How to Fix Windows Update Error 0x80073712 (Missing Update Files)

By ErrorFix · Updated October 19, 2026 · 8 min read

What error 0x80073712 means

Error 0x80073712 is Windows Update's way of telling you the update package on your PC is incomplete or broken. Technically it maps to ERROR_SXS_COMPONENT_STORE_CORRUPT, which points at the component store — the hidden library of system files Windows draws on when installing updates. When files in that store (or in the update cache itself) are missing, mismatched, or corrupted, Windows stops the install rather than risk leaving your system in a half-updated state.

This error most often shows up on cumulative updates for Windows 10 and Windows 11. It can be triggered by an interrupted download, a failing drive that corrupted cached files, aggressive "debloat" tools that removed components Windows Update still expects, or an earlier failed update that left the component store inconsistent. The frustrating part is that simply retrying the update almost never works: Windows reuses the same broken cache every time. The real fix is to clear that cache, repair the underlying file damage, and then let Windows download a fresh copy.

Common causes

• Corrupted component store: the WinSxS library holding system files is damaged, so the update cannot assemble its changes.
• Broken update cache: files in the SoftwareDistribution folder were partially downloaded or corrupted on disk.
• Earlier failed update: a previous update that died halfway left the component store in an inconsistent state.
• Disk errors: bad sectors or file system damage on the system drive corrupt cached update files.
• Overzealous cleanup tools: debloaters or "optimizer" apps that removed system components Windows Update still references.

How to fix error 0x80073712 — step by step

Work through these fixes in order. Most cases are resolved by step 3; steps 5 and 6 are for the stubborn remainder.

1. Run the Windows Update troubleshooter. Open Settings, go to System, then Troubleshoot, then Other troubleshooters, and click Run next to Windows Update. The troubleshooter checks for the most common problems — stuck services, bad cache permissions, pending restarts — and fixes them automatically. When it finishes, go to Settings, then Windows Update, and click Check for updates to retry the failed update.
2. Reset the Windows Update components. This clears the broken cache so Windows downloads fresh files. Right-click Start and choose Terminal (Admin). Stop the services with net stop wuauserv, net stop cryptSvc, net stop bits, and net stop msiserver. Then rename the cache folders: ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old and ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 catroot2.old. Restart the services with net start wuauserv, net start cryptSvc, net start bits, and net start msiserver. Windows rebuilds both folders on the next update check — none of your files or settings are affected.
3. Repair system files with DISM and SFC. Because 0x80073712 often means the component store itself is damaged, repair it directly. In an admin terminal, run DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth and wait for it to complete (this can take 15-30 minutes). Then run sfc /scannow to verify every protected system file. Restart your PC when both finish, then try the update again.
4. Check the drive for file system errors. If cached files keep arriving corrupted, the drive itself may be at fault. Open an admin terminal and run chkdsk /f /r C:. If Windows offers to schedule the check for the next restart, type Y and restart your PC. This scan can take a while on large drives, but it finds and works around bad sectors that keep breaking your downloads.
5. Install the update manually from the Update Catalog. Sometimes the automatic pipeline is the problem, not the update itself. Find the failing update's KB number in Settings, then Windows Update, then Update history. Go to the Microsoft Update Catalog site, search for that KB number, download the package matching your system (x64 for most modern PCs), and run it directly. Manual installs skip the cache reset dance entirely.
6. Do an in-place upgrade repair install. If nothing above clears the error, the component store damage is too deep for in-place repairs. Download Microsoft's Media Creation Tool, run it, and choose Upgrade this PC now. This reinstalls Windows over your existing setup — keeping your files, apps, and most settings — while replacing every system file with a clean copy. It takes 30 minutes to 2 hours and resolves even the most stubborn 0x80073712 failures.

Did this fix it? Quick checklist

• Windows Update completes the failed update with no error
• Settings, then Windows Update, then Update history shows the update as successfully installed
• DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth finishes without errors
• sfc /scannow reports no integrity violations

If the error persists after the component reset, the Update Catalog manual install (step 5) bypasses whatever is broken in the automatic pipeline and works in most remaining cases. Save the in-place upgrade for last — it takes the longest but is effectively a guaranteed fix.