What does Windows Update error 0x80246009 mean?

0x80246009 — BITS Job Cancelled usually means the Background Intelligent Transfer Service cancelled the download mid-transfer. The update could not be downloaded, extracted or installed because the component or permission required by the update is unavailable.

Will resetting Windows Update delete my files?

No. Renaming SoftwareDistribution only clears the update cache. Your documents, installed programs and system settings are untouched.

Do I need to disable antivirus to fix 0x80246009?

Sometimes. Third-party antivirus (especially older versions of Norton, McAfee, Avast) can block the Windows Update service from writing to SoftwareDistribution. Disable real-time protection for the duration of the install only.

Why does the same update keep failing with 0x80246009?

Either the update file in the cache is corrupted (the reset step fixes that), or the component store on your machine is out of sync with what the update expects (the DISM step fixes that). Run both before trying the same KB again.

↻ Windows Update Errors

Windows Update error 0x80246009 — BITS Job Cancelled — How to fix (2026)

Windows Update error 0x80246009 — BITS Job Cancelled appears when the Background Intelligent Transfer Service cancelled the download mid-transfer. The fix is almost always to reset the update components and repair the component store. Follow the steps in order — most users are done after step 2.

Time: 20 min
Difficulty: medium
Applies to: Windows 11, Windows 10
Updated: May 25, 2026

Error message

There were some problems installing updates, but we'll try again later. (0x80246009)

Symptoms

▸Windows Update shows: "0x80246009"
▸The same KB or cumulative update fails repeatedly
▸Windows Update sticks at a percentage (often 0%, 30% or 90%) before failing
▸The error appears in C:\Windows\WindowsUpdate.log or Event Viewer

Likely causes

▸Corrupted update cache (SoftwareDistribution)
▸Damaged Windows component store (WinSxS)
▸Insufficient free space on C: drive
▸Third-party antivirus blocking the Windows Update service
▸Stuck or disabled Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS)

How to fix it — step by step

01
Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter
Open Settings → System → Troubleshoot → Other troubleshooters → Windows Update → Run. The troubleshooter fixes the most common cases of 0x80246009 on its own.

Reset the Windows Update components

Stop the services that own the update cache, clear the cache, and restart the services. Run each line in an elevated PowerShell.

net stop wuauserv
net stop bits
net stop cryptsvc
Rename-Item C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
Rename-Item C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 catroot2.old
net start wuauserv
net start bits
net start cryptsvc

03
Repair the Windows component store
0x80246009 often fires when the component store is corrupted. Repair it with DISM, then run SFC.
```
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
sfc /scannow
```
04
Free up disk space on C:
Windows Update fails on full drives — you need at least 20 GB free on the system drive for a feature update. Use cleanmgr.exe, then "Clean up system files" and tick everything except the current Windows installation.
05
Install the update manually from the Microsoft Update Catalog
If a specific KB keeps failing, download it directly from catalog.update.microsoft.com and install the .msu as Administrator. This bypasses the broken Windows Update client entirely.
06
In-place upgrade as a non-destructive last resort
If 0x80246009 survives everything above, download the Windows ISO from Microsoft, mount it, and run setup.exe from inside Windows. Choose "Keep personal files and apps" — this repairs the OS without touching your data.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related fixes

Updates

Windows Update error 0x80246009 — BITS Job Cancelled — How to fix (2026)

How to fix it — step by step

Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

Reset the Windows Update components

Repair the Windows component store

Free up disk space on C:

Install the update manually from the Microsoft Update Catalog

In-place upgrade as a non-destructive last resort

Frequently Asked Questions

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