Can you install Windows Updates in Safe Mode in Windows 10?

Windows 10 Safe Mode with networking

Safe mode is one of the best ways to fix problems on Windows. If installing a particular update can fix your problem and you can't do it in normal mode, you should install Windows updates in Safe mode. You can also choose to uninstall an update in safe mode if it causes a problem.

Do you need to install Windows Updates in Safe Mode?

The simple answer is no. But Microsoft recommends that you do this only when you cannot start Windows normally. The reason it is not recommended is that in Safe Mode, specific drivers and components are not available. Therefore, if Windows Update needs to update a particular service or component and it is unable to find it because it is disabled, it will not update it. When you restart, you may encounter errors related to intermittent file errors or registry errors. Windows may throw an error saying:

ERROR_INSTALL_SERVICE_FAILURE
1601 Unable to access Windows Installer service.
Contact your support staff to verify that Windows
Installation service is properly registered

How to install Windows Updates in Safe Mode

Since we need to have a network connection or internet access in safe mode, we need to make sure that networking is enabled with safe mode. You can start Windows 10 in Safe Mode in several ways.

1) Use of the recovery method

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  • Open Windows settings and go to Update> Recovery.
  • Click the Restart Now button under Advanced Startup to start in advanced recovery mode.
  • Now go to Troubleshooting> Advanced Options> Startup Settings.
  • Click the Restart button
  • He will then take you to Startup settings, where the fifth option is to enable safe mode with networking.
  • Press F5 to start on it.

Point: If you hold down the Shift key while restarting the computer from the menu, it will start you directly in the advanced boot option.

2) Use of MSCONFIG

  • Open the run prompt (WIN + R) and type "msconfig", then press the Enter key
  • Switch to the startup section and under startup options, check the box next to "Safe Mode".
  • Then select Network from the radio button options.
  • Click Apply, then restart the computer.

Windows 10 Safe Mode with Networking

Once in Safe Mode, go to Settings> Update & Security and run Windows Update. Install the available updates.

Microsoft recommends that if you install an update while Windows is running in safe mode, reinstall immediately after starting Windows 10 normally. You may have to follow the manual method if the updates are not listed again. Reinstalling will ensure that all bugs that have appeared during Safe Mode are eliminated.

Can you uninstall Windows Updates in Safe Mode?

You can also choose to remove updates, service packs, and patches in the same way. However, you will not experience any problems, unlike installing new updates. The reason you will not receive any errors is that it will record what has changed and apply it at normal computer startup. The same does not happen during the installation of an update as the system will assume that the components are missing.

Download Windows Updates Offline and Install them in Safe Mode

There is another way to install updates in safe mode if you don't have internet access. This is similar to how you update Windows in offline mode. You will need to determine which updates to install, then use the app to download.

If you prefer to download them directly from the Microsoft website, you can search using the KB number for the update and download.

I hope the guide was easy to follow and that you were able to install Windows Updates in Safe Mode.

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