Windows 11 Updates Stuck on “Pending Download” on Multiple PCs

Question

Windows 11 Updates Stuck on “Pending Download” on Multiple PCs

Harindu Jayatilleke 0

Hi everyone,

We’re currently experiencing an issue on multiple Windows 11 computers where Windows Update detects available updates, but they remain stuck on “Pending download” and do not proceed.

So far, I have tried the following troubleshooting steps:

Restarted Windows Update-related services, including Windows Update (wuauserv) and BITS.
Confirmed the main Windows Update services are running correctly.
Stopped the Windows Update service, removed/renamed the C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution folder, and rebooted to allow Windows to rebuild the update cache.
Ran DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth successfully.
Ran sfc /scannow, which completed without finding integrity violations.
Rebooted and checked for updates again, but the updates still remain on Pending download.

The same behaviour is occurring on more than one computer, which makes me wonder whether this could be related to a recent Windows 11 update rather than an isolated issue with one machine.

Has anyone else recently experienced Windows 11 updates getting stuck on Pending download across multiple PCs?

If so, is there a particular recent KB/update known to cause this, or are there any additional Windows Update components you would recommend checking/resetting?

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

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1 answer

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Answer 1

Since DISM, SFC, service restarts, and rebuilding SoftwareDistribution were already completed on multiple devices, the next supported checks are:

Run the built-in Windows Update troubleshooter on one affected Windows 11 device:
Start > Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters > Windows Update > Run.
This is the recommended first diagnostic path for Windows 11.

Reset the Windows Update component folders again using the full supported sequence from an elevated Command Prompt, then restart:

   net stop bits
   net stop wuauserv
   ren %systemroot%\softwaredistribution softwaredistribution.bak
   ren %systemroot%\system32\catroot2 catroot2.bak
   net start bits
   net start wuauserv

Then restart the PC and check Windows Update again.

Check for third-party security software on the affected PCs. Microsoft notes that third-party antivirus or security software can interfere with updating Windows 11. If present, temporarily uninstall it, update the PC, and then reinstall it.
Perform a clean restart of Windows on one affected device and test Windows Update again. A clean restart starts Windows with a minimal set of drivers and startup programs and helps identify software conflicts affecting update installation.
If the issue started after specific recent Windows 11 updates, there are documented cases where update behavior was affected by known issues and mitigated through Known Issue Rollback (KIR). For enterprise-managed devices, IT administrators can deploy the applicable KIR Group Policy and then restart devices to apply it. For consumer and non-managed business devices, restarting can help the mitigation apply faster.
If the devices are on Windows 11 24H2 or 25H2 and the problem matches the documented May 2026 issue, installing an update released May 26, 2026 (KB5089573) or later removes the need for the workaround. For devices still affected before that update, Microsoft documents a registry workaround:
```
   reg add "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Bfsvc" /v EspPaddingPercent /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
```
Then restart and retry the update. Warning: editing the registry incorrectly can cause system issues. Back up the registry first.
If the issue remains across multiple PCs after those steps, use the Windows recovery option on one failing device:
Settings > System > Recovery > Fix problems using Windows Update > Reinstall now.

About a specific KB causing “Pending download”: the available context does not identify a general Windows 11 issue specifically described as updates being stuck at Pending download across multiple PCs. It does show that some update failures have been tied to known Windows 11 release issues, so checking whether the affected devices align to a documented 24H2/25H2 known issue is the most relevant next step.