When Windows says “Working on updates” with a percentage, it is already installing. That stage can sit at one number for a long time, especially during large feature updates, so the safest first move is patience.
This guide applies to Windows 10 and Windows 11 when an update is actively installing and appears frozen.
Does This Affect You?
Use this if the update downloaded and Windows is now applying it during restart or in the background. If Windows is only checking for updates, use the stuck-checking fix instead.
Wait and Check for Real Activity
- Keep the PC plugged in. Do not press keys, close the lid, or power it off early.
- Large feature updates can sit at the same percentage for 30 minutes or more on slower hardware.
- Watch the drive activity light if the PC has one, or listen for disk activity. Any occasional activity usually means it is still working.
- Give it up to about two hours at the same percentage before assuming a true freeze, especially for major upgrades.
- If two hours pass with no activity at all, move to a forced restart.
Force Restart Only After a Real Stall
- Hold the power button for about 10 seconds until the PC turns off.
- Wait about 30 seconds.
- Turn the PC back on.
- If Windows shows Undoing changes made to your computer, let it finish. Do not interrupt rollback.
- Once back at the desktop, open Windows Update and try again. A second attempt often succeeds.
If It Keeps Stalling
Free Up Space First
Feature updates can need more than 20 GB of working space. Open Storage settings and remove temporary files before retrying.
Update Storage Drivers
Old SSD, NVMe, or storage controller drivers can make upgrades crawl or stall. Check Device Manager and the PC or SSD maker’s support page.
Use Microsoft’s Assistant Tool
If built-in Windows Update stalls on the same feature update, use the Windows 10 Update Assistant or Windows 11 Installation Assistant from Microsoft’s official site.
Repair Update Health
Recurring stalls can point to a damaged update cache, corrupted system files, or a failing drive. Run SFC, DISM, and reset Windows Update components after Windows boots again.
Sources
- Microsoft Support: Fix Windows Update errors
- Microsoft Support: Windows Update FAQ
- Microsoft Learn: Reset Windows Update components