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Like previous versions of Windows, Windows 11 has bugs, and since it came out, we’ve seen a lot of them. And The ones that stop you from updating the OS are the worst. One of these is the ‘Windows Update error 0x800f0831’
Note that it comes up when updating Windows and stops the process from going all the way through. We all know how important it is to use the latest version of the operating system (OS). When you use an old version, you don’t just miss out on some new features; your PC is also open to threats and you’re more likely to have problems.
‘Windows Update error 0x800f0831’ Issue: Best 9 ways

Use Windows Update Troubleshooter
Even though Windows Troubleshooter is often thought to be useless, it can sometimes fix ‘Windows Update error 0x800f0831’ issue caused by updates. Windows comes with a set of built-in tools for finding and fixing problems in different parts of the system. You can use it to look for problems with updates and try to fix them right away. You can do the following:
- Open Settings from the bottom taskbar.
- Choose System on the left and go to Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters on the right pane.
- Then, find Windows Update and click Run next to it.
- Finish the process following the on-screen instructions and restart your PC.
Run a Clean Bootup
- Press Windows key + R combination and paste
msconfig
- Then in the opened window, go to the Services tab located on top.
- Check the box next to Hide All Microsoft Services and click on the Disable all button.
- Now choose the General tab and select the Selective startup option. Make sure that Load System Services and Load startup items are two only options selected.
- Click Apply and OK. Then reboot your PC.
Check integrity of the system files
There could be a problem with your system because of software from a third party. You can use Clean Boot mode if you don’t know which one it might be. This mode lets users load their system with only the services and apps that came with it to avoid problems with incompatibility.
In the end, this will tell you if the problem was caused by third-party software or not. If you already think that a third-party app, maybe one you just installed, is causing the problem, try to turn it off or get rid of it completely. If not, do the following to get into Clean Boot mode:
Using SFC
- Open Command Prompt by typing
cmd
into the searching loop next to the Start Menu button. - Right-click on Command Prompt and choose Run as administrator.
- Once the console is opened, type the
sfc /scannow
command and click Enter. - When the fixing process is done, restart your computer.
Use Media Creation Tool
- At first, you have to download the utility from the Microsoft website.
- Then, execute the downloaded file.
- After agreeing with the Terms of use, there will be two options to choose from. Select Upgrade this PC now.
- Choose to Keep Personal Files to ensure they will be untouched.
- Finally, launch the process and wait until it ends.
- Hopefully, this method helped you combat the 0x800f0831 error.
Using DISM
- Open Command Prompt as we did in the previous step.
- Copy and paste this command
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
. - Click Enter and wait until Windows ends the scanning and fixing.
- Once done, restart your PC and try to open the problematic program again.
Download a conflicting update from Microsoft Catalog
- Open Settings from the bottom taskbar.
- Then go to Windows Update on the left pane.
- On the right side of the window, choose Update history.
- After this, find and note the most recent update (usually starts with “KB” and is on top of the list).
- You can also find this out by noting the name of the failing update (in case it displays).
- Once done, search and download the noted update from the Microsoft Update Catalog.
Disable Proxies
- Press Windows R to open the Run Command.
- In the text box, type in inetcpl.cpl and hit OK.
- Once the Internet Properties window is launched, locate the connections tab.
- Open the LAN settings button.
- Tick the Automatically detect settings checkbox.
- Under the Proxy Server settings box, keep the checkbox blank and unchecked.
Perform a System Restore
- Download the Media Creation Tool from the Microsoft website.
- Run the Media Creation Tool to create a Windows installation media (You can use a bootable USB drive or CD/DVD).
- Boot the PC from the disc or bootable USB drive.
- Next, configure the language, keyboard method, and time. Select Repair your computer.
- Go to Choose an option. Choose Troubleshoot and Advanced options. Lastly, choose System Restore.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to finish a system restore. Your computer should boot back up as expected. Log in as usual, and check if you could fix Error Code 0x800f0831.
You can get more help at the Microsoft Support Center.
What Causes 0x800f0831
- Windows Update parts that are broken. If some important parts of Windows Update are missing or broken, the service might not be able to install the update.
- Not enough disc space. If your system disc doesn’t have much space left, or none at all, Windows won’t be able to save the update files, which will cause the 0x800f0831 error.
- Software clashes. This error can sometimes be caused by a conflict between the Windows Update service and a third-party app, such as a VPN app, antivirus software, or firewall software. The error should go away if you turn off or remove the software. Try updating Windows 11 by starting it up in Clean Boot Mode.
- There is no update from before. This error can happen when an update needs the manifest from an earlier update package.
- Windows Update is not available. The error can happen if the Windows Update servers aren’t working or if something else goes wrong.
FAQ
What is status 0x800f0831
Most of the time, the 0x800f0831 error is caused by a missing KB package, which makes it impossible to install a newer update. So, you should check the Microsoft Update Catalog to see which package you are missing and then manually download it: To open File Explorer, press Win + E. Apr 19, 2022
Why does Windows 11 keep failing to install
This means that your computer probably doesn’t have enough space to install the upgrade. The disc, partition, or volume you want to work with doesn’t support the operation you chose. Make sure your computer meets the requirements needed to install Windows. The system can’t find the file you told it to look for.