How to Fix Windows 11 Setup Stuck at 46 Percent

To fix Windows 11 Setup stuck at 46 percent while checking for updates, close the stalled desktop installer, reopen your installation media, and select Not right now under Change how Setup downloads updates. This skips the update check so you can continue installation and run Windows Update afterward. Use this approach when Setup is running from an accessible Windows desktop.

The percentage alone does not identify the cause. MSI says an upgrade can take several hours, so keep the power adapter connected and allow installation to continue before treating it as stalled. Do not turn off the computer during installation, and back up your files before repair or reinstallation.

Skip the update check in desktop Setup

For a stalled desktop update check, close Setup, reopen the Windows 11 ISO, and run setup.exe. Select Change how Setup downloads updates, then select Not right now. Continue through the installer, confirming that it will preserve your files and apps before proceeding.

MSI shows these controls for its notebooks using 24H2 media. If your installer presents different controls, use the supported command-line option below. After installation, reconnect if necessary and, on Windows 11, open Settings > Windows Update and select Check for updates.

Disable Dynamic Update from Command Prompt

Windows Setup provides an option to disable Dynamic Update when launched from an existing Windows 10 or later installation. Close the previous Setup session, search for Command Prompt, right-click it, and select Run as administrator. Select Yes when prompted, then switch to the mounted installation-media drive in that window.

Run the following command from the installation-media drive. Complete the interactive installation, then check Windows Update afterward.

setup.exe /auto upgrade /dynamicupdate disable

Microsoft excludes Setup launched from Windows PE from this option. If installation still fails after you skip the downloads, continue with the checks below to investigate the existing Windows installation.

Restart Windows and check the connection

Once Setup has exited, save your work and restart Windows normally before trying again. Microsoft specifically recommends restarting for error 0xC1900107, which indicates pending cleanup from a previous installation attempt. Wait until Setup has exited before restarting.

If you want Setup to download updates, restore a working internet connection before retrying. On Windows 11, open Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi and reconnect, or use working Ethernet. Keep AC power connected during the attempt.

Unplug unnecessary external storage, printers, scanners, and other peripherals before relaunching Setup, and undock a laptop. Leave essential input devices, your display, and required installation media connected. If the update check still stalls, troubleshoot Windows Update itself.

Fix Windows Update before another attempt

On Windows 11, open Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters. Beside Windows Update, select Run and complete the diagnostics. Follow the detailed steps to use the Windows Update troubleshooter if you need help with that process.

Restart when diagnostics finish. On Windows 11, open Settings > Windows Update, select Check for updates, and install available updates. Restart before relaunching Setup. Get Help is the current troubleshooting platform, and Microsoft has deprecated MSDT and the legacy inbox troubleshooters it ran.

For an eligible Windows 10 PC upgrading to Windows 11, you can also try the Windows Update route. On Windows 10, open Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update, then select Check for updates and install pending updates first. When Windows 11 is offered, select Download and install, then Accept and install, and select Restart now when prompted.

Clear the Windows Update download cache

If update failures continue on Windows 11, exit Setup before changing the cache or services. Clearing this cache deletes cached Windows Update downloads. Administrator access may be required.

Press Windows + R, enter services.msc, and press Enter. In Services, right-click Windows Update and select Stop. Leave the window open so you can restart the service afterward.

Open File Explorer and go to C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution. Delete the contents of that folder, then return to Services, right-click Windows Update, and select Start. Retry Setup; if the failure continues, investigate background software next.

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Check for background software conflicts

A clean boot lets you retry Setup with background services and startup apps disabled. As an administrator, search for msconfig and open System Configuration. On Services, select Hide all Microsoft services, then select Disable all and Apply.

Open Startup and select Open Task Manager. Record which entries are enabled on Startup apps, then disable those entries; the steps to stop apps from opening on startup explain that control in more detail. Close Task Manager, select OK in System Configuration, restart, and retry Setup.

After the attempt, restore Normal Startup and re-enable the services and startup entries you disabled. If the clean boot produces a Windows Installer service-access error, open Computer Management > Services and Applications > Services. Right-click Windows Installer, select Start, and retry the affected installation.

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Uninstalling removes the selected application. If the failure identifies an incompatible app or third-party antivirus, on Windows 11, open Settings > Apps > Installed apps, select the app’s More menu, then select Uninstall and follow its removal prompts. Retry the upgrade, then reinstall compatible security software afterward.

Repair damaged Windows files

DISM and System File Checker can repair corruption in a Windows 10 or Windows 11 installation, though they do not target the 46 percent reading itself. Back up your files before beginning repairs. Search for Command Prompt, right-click it, select Run as administrator, and select Yes.

Run DISM first to repair the Windows component store. Wait for it to complete successfully before starting System File Checker.

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth

Next, run the command below to check and repair system files. For more detail on Windows 11, follow the steps to run SFC to repair Windows.

sfc /scannow

Wait for verification to finish before retrying Setup. If installation still fails, use fresh media or inspect the upgrade failure information to choose the next repair.

Retry with fresh installation media

If the previous download or installation media is suspect, get a fresh ISO from the official Windows 11 download page. Choose media matching your computer’s architecture and installed language. The Installation Assistant and Media Creation Tool are for x64 PCs.

Back up first, then open the installation-media drive in File Explorer while signed into Windows and run setup.exe. Select Yes, then select Change what to keep and Keep personal files and apps. Confirm that this choice is available before selecting Next and Install.

If you cannot select Keep personal files and apps, stop before installing and review the options to reinstall Windows and choose what stays. A clean installation removes files, applications, and settings, so back up your files before considering that route. For repeated update-check stalls, use the earlier Dynamic Update option with compatible media.

Use the failure details to choose the next fix

After a failed upgrade, inspect %WinDir%\Logs\SetupDiag\SetupDiagResults.xml for the matched failure information. SetupDiag is included with current Windows Setup. Use its result to narrow the next repair, since the percentage alone does not identify the cause.

If insufficient space is identified on Windows 11, move large personal files to external storage through File Explorer. Alternatively, on Windows 11, open Settings > System > Storage > Cleanup recommendations and review the proposed items. Cleanup removes the files and apps you select, so move personal files you need to external storage first. Select only items you can discard, then select Clean up for each relevant section.

For a driver-related failure on Windows 11, open Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options and turn on Receive updates for other Microsoft products. Open Optional updates, select applicable driver updates, then select Download and install and restart. If no suitable driver is offered, use the hardware manufacturer’s official support site.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Setup skip only driver downloads instead of all updates?

Yes, current Windows 11 media launched from an existing Windows installation supports selective Dynamic Update options. In the earlier Setup command, replace /dynamicupdate disable with /dynamicupdate NoDrivers to omit drivers, /dynamicupdate NoLCU to omit the latest cumulative update, or /dynamicupdate NoDriversNoLCU to omit both. Choose the option matching the suspected download problem; these are diagnostic alternatives, not guaranteed fixes for a 46 percent stall.

Can Windows repair itself while keeping apps and settings?

Yes, on Windows 11 22H2 or later with the February 2024 optional update or later installed, open Settings > System > Recovery. Under Fix problems using Windows Update, select Reinstall now, choose whether to let the PC restart automatically 15 minutes after the installation completes, and select OK. This repair requires internet access and preserves apps, files, and settings; if you did not allow the automatic restart, restart manually when it finishes. If the option is missing on a managed PC, ask IT to review Windows Update policy.

Can I use Windows 11 Installation Assistant instead?

Yes, Installation Assistant is an alternative for compatible x64 PCs running Windows 10 version 2004 or later, with a license and at least 9 GB of download space. It is not supported on Arm PCs. On the official Windows 11 download page linked above, under Windows 11 Installation Assistant, select Download Now and run it as administrator. Select Accept and Install, then select Restart Now when ready.

How can I check whether a Windows 10 PC is eligible for Windows 11?

Search for PC Health Check, open it, and select Check now. Address any reported eligibility issue using your computer manufacturer’s instructions, since firmware controls vary by model.