below this guide, then restart the PC so that repaired files are loaded.

   

These steps were written for Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2. The full page with the other versions and what each result means: Run DISM and SFC to repair Windows system files

Fix 8. Repair-install Windows and keep your files and apps

45 to 90 minutesRead the warningNothing above worked, and the Store or Windows Update keeps failing with 0x80240004.

A repair install puts a fresh copy of every update and Store component in place at once, while it keeps your files, apps and most settings.

1. Open Recovery in Settings. Open Settings > System > Recovery. Next to Fix problems using Windows Update, select Reinstall now. This keeps your apps, files and settings.
2. Start the reinstall. Choose whether the PC may restart on its own 15 minutes after the installation, then select OK.
3. Wait and restart. Windows Update downloads and installs a repair copy of your current Windows version. Keep the PC plugged in and online, and restart it when asked.
4. If that did not help: Reset PC. Back in Settings > System > Recovery, next to Reset this PC, select Reset PC. This keeps your personal files but removes installed apps and settings.
5. Choose Keep my files. Select Keep my files. Do not select Remove everything.
6. Choose where Windows comes from. Select Cloud download to download a fresh copy of Windows, or Local reinstall to use the files already on the PC (faster, but may not include the latest updates).
7. Reset. Review the summary and select Reset. The PC restarts several times.

These steps were written for Windows 11 22H2 and later. The full page with the other versions and what each result means: Reinstall Windows without losing files

If error 0x80240004 is still there

The Windows Update log shows which part could not start. Open PowerShell and run the command below. It builds a readable WindowsUpdate.log on your desktop from the trace files.

Get-WindowsUpdateLog

If you ask Microsoft Support or your administrator for help, send your Windows version and build from winver, the app name or KB number, and the log lines around the code. This is not a hardware fault: the code is about the update client failing to start one of its parts.

How to keep error 0x80240004 from coming back

If the Store shows 0x80240008 instead, the client started but could not find an item. That one has its own guide: error 0x80240008.

Frequently asked questions

What does error 0x80240004 mean?

It means the Windows Update client could not initialize one of its own parts. Microsoft's Windows Update error code list names it WU_E_NOT_INITIALIZED, with the description "The object couldn't be initialized." The part is usually a service or the update cache, which Microsoft Store uses too. That is why the same code shows in the Store and in Windows Update. Resetting the update components with Fix 1 is the first step in both places.

What does this message mean (q significa este mensaje)?

The Store message "Try that again. Something went wrong. The error code is 0x80240004, in case you need it." means the download could not start, because the Windows Update client behind the Store failed to start a part it needs. The app itself is not broken and your account is fine. Reset the update components (Fix 1), restart, and select Get or Update again. If only the Store keeps failing, clear its cache and repair it with Fix 2.

What should I do in this situation (что делать в такой ситуации)?

Start with the reset of the Windows Update components in Fix 1. It stops the update services, renames the two cache folders and starts the services again, so Windows builds a fresh cache. It fixes both Microsoft Store and Windows Update downloads. Restart, then try again. If only the Store still fails, use Fix 2. If downloads never start, check the services with Fix 3. Your files and apps stay safe during all three.

What does Download error - 0x80240004 in Windows Update mean?

It means Windows Update could not start one of its parts while it downloaded one update. The word Download only tells you at which stage it failed. Reset the update components (Fix 1), restart and select Check for updates again. If the same update fails, run the troubleshooter (Fix 4), then download that KB from the Microsoft Update Catalog and install it by hand (Fix 5). The manual install does not need the update client's download.

Why does Microsoft Store show a Windows Update error code?

Because the Store hands its downloads to the Windows Update client. The 0x8024 part of the code marks that client, and Microsoft lists all 0x8024 codes in its Windows Update error code list. So when the client cannot start, the Store can only show its general Try that again dialog with the client's code in it. That is why Fix 1 resets Windows Update even if you only saw the error in the Store.

What is 0x80240004 (-2145124348)?

It is the same error printed with its signed decimal value. Windows error codes are 32-bit numbers, and Event Viewer, some logs and scripts show them as negative decimals: 0x80240004 is -2145124348. The meaning does not change. It is WU_E_NOT_INITIALIZED, a part of the update client that could not start. Use the same fixes, starting with Fix 1. In WindowsUpdate.log, the lines above the code usually name the part that failed.

Will resetting Microsoft Store or the update cache delete my apps?

No. Clearing the Store cache with wsreset and repairing the Store keep everything. Reset deletes only the Store app's own data on this PC, so you may need to sign in again. Installed apps stay, and purchases stay in your Microsoft account. Resetting the Windows Update cache renames two folders. Installed updates stay on the PC, but Update history may look empty afterwards, because only the list was cleared.

Is the 0x80240004 error the same on Windows 10 and Windows 11?

Yes. The code and its meaning are the same, and so are the fixes. Only some menu paths differ: on Windows 11 Microsoft Store sits under Settings > System > System Components, on Windows 10 under Settings > Apps > Apps & features. Windows 10 left support on 14 October 2025, so a Windows 10 PC without Extended Security Updates gets fewer fixes from Microsoft. Users also reported this code on Windows 8, which is no longer supported.

Is error 0x80240004 a hardware fault?

No. The code is about a part of the update client that could not start, not about a part of the PC. The same PC downloads normally once the cache and services are repaired. If the PC also freezes, restarts by itself or shows disk errors, check the drive with Check a disk for errors (chkdsk), because that is a separate problem. If several updates fail with different codes, repair Windows with Fix 7 and Fix 8.