If your device freezes in the middle of an update, you can feel powerless to do anything about it. Depending on which stage of the update you’re stuck on, the classic turning off and on again might not work as intended. However, all hope is not lost. There are still a few things you can try to potentially get your update completed.
How to know if Windows has frozen
With Windows often staying on one screen for a few minutes during the update process, it can be difficult to know whether your device has frozen or not. You might normally look for an unresponsive cursor, but another telltale sign is a spinning wheel that isn’t moving. Alternatively, your update might be stuck if one of the following messages persists:
‘Preparing to configure Windows. Do not turn off your computer.’‘Configuring Windows updates. …% complete. Do not turn off your computer.’‘Please do not power off or unplug your machine. Installing update … of …’‘Working on updates. …% complete. Don’t turn off your computer.’‘Keep your PC on until this is done. Installing update … of …’‘Getting Windows ready. Don’t turn off your computer.
If you don’t see anything at all on screen, then you probably have a black screen problem.
How to fix a stuck Windows update
Once you’ve identified that the update is stuck, try one of the following things: As the resident expert on Windows, Senior Staff Writer Anyron’s main focus is PCs and laptops. Much of the rest of his time is split between smartphones, tablets and audio, with a particular focus on Android devices.
