How to fix Windows stuck on "Updates are underway" screen?

The "Updates are underway, please keep your computer on" screen is how Windows 11 installs an update during a restart or shutdown. A long wait is often normal, but a screen that has not changed for hours, or that returns after every restart, means the update cannot finish. Then uninstall the latest update from the recovery environment.

Facts checked on 14 October 2026. Steps written for Windows 11 (25H2 and 26H2) and Windows 10 22H2.

What "Updates are underway. Please keep your computer on" means

Windows cannot replace every system file while you use it. When you select Update and restart or Update and shut down, it finishes the install in a special phase before the sign-in screen. On current Windows 11 builds that phase shows Updates are underway. Please keep your computer on., often with a percentage. The screen is a progress screen, not an error.

The update may restart the PC once or twice and come back to the same screen. That is part of the process. A problem starts only when the screen stops changing for a long time, or when Windows returns to it after every restart without ever reaching the sign-in screen.

Is Windows still updating or really stuck? Check before you turn it off

Microsoft publishes no time limit for this screen. A monthly security update usually passes quickly, while a version upgrade (for example to 26H2) or an old hard disk can take much longer. So the clock alone does not tell you much. Look for signs that the PC is still writing to the drive.

Our rule of thumb: if the percentage moved within the last 30 minutes, wait. If it has not moved for two hours and the drive light is dark, the update is stuck. Users on Microsoft Q&A report screens that stayed for 6 and for more than 10 hours, and those did not finish on their own.

Why the "Updates are underway" screen gets stuck: causes ranked

Most often nothing is broken: a large update needs more time than you expect. Less often the update leaves pending boot-time actions that fail, so Windows tries them again on every start. Rarely the drive, a device or damaged system files are the real cause.

Microsoft's own checklist for stuck updates names two of these causes plainly: remove external storage, docks and other hardware you do not need, and keep at least 20 GB free on a 64-bit system for an upgrade.

How to fix Windows stuck on "Updates are underway"

Start at Fix 1 and stop when Windows reaches the sign-in screen. Fixes 2 to 6 run from the Windows Recovery Environment, which opens by itself after two failed starts. Once Windows starts again, do Fix 7 so the update installs cleanly next time.

Fix 1. Remove external devices and restart the PC once

5 minutesLow riskThe screen has not changed for two hours and you have not tried anything yet.

A hang during the boot phase is often a one-off: a driver waits for a device, or one step times out. Microsoft's update checklist tells you to remove external drives, docks and other hardware you do not need. One clean restart lets Windows retry the step or roll it back.

1. Plug a laptop into its charger.
2. Unplug everything you do not need to start the PC: USB drives, external disks, card readers, docks, printers and phones. Keep the keyboard, mouse and one monitor.
3. Press and hold the power button until the PC turns off. This usually takes 5 to 10 seconds.
4. Wait about 30 seconds, then press the power button once to start the PC.
5. Watch the screen. Windows may continue the update, show Undoing changes, or go straight to the sign-in screen. Leave it alone while it does any of these.
6. If it comes back to Updates are underway and holds again for an hour, do not repeat this. Go to Fix 2.

Microsoft asks you to keep the PC on during this phase, and we could not find a Microsoft statement on what a forced shutdown does at this point. Windows is built to roll back an update that did not complete, and in the reports we read it either continued or rolled back. That is why this fix is done once, not repeatedly.

Fix 2. Uninstall the latest update from the Windows Recovery Environment

10 to 20 minutesLow riskThe update screen comes back after every restart and Windows never reaches the sign-in screen.

When the pending update cannot finish, removing it takes Windows back to the build that worked yesterday. Microsoft documents this tool for exactly this case, a PC that does not start after an update, and states that your files and apps are not affected.

1. Interrupt the startup twice. Turn the PC on and, as soon as the Windows or manufacturer logo appears, hold the power button until the PC shuts down. Do this twice. If Windows already fails to start several times in a row, it opens the recovery environment on its own.
2. Open the advanced options. Turn the PC on a third time. On the Automatic Repair screen, select Advanced options.
3. Open Uninstall Updates. Select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Uninstall Updates.
4. Remove the latest update. Select Uninstall latest quality update and follow the instructions. Quality updates are the regular monthly updates.
5. Start Windows and pause updates. Let the PC restart. Once Windows starts, pause updates as described in the tab for your version of Windows, so the same update is not installed again at once.

These steps were written for Windows 11 and Windows 10, from the Windows Recovery Environment. The full page with the other versions and what each result means: How to uninstall a Windows update

• Choose Uninstall latest quality update if the screen appeared after a normal monthly update. This is the usual case.
• Choose Uninstall latest feature update only if the PC was moving to a new version, for example from 25H2 to 26H2.
• If the drive is encrypted, Windows asks for the BitLocker recovery key. Read it from aka.ms/myrecoverykey on a phone or another PC.

Fix 3. Revert pending update actions with DISM from the recovery Command Prompt

10 minutesLow riskUninstall Updates failed or did not offer the update, and the screen still returns.

An update that is half installed leaves actions queued for the next boot, and Uninstall Updates cannot remove what is not installed yet. Microsoft documents /RevertPendingActions for a boot failure: it reverts all pending actions from previous servicing operations, because these actions might be the cause.

1. In the recovery environment, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt. Sign in with an administrator account or enter the BitLocker key if asked.
2. Find the letter of your Windows drive. In recovery it is often not C. Type the command below, then try D: and E: if C shows no Windows folder.

   dir C:\Windows

3. Run DISM against that drive. Replace C: with the letter you found.

   dism /image:C:\ /cleanup-image /revertpendingactions

4. Wait until DISM reports that the operation completed. Do not close the window while it works.
5. Type exit, press Enter, then select Continue to start Windows.
6. Windows may show Undoing changes or restart once. Let it finish.

Fix 4. Go back to a restore point with System Restore or point-in-time restore

10 to 30 minutesRead the warningFixes 2 and 3 failed, or the problem began after an optional driver update.

A restore point puts back system files, drivers and settings from before the update, which also removes a driver that blocks the boot. In a Microsoft Q&A thread from April 2026, the user whose uninstall failed reports that System Restore fixed the loop in about 5 minutes.

1. In the recovery environment, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > System Restore.
2. Choose your account and type its password. If the drive is encrypted, enter the BitLocker recovery key.
3. Select Next, pick a restore point dated before the stuck update, and select Scan for affected programs to see what will be removed.
4. Select Next, then Finish, and confirm. Do not interrupt the restore.
5. If there is no restore point and your PC runs Windows 11 24H2 or later, go back to Troubleshoot and select Point-in-time restore instead.
6. Pick a restore point, read the warning, select Continue, then Restore. The PC restarts into Windows when it is done.

Point-in-time restore makes a snapshot about every 24 hours and keeps it for up to 72 hours. It is on by default on home PCs whose Windows drive is 200 GB or larger. Microsoft notes that a restore can also take back recent security updates, so run Windows Update afterwards.

Fix 5. Run Startup Repair (Quick machine recovery on Windows 11 26H2)

10 to 30 minutesLow riskNo restore point exists, or Windows now stops at a black screen or Automatic Repair instead of the update screen.

After a failed update, boot files and the boot configuration can be left in a state that sends Windows back into the update phase. Startup Repair checks why Windows does not start and repairs the boot files and settings it finds damaged.

1. Select Troubleshoot. On Choose an option, select Troubleshoot.

   

2. Open Advanced options. Select Advanced options.
3. Start the repair. Select Quick machine recovery (or Startup Repair on older versions).

   

4. Sign in if asked. Choose an administrator account and type its password. If Windows asks for the BitLocker recovery key, enter it.
5. Wait for the result. The check can take a while. If it fixes the problem, the PC restarts into Windows. If it cannot, it says so and shows where its log file is; select Advanced options and continue below.

   

These steps were written for Windows 11 and Windows 10, from the Windows Recovery Environment. The full page with the other versions and what each result means: Run Startup Repair

Startup Repair does not remove the update by itself. If it reports that it could not repair your PC, the files it needed are not damaged in a way it can see, and the next step is the system file check in Fix 6.

Fix 6. Check Windows system files offline from the recovery environment

15 to 30 minutesLow riskStartup Repair found nothing and the update screen or a failed start keeps coming back.

The boot-time install replaces system files. If some of them are damaged, the update fails at the same step each time. System File Checker can scan the Windows drive from recovery and replace damaged files while Windows is not running.

1. Open the recovery environment. If Windows still reaches the sign-in screen, hold Shift and select Power > Restart. From a working desktop you can also use Settings > System > Recovery > Advanced startup > Restart now.

   

2. Open Command Prompt. Select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt.

   

3. Find the drive letter of Windows. In the recovery environment the drive letters are often different from the ones you know. Try the commands below one by one: the right letter is the one that lists the Windows folder's contents (System32, WinSxS and so on).

   dir C:\Windows
   dir D:\Windows
   dir E:\Windows

   

4. Run the offline scan. Run SFC against that drive. Replace D: with the letter you found in both places.

   sfc /scannow /offbootdir=D:\ /offwindir=D:\Windows

   

5. Restart. Close Command Prompt and select Continue to start Windows.

These steps were written for Windows 11 and Windows 10, from the Windows Recovery Environment. The full page with the other versions and what each result means: Run DISM and SFC to repair Windows system files

Fix 7. Once Windows starts, clean the update cache and install the update again

20 to 40 minutesLow riskWindows starts again after any fix above, and you want the update to install without hanging.

The update you removed or rolled back will come back on its own. If its downloaded files are damaged or the drive is short of space, it will hang again. Clearing the download cache and checking space first makes the next install start from clean files.

1. Open Settings > Windows Update and select Pause for 1 week, so the same update does not install before you are ready.
2. Open Settings > System > Storage and check that drive C has at least 20 GB free. Free space as shown in Free up disk space and delete temporary files.
3. Reset the update cache: stop the update services and rename C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution and C:\Windows\System32\catroot2. Step by step: Reset Windows Update components.
4. Run the Windows Update troubleshooter in Get Help: Run the Windows Update troubleshooter.
5. Unplug USB drives and docks again, then select Resume updates and Check for updates.
6. When Windows asks to restart, keep the laptop on its charger and do not use the power button during the update screen.
7. If the same update fails again, download it from the Microsoft Update Catalog and install it by hand: Install an update from the Microsoft Update Catalog.

If Windows only starts in Safe Mode, do steps 2 to 4 there and restart normally: Start Windows or a Mac in Safe Mode. If the install now fails with error 0x80070302 and rolls back during the restart, follow our guide to Windows update error 0x80070302.

Fix 8. Reset this PC and keep your files

1 to 2 hoursRead the warningEvery fix above failed and Windows still will not get past the update screen.

Reset this PC reinstalls Windows itself, so a damaged update state, broken system files and a stuck pending queue are all replaced at once. Microsoft lists it as a recovery option for a PC that will not start, with the choice to keep personal files.

1. In the recovery environment, select Troubleshoot > Reset this PC.
2. Select Keep my files.
3. Choose Cloud download if the PC has internet, or Local reinstall if it does not.
4. Enter the BitLocker recovery key if asked, read the summary, and select Reset.
5. Leave the PC on its charger until it reaches the Windows setup screens, then sign in.
6. Reinstall your apps, then install updates with the care described in Fix 7.

From a working desktop the same reset, and the gentler Fix problems using Windows Update reinstall that keeps apps, are explained in Reinstall Windows without losing files.

Still stuck on "Updates are underway"? Read the logs and check the hardware

The update screen shows no code, but the servicing logs do. You can read them from the recovery Command Prompt with notepad, then File > Open, which lets you browse the Windows drive. Search for the words error, failed or a code that starts with 0x8.

• When to contact support: send Microsoft support or the PC maker the KB number of the update, your Windows version, which fixes you tried, and the last 50 lines of CBS.log.
• When it is hardware: the drive clicks, the PC takes minutes to reach the logo, or SFC and Reset this PC both fail. Check the drive with Check a disk for errors (chkdsk) from a working Windows or another PC, and replace it if it reports bad sectors.
• When it is a company PC: three of 21 domain PCs did the same in one April 2026 report. Ask IT before you reset, because they may hold the BitLocker key and a known fix.

How to stop Windows from getting stuck on updates again

Most stuck update screens come from conditions you can set before the restart. A few minutes of preparation before Update and restart removes the usual causes.

• Keep at least 20 GB free on drive C. Turn on Storage Sense so old update files are cleaned up.
• Restart for updates while you are at the PC, not with Update and shut down at night. You can see a problem at once and act before the next day.
• Unplug docks, USB drives and card readers before a big update.
• Skip optional driver updates in Windows Update > Advanced options > Optional updates unless one fixes a problem you have. Get drivers from the PC maker.
• Check that point-in-time restore is on: Settings > System > Recovery > Point-in-time restore on Windows 11 24H2 or later. Turn on System Protection for drive C as well.
• Save your BitLocker recovery key where you can read it from another device.
• Set active hours so Windows does not restart in the middle of your work.

Frequently asked questions

How long should "Updates are underway" take on Windows 11?

Microsoft gives no fixed time. It depends on the size of the update, the speed of the drive and the PC. A monthly security update usually passes in a few minutes to half an hour, while a version upgrade can take much longer on a hard disk. What matters more than the clock is change: as long as the percentage moves or the drive light flickers, Windows is working. If nothing has changed for two hours, treat it as stuck and start with Fix 1.

Is it safe to turn off my PC when it says "Please keep your computer on"?

Not while the update is still working, because Windows is replacing system files at that moment. When the screen has not changed for hours, a forced shutdown is the only way out, and Windows is designed to roll back an update it could not finish. Do it once, after unplugging external devices, as in Fix 1. If the screen returns, use the recovery tools in Fix 2 rather than switching the power off again and again.

Will I lose my files if I fix a stuck update?

Not with the first fixes. Uninstalling the latest update, reverting pending actions with DISM, System Restore, Startup Repair and the offline file check all leave your documents, pictures and other personal files alone. Point-in-time restore is different: it rolls back the whole Windows drive, files included, to its snapshot. Reset this PC with Keep my files keeps your files but removes installed apps. Back up recent files before either of those two.

What does "System updates are underway" mean?

It is the same update screen with slightly different wording. Users report it, for example after installing optional driver updates on branded laptops and desktops, together with a request to keep the PC on and connected. It means Windows is installing an update before the sign-in screen. Treat it exactly like "Updates are underway": wait while there is activity, then follow the fixes from Fix 1 if it does not change for hours.

Why does Windows return to "Updates are underway" after every restart?

Because the update left actions queued for the boot phase, and they fail at the same point each time. Windows tries them again on every start, so you see the same screen in a loop. Turning the PC off does not clear that queue. Uninstall the latest update from the recovery environment (Fix 2), or, if that fails, revert the pending actions with DISM from the recovery Command Prompt (Fix 3).

How do I open the recovery environment when Windows will not get past the update screen?

Turn the PC on and, as soon as the maker's logo or the spinning dots appear, hold the power button until it turns off. Do this twice. On the third start Windows should show Automatic Repair; select Advanced options. Microsoft documents that the recovery environment also starts by itself after two failed starts in a row. Have your BitLocker recovery key ready, because several tools ask for it.

Uninstall Updates says "Windows ran into a problem and was unable to uninstall the update". What now?

That message usually means the update is not fully installed, so there is nothing complete to remove. Open Command Prompt from the same Advanced options menu and revert the pending actions with dism /image:C:\ /cleanup-image /revertpendingactions, using your real Windows drive letter (Fix 3). If that also fails, System Restore from the recovery environment is the next step. In one April 2026 report on Microsoft Q&A, it fixed this exact case.

Does this happen on Windows 10 too?

Windows 10 can also hang while it installs updates during a restart, and the fixes are the same: the recovery environment, Uninstall Updates, DISM, System Restore and Reset this PC all exist on Windows 10 22H2. Point-in-time restore does not; it needs Windows 11 24H2 or later. Windows 10 left support on 14 October 2025, so it gets updates only through the paid Extended Security Updates programme.

Can a stuck update damage my PC's hardware?

No. A PC that sits on the update screen for hours does no harm to the processor, memory or drive; it is simply waiting. The risk is to the Windows installation, not to the parts. If you also hear clicking, see very slow starts or get disk errors, the drive may be failing on its own, and the stuck update is a symptom. Check the drive and back up your files before anything else.