Fixed: We Couldn’t Complete the Updates Undoing Changes

“When Windows fails to complete a software update, it often displays an error message saying “We couldn’t complete the updates, undoing changes”. This error message can appear on both Windows 10 and Windows 11 due to a number of reasons such as insufficient free space on your hard drive, issues with the Windows Update service, or problems with the software being updated.”

In this article, we will demonstrate how to fix update errors and successfully install updates.

What causes “We Could not Complete Updates Undoing Changes”?

You’ll commonly see the error message “We couldn’t complete the updates, undoing changes” while attempting to install Windows updates or upon the first reboot after update installation. While the issue can’t be tied to a single source, here are some of the most common causes:

• Insufficient disk space – Windows updates can be quite large and require enough free space on your computer to install. If you don’t have enough room, the update process won’t be able to complete.
• Interruption during the update process – Windows updates can fail for a variety of reasons, like sudden power outages, low battery charge on your computer, or even accidentally unplugging your computer during installation.
• System file corruption – If some of your system files have become corrupted, the update may not be able to install properly. This can happen due to recent app installations, misconfiguring system settings, or even malware.

How to resolve the error message “We Couldn’t Complete the Updates Undoing Changes”.

The good news is that the “We couldn’t complete the updates, undoing changes” error can often be fixed with ease. Here are a few simple steps to try if you’re experiencing this issue:

Run Startup Repair

Startup Repair is a built-in tool from Windows that will attempt to fix any problems with corrupted system files that may have been preventing your Windows Update from completing successfully. To access it, you’ll need to boot into the Advanced Options menu.

If you can’t start Windows normally, you can use Safe Mode to determine whether a hardware or software issue is causing your problems. This may help you in resolving the black screen with cursor problem on Windows.

• Press and hold F8 (or Fn+F8) when booting to enter Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE).

Tip: If you are unable to access WinRE using the keyboard shortcut, try restarting your computer until it automatically enters the repair environment. Typically, three restarts are required

• Navigate to Troubleshooting > Advanced options > Startup Repair. This tool is going to check for issues with startup and attempt to fix your computer automatically.

• Let the repair complete and restart your computer. After completion, check if the “We couldn’t complete the updates, undoing changes” error message persists.

Use the SFC and DISM Scans

If you have corrupted system files, you can use SFC (System File Checker) and DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) scans to detect and fix errors.

• Enter WinRE, and then navigate to Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Command Prompt.

• Once the Command Prompt interface appears, type “sfc /scannow” and hit Enter. Wait for the scan to finish.

• Execute this command after entering it: DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth.

After you execute these commands, wait for them to finish checking your PC. Upon completion, close the Command Prompt window and restart your device to see if the update error has been fixed.

Use System Restore

Use the System Restore function to fix any problems you may be having with your computer. You can go back in time to a previous state when your computer was operating properly thanks to this functionality. If you recently installed a program or made system settings changes that might have contributed to the issue, that information may be useful.

Warning: You may lose some newly installed applications! Make sure to check what programs and drivers will be affected during the System Restore process before you proceed.

• Enter WinRE, and then navigate to Troubleshooting > Advanced options > System Restore. If you have more than one Windows system on your device, select the one you want to restore.

• Click Next, and then select one of the available restore points you wish to recover. After choosing one, click Next again.

• Review the information about your restore point and confirm that your system was working properly at the time. After double-checking, click Finish and allow your device to make the necessary changes.

After using System Restore, your computer should reboot itself and operate using the configuration from an earlier date. See if this solves the error at hand.

Delete the SoftwareDistribution Folder

A number of users have found a solution to fix the “We couldn’t complete the updates, undoing changes” error. They suggest removing the SoftwareDistribution folder from the computer, which has helped them resolve the issue. This folder holds temporary files related to Windows Updates. In certain situations, these files can get corrupted, which results in an inability to install updates.

• Enter WinRE, and navigate to Troubleshooting > Advanced options > Startup Settings.

• To enter Safe Mode, click Restart in the bottom-right corner. Press one of the function keys depending on what services you wish to use:
  • F4: Enable Safe Mode.
  • F5: Enable Safe Mode with Networking.
  • F6: Enable Safe Mode with Command Prompt.

• Hold Shift and click Restart to restart in Safe Mode. After rebooting, use Windows+R to open Run. Press Ctrl + Shift + Enter after typing “cmd” without quotes to launch an elevated Command Prompt.
• Input the following commands. Press the Enter key between each line:
  • net stop wuauserv
  • net stop bits
  • net stop cryptic
  • net stop msiserver
• Open the File Explorer by hitting the Windows + E keys, and navigate to the “C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution” folder. Select all of the files inside this folder by pressing Ctrl + A, and then hit the Delete button on your keyboard.

Start the App Readiness Service

If the App Readiness service has become disabled, it can cause issues with installing Windows Updates. Make sure that you’ve booted your computer in Safe Mode (instructions above) in order to perform the steps below!

• Press the Windows key + R to open the Run utility. Type services.msc and click OK to launch the Services window.

• Scroll down and find the App Readiness service. Right-click on its name and select Properties. In the new window, use the Startup type drop-down menu and set it to Automatic.

After enabling the service, restart your computer and see if the “We couldn’t complete the updates, undoing changes” error is still present.

Disable Automatic Windows Updates

In some cases, turning off automatic Windows updates can help prevent this error from occurring.

• Open the Services window using the instructions in the previous method. Find the Windows Update service from the list and open its properties.
• Set the Startup type to Disabled, and then click the Apply button. When done, close the window by clicking OK.

Reboot your computer, and if the same error message appears after disabling automatic updates. If the error is eliminated, it would be wise to keep this service inactive. Remember to periodically check for new Windows updates manually in these cases!

Reset Windows

If none of the above steps were able to fix the issue, you can try resetting Windows. This will reinstall Windows from scratch and give you a fresh system with no corrupted files.

You can easily reinstall Windows using bootable media or even reinstall Windows from the cloud.

Conclusion

We hope this article has helped you to fix the “We couldn’t complete the updates, undoing changes” error. While the issue can be caused by a variety of things, it’s usually pretty straightforward to resolve. If you’re still having trouble with this error, feel free to contact us for assistance. We’d be happy to help!

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