Windows Update Error 0x80072EFE — Connection Terminated Fix

What Does This Error Mean?

Windows Update error 0x80072EFE means the connection to the Windows Update servers was abruptly terminated before the download or communication could complete. This is a network error — Windows was in the middle of talking to Microsoft's servers and the connection dropped. It is usually caused by an unstable internet connection, a firewall or proxy blocking the connection, or network services that are not configured correctly.

Affected Models

Windows 10
Windows 11
Windows 8.1

Common Causes

The internet connection dropped or became unstable during the Windows Update download
A firewall, router, or ISP is blocking the ports or URLs that Windows Update uses
A proxy server is configured incorrectly or is interrupting the Windows Update connection
The Windows Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) is not running correctly
VPN software is routing Windows Update traffic through a path that is blocked or unstable

How to Fix It

Test your internet connection stability. Open a browser and visit a few websites. Try downloading a large file to see if the connection is stable. If your connection is dropping, fix it before troubleshooting Windows Update.

Windows Update downloads can be hundreds of megabytes to several gigabytes. Even a briefly unstable connection will cause this error.
Reset Internet Explorer / Windows network settings used by update. Open Command Prompt as Administrator and type: netsh winsock reset — then: netsh int ip reset — restart your PC.

Windows Update uses the same network stack as Internet Explorer for its connections. Resetting the network stack often resolves mysterious connection termination errors.
Disable any VPN or proxy software temporarily. If you are using a VPN or your network uses a proxy server, disable it and retry Windows Update. Many VPN configurations block Windows Update traffic.

After Windows Update completes, you can re-enable the VPN.
Restart the BITS service. Open Command Prompt as Administrator: net stop bits — net start bits — then retry Windows Update.

BITS (Background Intelligent Transfer Service) manages Windows Update downloads. If it crashed or got stuck, restarting it often fixes connection errors.
Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter. Go to Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters and click Run next to Windows Update. Restart after it completes.

The troubleshooter checks network services and connections used by Windows Update and can automatically repair common issues.

When to Call a Professional

If the error persists despite a stable connection and no obvious network restrictions, consult your network administrator (for business environments) or internet service provider. Some ISPs throttle or block Windows Update traffic during peak hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does connection terminated mean for Windows Update?

When Windows Update downloads updates or checks for new ones, it opens a network connection to Microsoft's servers. If that connection is cut — by a flaky Wi-Fi signal, a firewall rule, or a router that times out the session — Windows receives an abrupt disconnection. The result is this error code. The download cannot resume from where it left off in most cases, so the entire process must restart.

Could my router be causing this?

Yes. Some consumer routers have session timeout settings that close long-running connections after a set period. Large Windows Update downloads can take long enough to hit this timeout. Try connecting your PC directly to the modem with an Ethernet cable to bypass the router temporarily. If updates work that way, your router's timeout settings may need adjusting.

How do I check if a firewall is blocking Windows Update?

Temporarily disable your third-party firewall (not Windows Defender Firewall) and retry the update. If the update succeeds, the firewall is blocking the connection. Windows Update uses HTTPS (port 443) and HTTP (port 80) to connect to windowsupdate.microsoft.com and related domains. Add those domains and ports to your firewall's allow list.