5 Fixes for “Not All of the Updates Were Successfully Uninstalled” Error on Windows

Quick Tips

• If you are having trouble removing the Windows update via the Settings app, try using the DISM tool.
• Resetting Windows update components can also resolve issues causing this error.
• If nothing helps, consider booting your PC into safe mode and then attempting to uninstall the update again.

Fix 1: Use the DISM Tool to Remove the Update

Deployment Image Servicing and Management (or DISM) is a useful tool for fixing corrupt system files on your PC. Additionally, you can also use this tool to uninstall stubborn Windows updates that won’t go away. Here’s how.

Step 1: Right-click the Start icon and select Terminal (Admin) from the Power User menu.

Step 2: Type the following command and press Enter:

DISM /Online /Get-Packages | clip

Step 3: The output of the command will be copied to your clipboard. Press the Windows + S keyboard shortcut to open the search menu, type in Notepad, and press Enter.

Step 4: Press the Ctrl + V keyboard shortcut to paste the output of the DISM command. Then, locate the update you want to remove and copy the value next to Package Identity.

Step 5: Return to the Command Prompt window, paste the following command, and press Enter.

dism /Online /Remove-Package /PackageName:Package_ID

Replace Package_ID in the above command with the value copied in the last step.

Fix 2: Use Command Prompt or PowerShell to Uninstall the Update

Another thing you can do is use Command Prompt or PowerShell to remove the problematic update that won’t get uninstalled.

Step 1: Click the search icon on the taskbar, type in cmd or PowerShell, and select Run as administrator.

Step 2: In the console, paste the following command and press Enter to view the Windows update history:

wmic qfe list brief /format:table

Step 3: Note down the KB number under HotfixID of the Windows update you’d like to uninstall.

Step 4: Run the following command to remove the Windows update:

wusa /uninstall /kb:number

Replace number in the above command with the KB number noted in the previous step.

Step 5: Hit Yes to proceed when the confirmation prompt appears.

Fix 3: Modify Registry Files

Incorrectly configured registry entries can also prevent you from uninstalling updates on your Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC, triggering such errors. Therefore, it’s advisable to review the relevant registry entries and make necessary changes if needed.

Step 1: Press the Windows + R keyboard shortcut to open the Run dialog box. Type regedit in the box and press Enter.

Step 2: Paste the following path in the address bar at the top and press Enter.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print

Step 3: Locate the RPCAuthnLevelPrivacyEnabled entry in the right pane. If you can’t find it, right-click on the Print key, go to New, and select DWORD (32-bit) Value from the submenu. Name it RPCAuthnLevelPrivacyEnabled.

Step 4: Double-click the newly created DWORD, enter 0 in the Value data field, and hit OK.

Restart your PC after this and try uninstalling Windows updates one more time.

Fix 4: Reset Windows Update Components

Problems with the Windows update components can result in errors while installing or removing updates. If that’s the case, resetting the Windows update components should help fix the problem.

Step 1: Click the search icon on the taskbar, type in windows powershell, and select Run as Administrator.

Step 2: Run the following commands one by one and press Enter after each command:

net stop wuauserv
net stop cryptSvc
net stop bits
net stop msiserver
ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 catroot2.old
net start wuauserv
net start cryptSvc
net start bits
net start msiserver

After resetting the Windows update components, you should be able to uninstall updates without any issues.

Fix 5: Try Clean Boot

If the above tips don’t work, a third-party app or program on your PC may be disrupting Windows processes and causing problems. To avoid any interference, you can try uninstalling Windows updates in a clean boot state.

Step 1: Press the Windows + R keyboard shortcut to open the Run dialog. Type msconfig in the box and press Enter.

Step 2: Under the Services tab, tick the Hide all Microsoft services checkbox and click the Disable all button.

Step 3: Switch to the Startup tab and click on Open Task Manager.

Step 4: In the Startup tab, select a third-party app or program and click the Disable option at the top. Repeat this step to disable all third-party apps and programs.

Restart your PC to enter a clean boot state and try to uninstall Windows updates again.