How to Fix Windows 11 KB5026446 Update Error Efficiently

Sometimes you may notice errors like Windows 11 not updating, Windows 11 KB5026446 update installation failing, or Windows 11 KB5026446 stuck downloading. Let's figure out why and how to fix this error.

Why Windows 11 KB5026446 Update Error Appears

There are several reasons why Windows 11 won't update. EaseUS software lists the possible causes for you in this section:

• 🖥️System files on the PC are corrupted.
• 🔧Windows update might be turned off somehow.
• 🧩Antivirus software, firewall software, and other third-party security programs/software are interfering with your Windows update process.
• 💡Suppose there is not enough storage space to download and install Windows. Slow internet speed or network issues can also cause your Windows Updates to not install or downloads to stall.

Microsoft regularly releases Windows 11 updates to users, which contain the latest bug fixes, new features, and security improvements. And Windows Update is set to download and install automatically on Windows 11 to keep your system safe and stable. Therefore, Windows updates are crucial, and we need to learn how to fix Windows 11 KB5026446 update error.

You may also like:

Windows 11 KB5026446 Update Error Fixes

Before going through the methods, let's first restart your computer and check for updates again, which will restart all running processes, refresh the operating system, clear temporary glitches and fix the most common problems. If the problem persists, let's start fixing this error by following the tutorial below.

Fix 1. Run Windows Update Troubleshooter

Running Windows update Troubleshooter, a built-in diagnostic tool developed by Microsoft will automatically detect and fix Windows KB5026446 update issues on your computer. Here's how:

Step 1. Press Windows key + X and select Settings.

Step 2. Select the system in the left pane, and then select Troubleshooting in the right pane.

Step 3. Navigate to Additional Troubleshooters and click the Run button next to Windows Update.

Read Also:

Fix 2. Check Internet Connection

Ensure your PC has a stable internet connection in order to download Windows 11 update files from Microsoft servers. You can restart your wireless router to resolve common network connectivity issues. Check the WiFi signal or bring the laptop closer to the WiFi router. Check if your Ethernet cable is connected properly.

Also, you can reset the network adapter on Windows 11 by going to Settings > Network and Internet > Advanced network settings > Network reset > Click the Reset now button > Click the Yes option.

Fix 3. Free Up Storage Space on Your Computer

Another common reason why Windows update installations get stuck or fail is insufficient storage space. You may encounter a different error when trying to update Windows 11 if your system drive does not have enough space. In this circumstance, you need to free up hard drive space.

To get more free space on the hard drive, we recommend you use EaseUS Partition Master. This tool can help extend the system hard drive using the unallocated space of another drive, which is the fastest way to get enough disk space. Download it to try.

Here is how：

Step 1. Locate the Target Partition.

Go to Partition Manager, locate the target partition and select "Resize/Move".

Step 2. Extend the Target Partition.

Drag the partition panel rightward or leftward to add the unallocated space into your current partition and click "OK" to confirm.

Extra Option: Get Space from Another Drive

If there is not enough unallocated space on your disk, right-click on a big partition with enough free space, select "Allocate space".

Then select the target partition that you want to extend at the allocate space to column.

Step 3. Execute Operations to Extend Partition.

Drag the dots of the target partition into the unallocated space and click "OK".

Then Click the "Execute Task" button and click "Apply" to keep all the changes. 

This tool can do a lot to free up hard drive space, such as:

• Extend C/D drive
• Allocate disk space
• Format a drive to get disk space
• Allocate disk space from the D drive to the C drive
• And more

Fix 4. Repair System File

Corrupted Windows 11 system files on your computer can cause Windows Update to fail. You should run SFC and DISM commands to find and replace corrupted files on your PC. Here's how:

Step 1. Press the Windows key, type cmd in the search bar, and click it to run as administrator,

Step 2. Run the DISM restore health command DISM/Online/Cleanup-Image/RestoreHealth

Step 3. After completing 100% scan command execution, run the System File Checker command sfc /scannow

The above command scans all protected system files and replaces corrupted files with cached copies located in %WinDir%\System32\dllcache compressed folder.

Let System File Checker scan and repair your system files or replace them with the correct ones.

Step 4. Restart your PC when done, and try installing the Windows 11 update again.

Extended Reading: How to Fix Hard Drive Missing After Windows 11 Update

Fix 5. Clean Boot Windows 11

Clean boot mode starts Windows 11 by eliminating the possibility of startup software and services conflicting with the update process. To clean boot your PC, you need to follow these steps:

Step 1. Press Windows key + R, type msconfig, and click OK.

Step 2. Navigate to the Services tab in the System Configuration window.

Step 3. Choose the box next to Hide all Microsoft services and click the Disable All button.

Step 4. Then, navigate to the Startup option and click on Task Manager.

Step 5. In the Startup tab, click on each entry and disable them individually.

Step 6. Exit Task Manager and return to the Startup tab in the System Configuration window, then select OK.

Fix 6. Restart the Windows Update Service

Check to make sure that Windows Update and its related services are running. If the update service doesn't start or stops running, you might have problems installing Windows 11 updates.

Step 1. Press the Windows + R, and type services.msc in the Run box. To launch the Windows Services console, click OK.

Step 2. Locate the Windows Update service, right-click it, and select Restart.

Step 3. If the service is not started, double-click the Windows update service to open its properties.

Step 4. Here, select automatic in the startup type option, and then press start.

Step 5. To save the changes, click Apply and then OK.

Fix 7. Reset Windows Update Components

Another thing to fix this problem is that you can reset the Windows update components on your PC. Here's how to do it:

Step 1. Open and run Command Prompt (CMD) as administrator. Then, type the following command lines:

• net stop bits
• net stop wuauserv
• net stop appidsvc
• net stop cryptsvc

The above command stops Windows Update and its related services.

Step 2. Now press Windows key + E to open File Explorer and navigate to C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution.

Open the Downloads folder and then delete all files and folders inside the Downloads folder. (To delete them, you can press ctrl + A to select all, then press Del.)

These are updated cache files; Windows Update will download new files from Microsoft servers the next time you check for updates. 

Step 3. Now restart Windows Update and its related services by running the following command:

• First, type net start bits
• Then, type net start wuauserv
• Next, enter net start appidsvc
• Finally, type net start cryptsvc

Step 4. Afterward, restart Windows 11 and try to install the update again.

Read Also: Windows 11 Requirements, Windows Update Reset Tool

Fix 8. Manually Download and Install Windows 11 Updates

You can download Windows Updates offline installer packages from the Microsoft Update Catalog and install updates directly from there. If you're still having trouble installing the update, try downloading and installing it manually. Here are the steps:

Step 1. Press Windows key + X and select Settings.

Step 2. Go to Windows Update, then click Check for Updates for Windows Updates that are not installed, and note the KB numbers of the updates you find.

Step 3. Download Windows 11 KB5026446.

Step 4. Now open one of your browsers and navigate to the Microsoft Update Catalog.

Step 5. Search for the specific security update with the error, and click Download.

Step 6. Then find the downloaded update file and run it as administrator.

Sometimes third-party security software can sometimes conflict with your Windows 11 update and prevent it from installing on your computer. You should turn off or remove appropriate third-party security programs, including firewalls and antivirus applications, to see if that resolves the issue.

Conclusion

In this article, I list eight fixes for you to solve the Windows 11 KB5026446 update error. Among these errors, running the Windows Update troubleshooter is the fastest way to troubleshoot Windows 11 KB5026446 update installation issues. Also, you need to ensure free storage space on your C drive and internet connection speed to download updated files from Microsoft servers.

Running DISM Recovery Health and a System File Checker scan to find and repair system files may resolve the issue. If you get any ideas from this article, don't hesitate to share it with other users.

Windows 11 KB5026446 Update Error FAQs

Windows 11 KB5026446 update can be a little difficult, and you may meet problems during the updating process. Here, I list some related questions and answers to make this process smoother. Check them below:

1. Why is there an error when I update the cumulative update for Windows 11?

Insufficient disk space on their devices, corrupted system files, an unstable internet connection, or network problems can all contribute to the "Windows 11 cumulative update failed to download and install" issue.

2. How do I fix the Windows update error in Windows 11?

Here are some tips to help fix upgrade and installation errors:

• Remove external hardware
• Update Windows
• Uninstall non-Microsoft antivirus software
• Uninstall unnecessary software
• Free up disk space

3. How do I clear the Windows Update cache in Windows 11?

This is the simplest method for utilizing disk cleanup to delete the Windows cache. Let's proceed by performing the actions listed below:

In the taskbar's search box, enter "Disk Cleanup." The Disk Cleanup app has now shown on the right side; click Open to start it. Then click OK after selecting the drive you wish to clean up.