When trying to install updates from Windows Update you might receive "Updates Failed. There were problems installing some updates, but we'll try again later" with Errors: 0x80073701, 0x800f0988

Symptom

When trying to install updates from Windows Update you might receive "Updates Failed, There were problems installing some updates, but we'll try again later" with one of the following errors:

• 0x80073701

• 0x800f0988

Workaround

First, you should try checking for updates again.  If you need help, see Update Windows 10.

If you receive the same message and error on subsequent retries, try this workaround to mitigate the issue:

1. Select the start button and type cmd

2. Right click or long press on Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.

3. If you receive a User Access Control (UAC) dialog for Windows Command Processor stating, "Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device?", select Yes.

4. Type or copy and paste the following command into the Command Prompt window:
   dism /online /cleanup-image /startcomponentcleanup

5. Wait for the command to complete.

6. Restart your device.

7. Try checking for updates again.

If you are still having issues, see Get help with Windows 10 upgrade and installation errors.