Windows update error 0x80070020: fix the file conflict

Windows update error 0x80070020 usually means another app, service, driver, or security tool is locking a file Windows Update needs; start with a clean boot and an antivirus pause, then move to repair work only if the error comes back. I have seen people spend half a day on scans, resets, and even repair installs while the real cause was a sync app, VPN client, or endpoint tool that kept grabbing the same file on every retry. Use the shortest path first: confirm where the update fails, remove one likely blocker at a time, and save deeper repair or alternate install methods for the cases that actually need them.

What you’ll need

• Administrator access on the PC
• A stable internet connection before retrying downloads and installs (reported by windowscentral.com)
• Time for at least one full restart
• Windows Update in Settings, so you can see if the failure happens during download, install, or restart
• Windows Update Troubleshooter from Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters on Windows 11, or Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooters on Windows 10
• SetupDiag if the problem happens during a feature update or version upgrade (reported by Business Insider)
• Windows installation media or Media Creation Tool as a fallback; the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool can create installation media for USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file, and Microsoft recommends a blank USB flash drive with at least 8GB of space (per Microsoft support)
• For laptops, AC power during the update attempt
• For BitLocker-enabled devices, access to the recovery key if company policy requires it before a major upgrade attempt
• For work PCs, confirmation that the device is not blocked by company policy or endpoint security tooling before removing anything

According to Download Windows 10 — The Windows 10 Media Creation Tool can create installation media for USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file. (source)

What is Windows update error 0x80070020?

This code matters because the stage of failure usually tells you where to look first. A download failure often points to connection trouble or scanning during package retrieval. An install failure usually points to a local process. A reboot or feature-upgrade failure points more strongly to drivers, startup services, or upgrade compatibility checks.

Start by identifying the update type and failure stage

Open Settings > Windows Update on Windows 11 or Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update on Windows 10. Select Check for updates, retry once, and note whether the failure appears during download, installation, or restart.

Also note whether this is a cumulative update or a feature update. That split matters in practice. Cumulative updates usually fail because a background process is active. Feature updates and in-place upgrades more often point to drivers, compatibility blocks, rollback causes, or hardware attached during setup.

Know when the stage changes the next tool

If the package downloads fully but fails while installing, test blockers first. If the PC restarts, rolls back, and returns to the desktop with the same code, move faster to clean boot, peripheral removal, driver review, and SetupDiag. If Windows Update never gets past download, check connection stability before deeper repair work (reported by windowscentral.com).

Should you check known issues before troubleshooting?

Yes. Microsoft says to review Windows release information status for known issues before updating. That check can tell you if your device model, driver family, or update target is under a safeguard hold, which changes the right move from local repair to waiting, pausing, or using a different update path (per Microsoft support).

What to check

Match three things before doing anything heavier: your Windows version, the update type, and the failure stage. Then review the Windows release information status entry that matches your version. If there is a known issue for your device class, retrying five times rarely helps.

When to continue and when to stop

If the issue page names your device, storage controller, printer path, VPN stack, or upgrade safeguard, wait for the hold to lift or follow the vendor guidance first. If there is no matching issue, continue with conflict isolation. I use that order because it stops you from chasing a local fix for a block that affects the platform itself.

Conflict-isolation checklist

Use this before service resets or repair installs

Start at the row that matches where the update fails. Change one condition at a time, then retry from Settings > Windows Update. If one test pushes the failure farther along but the same code comes back, stay on that branch; partial progress still tells you what class of blocker you are dealing with.

How do I fix Windows update error 0x80070020 step by step?

Use a conflict-first order. Retry from Windows Update and record the exact stage, run the built-in troubleshooter, then test background blockers in a controlled sequence: sync clients, backup tools, antivirus, peripherals, and clean boot. Only after that should you move into deeper repair steps.

Primary isolation path

1. Retry the update from Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates on Windows 11 or Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Check for updates on Windows 10, and note whether it fails during download, install, or restart.
2. Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter from Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters > Windows Update > Run on Windows 11, or Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooters > Windows Update > Run the troubleshooter on Windows 10.
3. Restart the PC so it clears pending file locks, unloaded services, and half-finished installer sessions, then go straight back to the same Windows Update page and retry; I have seen a plain restart clear this code when the blocker was temporary (reported by windowscentral.com).
4. Pause OneDrive or any other sync client from its taskbar icon, close backup software, close printer utilities, disconnect VPN, and retry from Settings > Windows Update.
5. Temporarily disable Microsoft Defender real-time protection at Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Manage settings, or uninstall a third-party antivirus for one test only, then retry and turn protection back on immediately after the attempt; Microsoft lists antivirus, antimalware, and backup scanning as known triggers for this code (per Microsoft support).
6. Disconnect non-essential peripherals such as printers, docks, USB storage, and unusual adapters, connect a laptop to AC power, and retry. If the update is a feature upgrade, leave only keyboard, mouse, display, and network.
7. Perform a clean boot: press Win + R, run msconfig, open Services, check Hide all Microsoft services, select Disable all, then open Startup in Task Manager and disable non-Microsoft startup apps before retrying.

How to read the result

If the update succeeds only after the antivirus test, review that suite first. If it succeeds only in clean boot, a background service is the blocker. If the download works every time but reboot fails, move next to drivers, peripherals, and SetupDiag instead of repeating the same retry path.

Can restarting services or using SetupDiag help?

Yes, but only after blocker tests fail. Restarting Windows Update services can clear a stuck state for cumulative updates, while SetupDiag fits failed feature updates and version upgrades better because it reads rollback clues instead of resetting components without a target (reported by Business Insider).

Measured service-reset path

1. Open Command Prompt as administrator from Start > type cmd > Run as administrator.
2. Run net stop wuauserv, then net stop bits, then net stop cryptsvc.
3. Run ren %windir%\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.bak, then ren %windir%\System32\catroot2 catroot2.bak.
4. Run net start wuauserv, then net start bits, then net start cryptsvc.
5. Return to Settings > Windows Update and retry once. If the same code still appears during reboot or rollback, stop repeating this reset and switch to upgrade-focused checks.

When SetupDiag matters

Use SetupDiag after a feature update fails and Windows rolls back. Review its findings for rollback causes tied to drivers, compatibility blocks, or setup actions that could not complete.

What if a driver, peripheral, or upgrade path is the blocker?

When the failure happens during restart, rollback, or a feature upgrade, focus on hardware and upgrade compatibility. Remove non-essential devices, update the driver classes most often tied to setup failures, and use installation media if Windows Update in Settings keeps failing on the same version jump.

Driver and hardware checks that matter most

1. Open Device Manager from Start > type Device Manager and inspect storage, display, network, and system devices for recent changes; use Update driver, Roll Back Driver, or Uninstall device only when a recent driver change lines up with the failed upgrade.
2. Visit the device-maker support page and install current chipset, storage controller, graphics, network, and BIOS or firmware updates before retrying a feature update.
3. Unplug printers, docks, USB drives, SD cards, and VPN adapters, then retry the upgrade from Settings > Windows Update.
4. On a managed work PC, stop here and contact IT if endpoint security agents, update policy, or device-management rules appear involved. Do not remove tools you do not control.

Using Microsoft-supported fallback media

If Windows Update keeps failing on a feature upgrade, move to installation media. The Windows 10 Media Creation Tool can create installation media for USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file, and Microsoft recommends a blank USB flash drive with at least 8GB of space. Windows 10 installation media can also be used to perform a clean installation or reinstall Windows 10, and the Update Assistant can help update to the latest version of Windows 10 (per Microsoft support).

If the PC is old enough that you are weighing a platform move, remember that Windows 10 will no longer receive free software updates after October 14, 2025. Windows 11 requires a 1 gigahertz processor with 2 or more cores on a compatible 64-bit processor or SoC, 4 GB RAM, 64 GB or larger storage, UEFI, Secure Boot capable firmware, and TPM version 2.0. Microsoft says Windows 11 upgrade is available through Windows Update in Settings > Update and Security (per Microsoft support). (microsoft.com) (microsoft.com)

Common mistakes

What causes people to lose time here

Running heavy repair commands first is the big one. This code often clears only after you remove the active blocker, so broad scans can burn an hour and change nothing. Another mistake is disabling antivirus and leaving it off; test one attempt, then turn it back on.

People also mix cumulative-update steps with feature-upgrade steps. If the same code appears only after reboot, repeating download fixes misses the point. On laptops, running a feature upgrade on battery also adds a variable that is easy to remove by plugging in first.

On BitLocker-enabled devices, check recovery-key readiness before a major upgrade if company policy requires it. On business-managed PCs, avoid uninstalling security agents or changing update policy. If a Blue Screen appears during restart, treat it as a higher-risk failure because a Blue Screen can trigger a restart and data loss (reported by Business Insider).

If that didn’t work

Escalation ladder

1. Run the primary isolation path again, but change only one variable you have not yet tested.
2. Use the service-reset path once if the problem is a cumulative update that fails before reboot.
3. Use SetupDiag if the problem is a feature update, version upgrade, or rollback after restart.
4. Use Media Creation Tool or other Windows installation media for an in-place repair upgrade when Windows Update keeps failing on the same version jump.
5. Escalate to IT on a managed PC, or plan a repair install if local conflict tests, driver review, and SetupDiag still leave the update blocked.

Prevention

Before future feature upgrades, close sync clients, backup tools, printer suites, and VPN software, then update chipset, storage, graphics, and network drivers from the device maker site first. That habit removes the blockers I see most often in repeat upgrade failures.

Frequently asked questions

How do I fix Windows update error 0x80070020?

Open Settings > Windows Update, retry once, then run the Windows Update Troubleshooter from Settings > Troubleshoot. If it still fails, pause sync clients, close backup, printer, and VPN tools, test antivirus for one attempt, disconnect non-essential peripherals, and retry again in a clean boot state.

What causes error 0x80070020 when updating Windows?

Microsoft defines this code as InstallFileLocked and says the installer could not access a file because it was already in use. Microsoft also says antivirus, antimalware, or backup software scanning a file can trigger it during replacement or staging of update files (per Microsoft support).

Does 0x80070020 mean another app is using a file?

Yes. In practice, treat it as a conflict pattern first. The fastest proof is to retry after pausing OneDrive or other sync tools, closing backup and printer utilities, disconnecting VPN, and then testing a clean boot. If the update gets farther, the blocker is active in user or startup space.

How do I stop antivirus from blocking a Windows update?

For Microsoft Defender, go to Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Manage settings and turn off real-time protection for one update attempt, then turn it back on. For a third-party suite, use its own control panel or uninstall it for one test if disable options do not fully stop scanning.

Can I fix 0x80070020 by restarting Windows Update services?

Sometimes, but it is a later step. Open an elevated Command Prompt and run net stop wuauserv, net stop bits, net stop cryptsvc, rename SoftwareDistribution and catroot2, then start the services again. Use this after blocker tests fail, not as the first move.

Should I use Windows Update Troubleshooter for 0x80070020?

Yes. Run it before deeper repair work. On Windows 11, use Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters > Windows Update > Run. On Windows 10, use Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooters. A partial fix still helps because it narrows the remaining problem to conflicts or drivers.

Will a clean boot fix Windows update error 0x80070020?

It often identifies the blocker, which is the real value. Run msconfig, hide Microsoft services, disable the rest, then disable startup apps in Task Manager and retry the update. If the update succeeds, re-enable items in small groups until the failing service, utility, or security tool shows itself.

How do I tell if a peripheral or driver is causing update failure?

If the update downloads but fails during restart or a feature upgrade rollback, suspect peripherals and drivers. Unplug printers, docks, USB storage, and unusual adapters, then retry. Next, check the device-maker site for chipset, storage, graphics, network, and BIOS or firmware updates before another attempt.