Windows Update Error 0x80244023 — Fix Guide

What Does This Error Mean?

Windows Update error 0x80244023 is an HTTP error that occurs when Windows cannot get a valid response from the Windows Update servers. This code maps to an unexpected HTTP response — the server replied but not in the way Windows Update expected. It is usually caused by a network proxy misconfiguration, a corporate update server (WSUS) problem, or a temporary issue on Microsoft's servers.

Affected Models

Windows 10
Windows 11
Windows Server 2019
Windows Server 2022

Common Causes

A corporate WSUS server is returning an unexpected HTTP response code that Windows Update cannot process
A network proxy or firewall is intercepting the Windows Update connection and returning its own error page
Microsoft's Windows Update servers are temporarily experiencing issues or undergoing maintenance
The Windows Update client is pointed at an invalid or unreachable update server address in the registry
SSL certificate validation is failing because of a date/time mismatch on your computer

How to Fix It

Check that your computer's date and time are correct. An incorrect date causes SSL certificate validation to fail, which breaks update server connections. Right-click the clock in the taskbar and choose 'Adjust date/time.'

Make sure your time zone is set correctly, not just the time. Enable 'Set time automatically' for ongoing accuracy.
Reset your Windows proxy settings. Open Command Prompt as Administrator and type: netsh winhttp reset proxy — then restart your computer.

An incorrect proxy setting sends your update requests to the wrong place, causing the server to return an unexpected response.
Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter. Go to Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other Troubleshooters > Windows Update and click Run.

This can detect if Windows Update is pointed at a WSUS server that is unreachable and reset it to use Microsoft's servers directly.
If your computer was on a corporate network and is now at home, Windows may still be trying to reach the company WSUS server. Open Registry Editor (regedit), navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate, and check the WUServer and WUStatusServer values.

If these values exist and contain a corporate server address, either delete them or ask your IT team to reconfigure the machine for home use.
Temporarily disable any VPN connection and try Windows Update again. VPNs can route traffic through servers that intercept HTTPS connections and cause unexpected HTTP responses.

If the update succeeds with the VPN off, configure your VPN's split-tunnel settings to exclude Windows Update traffic.

When to Call a Professional

On a corporate network, this error almost always points to a WSUS configuration problem that your IT team must fix. Do not change Group Policy or registry settings on a work computer without IT approval. On a home computer, if all troubleshooting steps fail, contact Microsoft Support — they can check if there is a server-side issue affecting your account.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a WSUS server?

WSUS (Windows Server Update Services) is software that companies install on their own servers to manage Windows updates across all company computers. Instead of each computer downloading updates from Microsoft, they all get updates from the company's WSUS server. If that server is down, misconfigured, or unreachable, every computer using it gets update errors.

Could this error be caused by Microsoft's servers, not my computer?

Yes. Microsoft's update servers occasionally have outages or scheduled maintenance. If the error just appeared today and your settings have not changed, check the Microsoft Service Health Dashboard at status.azure.com for any reported issues. In most cases, waiting a few hours and trying again resolves server-side issues.

What does HTTP mean in this context?

HTTP (and its secure version HTTPS) is the language computers use to communicate over the internet. Windows Update talks to Microsoft's servers using HTTPS. When the server replies with an unexpected code — like a redirect page or an error page — Windows Update does not know how to handle it and reports this error.