How to Resolve a Windows Update Stuck During Installation

Fix a Windows update that hangs during installation using the built-in Troubleshooter, command-line reset, and manual service restart techniques.

1. Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter. Open the Settings app by pressing Win + I. Navigate to System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters. Click the Run button located next to Windows Update to allow the diagnostic tool to automatically detect and repair common update service errors.
2. Stop the Windows Update Services. Open the Start menu, type 'cmd', right-click Command Prompt, and select Run as administrator. Execute the following commands in sequence: 'net stop wuauserv', 'net stop cryptSvc', 'net stop bits', and 'net stop msiserver'. This terminates the active processes preventing the update files from being modified.
3. Rename the SoftwareDistribution folder. While still in the Administrator Command Prompt, rename the cache folder by typing 'ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old'. Follow this by typing 'ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 Catroot2.old'. This action clears the corrupted download cache and forces Windows to fetch fresh update files.
4. Restart the Windows Update Services. Re-enable the core services by entering these commands into the Command Prompt: 'net start wuauserv', 'net start cryptSvc', 'net start bits', and 'net start msiserver'. Once completed, close the Command Prompt window.
5. Restart your computer. Restart your machine to clear the system memory and initialize the reset services. A clean restart ensures that no hung background processes conflict with the new update request.
6. Check for updates. Open Settings > Windows Update and select Check for updates. The system will now download a clean set of update files from the Microsoft servers, bypassing the previously corrupted state.