How to Fix Update Error Code 0x80070002 on Windows 10

Want to fix the Update Error Code 0x80070002 on Windows 10?

Windows Updates are necessary to keep your system up and running smoothly. These updates include new features, bug fixes, security enhancement, etc. While these are supposed to fix issues within your system, they may occasionally bring new errors upon downloading.

The Error Code 0x80070002 is one such Windows Update error that you may come across while installing an update. Although there are many causes for this, the most common ones include missing or corrupted files, low storage space, faulty driver, etc. 

But don’t fret! If you’re facing a similar issue and wondering how to fix Update Error Code 0x80070002 on Windows, keep reading this guide. We’ll go over all of the possible methods that may help you troubleshoot this problem. 

So, let’s get right into it!

1. Check Date and Time Settings. 

An incorrect date and time on your PC may interfere with many services in your computer that use an active internet connection, resulting in several errors. This may also be the case if you’re unable to install a Windows update. Therefore, setting the correct date and time is one of the easiest ways to fix the Update error code 0x80070002 on Windows. 

Here’s what you need to do: 

  1. Start by opening the Windows Settings by pressing the Win + i keys from your keyboard. 
  2. Next, click on Time and Language from the left pane. 
  3. Afterward, select Date & time from the right side of the screen. 
time & language settings windows 11
  1. Check the current date and time from the top. 
  2. If it’s not correct, simply turn the toggle on for Set time automatically
Update Error Code 0x80070002 on Windows
  1. Or, you may click on the Change button next to Set the date and time manually to change the date and time by yourself. 

2. Check Available Storage. 

Whenever you’re downloading a Windows Update, you need to have a certain amount of storage available on your computer for it to install. If your storage space is running low, it may also be one of the reasons why you see the error 0x80070002 on Windows. 

Having little free space may also affect your PC’s performance. So, to fix this, you need to check the available storage first. Follow these steps below to find out how much free space is available on your computer:

  1. Begin by locating and clicking on File Explorer from the bottom bar of your PC. 
  2. Now, select This PC from the left pane. 
  3. Under the Devices and drives section, you should be able to view all of the devices on your PC, along with their total size and free available space. 
devices and drives in this PC

If there’s not enough space available for a Windows Update to be installed, try removing all of the unnecessary files. Then, check if you’re able to download the Windows Update or not. 

3. Run Windows Troubleshooter. 

Another method that you can utilize if you’re facing an issue while running the Windows Update is by running Windows Troubleshooter. This built-in feature automatically detects and fixes common errors that may be occurring while trying to install Windows Update. 

Here’s what you need to do:

  1. Go to Settings by pressing Win + i keys
  2. From the System tab, select Troubleshoot
troubleshoot in system settings
  1. After that, scroll down and select Other Troubleshooters
  2. Under the Most frequent section, click on the Run button next to Windows Update
Update Error Code 0x80070002 on Windows
  1. The Troubleshooter may take some time to detect a problem. Once it does, follow the on-screen instructions to fix it. 

4. Enable Windows Update Service. 

The Windows Update service is a Microsoft service that automatically detects, downloads, and installs any upcoming Windows Updates. If this service is disabled on your computer, it may be one of the causes behind the Update Error Code 0x80070002 on Windows. 

All you need to do in such cases is to enable the Windows Update service. Here’s how to do it:

  1. Press Win + R keys from your keyboard to open the Run command.
  2. Next, type in ‘services.msc’ and click OK
run command
  1. Now, look for Windows Update service. Then, right-click on it and choose Properties.
  2. From the Windows Update Properties screen, look for Startup type and change it to Automatic
windows update properties
  1. Look next to Service status and ensure it says Running. If it isn’t, click on the Start button below it. 
  2. Lastly, click on Apply to save these changes, then click on OK

8. Restart the Update Service.

If the Update service was already enabled on your PC but you still received an error while installing a Windows Update, then restarting the service is also another option that you should consider. 

Follow these steps below to restart the Update service:

  1. Click on the Start Menu from the taskbar. 
  2. In the search bar, type in ‘services.msc’ and select Services from the search results. 
  3. Now, look for Windows Update from the list and click on it. 
  4. To restart it, right-click on it and select Restart
windows update restart

5. Reset Windows Update Components.

As stated earlier, corrupted files related to the Windows Update is the most common way to come across the Update Error Code 0x80070002 on Windows. So, if the files in the SoftwareDistribution folder are corrupted, you may face issues while installing a recent update. 

To fix this one, you need to reset the Windows Update components by following these steps:

  1. Select the Start Menu and click on the search bar at the top. 
  2. Type in ‘cmd’ in the search bar and click on Run as administrator from the right side of Command Prompt
command prompt run as administrator
  1. Now, copy and paste the following commands one by one as you press the Enter key
net stop bits
net stop wuauserv
net stop appidsvc
net stop cryptsvc
  1. Rename the SoftwareDistribution and catroot2 folders by typing the following command, respectively, and pressing the Enter key:
Ren %systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
Ren %systemroot%\System32\catroot2 catroot2.old
Update Error Code 0x80070002 on Windows
  1. Now, copy and paste these commands to restart these services:
net start bits
net start wuauserv
net start appidsvc
net start cryptsvc



6. Run SFC Scan. 

If your PC contains corrupted files, they’re bound to interfere with the system and cause many bugs and errors, such as update errors. Therefore, it’s necessary to get rid of these files, which can be accomplished with an SFC scan. 

Here’s what you should do:

  1. Launch the Run command box by pressing Win + R keys
  2. Type in ‘cmd’ first then press Ctrl + Shift + Enter keys to launch Command Prompt with administrative privileges. 
  3. Now, copy and paste the following command, followed by Enter:
sfc /scannow
Update Error Code 0x80070002 on Windows

It will take a while for the process to complete. Once done, reboot your PC and check whether your issue is resolved or not.

This is it! Hopefully, this short guide helped you in fixing the Update Error Code 0x80070002 on Windows. If you have further queries and confusion, feel free to let us know in the comments section below. We’ll try our best to assist you. 

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Author

  • Aimen Choudhry

    Aimen Choudhry is an architecture student who has always been fascinated by science. She now finds her therapy researching and writing about the latest technology and the issues that come alongside. Otherwise, you’ll find her playing video games, listening to music, or watching fantasy/sci-fi movies.

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