Share this article
Improve this guide
Can’t upgrade to the latest Windows 10 version [Full Fix]
8 min. read
Updated onOctober 4, 2023
updated onOctober 4, 2023
Share this article
Improve this guide
Read our disclosure page to find out how can you help Windows Report sustain the editorial teamRead more
Key notes
This problem though is not even inWindows 10– it is inthe Upgrade Tool, something that Microsoft built to let users easily upgrade to the latest and greatest operating system with ease and a few clicks. There are various reasons why you might beunable to upgrade to Windows 10, and we are going to cover some of them with a solution but know that there is no way to know the exact issue unless you have an exact error code.
Can’t update Windows 10 to the latest version, what to do?
KeepingWindows 10up to date is important, but sometimes you might not be able to do that. Variousupdateissues can occur, and as for issues, here are some common problems that users reported:
Solution 1 – Check your antivirus
Having a good antivirus is important if you want to protect your PC from online threats, however, sometimes a third-party antivirus can interfere with your system and it can cause various issues. If you can’t upgradeWindows 10to the latest version, the issue might be your antivirus.
There are several ways to fix this problem, and the first thing that you should do is to disable certain antivirus features. If that doesn’t work, you might have to disable your antivirus altogether. In the worst-case scenario, you’ll have to completely uninstall your antivirus software.
Once you remove the antivirus check if the problem is still there. If the issue doesn’t appear, it means that your antivirus was the cause behind this issue. To avoid this and similar problems in the future, perhaps you should consider switching to a different antivirus.
There are many great antivirus tools on the market, but if you looking for a reliable antivirus that won’t interfere withWindows Update, an ideal way to acquire it is by checking thebest antivirus programsthat exist right now.
That being said, when you choose the software it’s best to pay attention to the high detection of malware or the power and resource usage.
Solution 2 – Turning on DEP
Turning on Data Execution Policy is something you need to do from your BIOS – you will have to follow your motherboard’s guide for this, or simply google the instructions for it. However, there is an option for it in Windows as well – and you might need to enable it there along with BIOS, and this is how you do it.
Solution 3 – Clean your install partition
According to users, sometimes you can’t upgrade to the latest version ofWindows 10due to lack of space on your PC. In order to upgrade successfully, you need to have at least 20GB available on your system drive.
To ensure that you have enough space, it’s advised to manually remove large files. However, old and temporary files can also take a lot of storage space, so you might want to remove them first in order to free up some space. To do that, just follow these steps:
This process shouldclean up at least a few GB’soff your Windows installation drive and might give you just what you need for the upgrade process.
Alternatively, you can also useAdvanced System Care 11to scan your system drive and find and remove old and temporary files. Many users prefer using Advanced System Care over the Disk Cleanup tool or other third-party tools since it provides more options for advanced users, so you might want to try it out.
This tool is not just lightweight and has an intuitive interface, but also has a wide range of optimization tools that a PC need. This is one of the most used Cleanup tools and it is available for free download.
Solution 4 – Use Windows Update Troubleshooter
If you can’t upgrade Windows 10 to the new version, perhaps the issue is related to your system or your settings. However, you might be able to fix this problem simply by using a built-in troubleshooter. Windows comes with various troubleshooters, and you can use them to fix common problems automatically. To runWindows UpdateTroubleshooter, do the following:
Once the troubleshooter is finished, the problem should be resolved and you’ll be able to install upgrades without any problems.
Solution 5 – Reset Windows Update components
Another cause for Windows Update issues can beWindows Updatecomponents. Sometimes certain services aren’t running or certain files might be corrupted, and that will prevent you from updatingWindows 10.
However, you can fix that simply by resettingWindows Updatecomponents. To do so, just follow these steps:
After running these commands, check if the problem withWindows Updateis resolved. If you don’t want to type all these commands manually and run them one by one, you can alwayscreate a Windows Update Reset scriptand run the commands automatically.
Solution 6 – Download the update from Windows Update Catalog
If you can’t upgradeWindows 10to the latest version, you might be able to circumvent this issue simply by downloading and installing the latestupdatesmanually. AllWindows updatesare available for download from Microsoft’s Update Catalog, so you can easily install them on your own.
Before you can download theupdate, you need to find out theupdatecode. This is quite simple to do, and you just have to go to the Update & Security section on your PC and should see theupdatecode there. Theupdatecode starts with KB followed by an array of numbers. Once you find theupdatedcode, do the following:
Once theupdateis installed, the problem should be completely resolved.
Solution 7 – Perform an in-place upgrade
If you still can’t upgradeWindows 10to the latest version, you might want to try performing an in-place upgrade. This process will reinstallWindows 10and upgrade it to the latest version while keeping all your files intact. To perform an in-place upgrade, do the following:
After the upgrade process is finished, the issue should be resolved and everything will start working again.
There are various reasons why the upgrade process could fail – and usually, there is no way to find out the exact reason for it, all we can do is give some solutions a shot and hope for the best.
More about the topics:Windows Update
Madalina Dinita
Networking & Security Specialist
Madalina has been a Windows fan ever since she got her hands on her first Windows XP computer.
She is interested in all things technology, especially emerging technologies – AI and DNA computing in particular.
Prior to joining the WindowsReport team, she worked in the corporate world for a number of years.
User forum
0 messages
Sort by:LatestOldestMost Votes
Comment*
Name*
Email*
Commenting as.Not you?
Save information for future comments
Comment
Δ
Madalina Dinita
Networking & Security Specialist
Madalina is a Windows fan since forever, especially interested in AI, emerging technologies, privacy, and security.