Fix: This Update is not Applicable to your Computer

Updates are an integral part of the Windows system; without these updates, your PC will not perform up to its potential.

A lot of users are reporting that when they try to install an update, they get an error message that reads “This update is not applicable to your computer”. This error message suggests that either your system is missing a prerequisite update or your PC is incompatible with the new update.

What causes the “This update is not applicable to your computer” error message

Before we go into details on how these issues could be fixed, we need to determine the possible causes. Here are the most frequent scenarios.

Not to worry, the methods below will allow you to find and fix the cause of this issue.

Method 1: Check whether the windows update package matches your windows version

The first thing that you could do is try to check that the update is compatible with your windows and also with your processor architecture. You can go to the Microsoft Update Catalog by clicking here and then using the search on the website to search for the name of the update that you are trying to install, if it is compatible with your windows then you could follow the steps below to see if you have a compatible processor architecture to install that version of update.

1. Open the start menu and type This PC and press Enter.

   

2. Now right click anywhere and click Properties.

   

3. Once in the properties, you could see the architecture of your processor and your windows next to the System type If it is 64-bit and x64 then the update’s catalog must also show 64-bit or else the update is not for your system and can’t be installed.

   

Method 2: Match your update with the Update history

If the update you are trying to install is compatible with your processor, then the next thing to do is to check whether if it is already installed on your PC. Sometimes the update that you are trying to install is already installed into your windows, you can check this out by going into the window update history and match the update code with the installed updates.

1. Open the start menu by clicking on the start button and then open the control panel by typing Control Panel.

   

2. Once in the control panel, click on Programs.
3. Now click on View installed updates under the Program and Features menu to open the installed updates folder.

   

4. Here you will need to match the code of each update with the update that you are trying to install to see if it isn’t already installed on your computer. If it isn’t installed, then proceed to the next solution.

Method 3: Run the update troubleshooter

If there is a problem with the window’s updater, then you could use the windows troubleshooter to diagnose and fix the problem.

1. Open the start menu and type Troubleshoot, and press Enter.

   

2. The Troubleshoot windows will appear, Click the Windows Update under the Troubleshoot menu and then click on Run the troubleshooter to start the process.

   

3. Now the process will start and it will take a while to diagnose the problems with the windows updater, you need to wait till it finishes.
4. If it finds any errors, then it will ask to fix them. Click on Apply repairs automatically to fix any errors.

Method 4: Installing the most recent KB update

If your system doesn’t have the most recent KB update installed, then you might consider installing it using the windows catalog.

1. Open this webpage which includes a list of the most recent windows 10 updates.
2. Now on the page try to find the most recent Windows 10 KB update, the top on the left panel is usually the most recent one. Note down its number.
3. Now open the Microsoft update catalog website by clicking here and then write the KB number into the search box, after that download and install the update.

Method 5: Run DISM and SFC scan through the command prompt

The DISM and SFC tools can scan the integrity of system files and the registry files. Any error in these files could cause a windows update issue, so fixing the registry could potentially fix update errors.

1. Open the Start Menu and type CMD and press Shift + Ctrl + Enter to open the command prompt with administrative privileges, click Yes if prompted by UAC.
   
2. Now once the command prompt is open, type DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:C:\RepairSource\Windows /LimitAccess and press Enter.

   

3. After the DISM is done you will need to start the SFC scan by typing sfc /scannow in the command prompt.

   

4. After the SFC scan, restart windows and try to install your update again.

Method 6: Change the system locale to English

Some users reported fixing the error by changing the system locale to English. Here are the steps to get this done.

1. Open the Start menu and type control panel. Now click on the Control Panel to open it.

   

2. Once in the control panel, open the Region.
3. In the Region dialog box under the Formats tab, set the format to English (United States).

   

4. Now click on the Administrative tab and click on the Change system locale button and set the system locale to English (United States). Now try installing your update.

   

Method 7: Use system restore to go back to a previous version

If you can’t solve the issue with the previous methods, then try the system restore and try to install your update. Here’s how to do it.

1. Open the start menu by clicking on the start button, and then type Restore in the search and click on the Create a restore point.

   

2. Now under the System Protection tab, click on the System Restore.  This will start the system restore process, click Next.

   

3. Next, select a restore point from the list, try the most recent one and click Next.

   

4. Now after the restore is complete, try to update your PC.

Method 8: Upgrade windows through the Media Creation Tool

The last thing to try is the Windows Media Creation Tool. It is a tool by Microsoft, that allows you to either install a fresh copy of windows or upgrade it.

1. Download the Media Creation Tool by clicking here and then run it as administrator by double-clicking on it.
2. Now select Upgrade this PC now.
3. Setup will take a while and download the needed upgrades.
4. Once the setup is ready you will see Ready to install screen, Select Keep personal files or else your files will be deleted, now click Next.
5. The Setup will start installing the upgrades. You won’t need to install your update because the upgrade will do that and install the latest updates for you.