Windows Update Error 0x80246008 — Fix Guide

What Does This Error Mean?

Windows Update error 0x80246008 means Windows cannot complete the update download because the Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) is not working correctly. BITS is the background service that manages all Windows update downloads — it downloads files quietly in the background without slowing down your internet. When BITS stops, crashes, or becomes corrupted, Windows Update cannot download anything and fails with this error.

Affected Models

Windows 10
Windows 11
Windows 8.1
Windows Server

Common Causes

The Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) has stopped running or crashed and did not restart automatically
The BITS queue is corrupted, containing references to files or servers that no longer exist
A third-party application or system cleanup tool has interfered with or deleted BITS job data
Windows system files related to BITS (qmgr.dll, bitsproxy.dll) are damaged or unregistered
Insufficient disk space is preventing BITS from storing temporary download files

How to Fix It

Restart the BITS service. Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run: net stop bits — wait 10 seconds — then net stop wuauserv — then net start bits — then net start wuauserv — then try Windows Update again.

Simply restarting BITS clears its current state and resolves the error in many cases, especially if the service has stopped unexpectedly.
Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter. Go to Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters > Windows Update > Run. The troubleshooter specifically tests and repairs the BITS service.

The built-in troubleshooter is often the fastest path — it automatically detects BITS problems and resets the service to a healthy state.
Check available disk space. Open File Explorer, right-click your C: drive, and choose Properties. Windows Update needs at least a few gigabytes of free space to download updates.

If your drive is nearly full, use Disk Cleanup or go to Settings > System > Storage > Temporary files to free up space before retrying.
Reset the BITS queue. Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run: bitsadmin /reset /allusers

This command wipes the entire BITS download queue, removing any corrupted or stuck jobs. Windows Update will start fresh downloads after this.
Run System File Checker to repair any damaged BITS-related Windows files. Open Command Prompt as Administrator and type: sfc /scannow — then restart when it completes.

SFC replaces any corrupted system files, including the DLLs that BITS depends on. This is a thorough repair that takes 5–15 minutes.

When to Call a Professional

If resetting BITS and running the troubleshooter do not resolve this, a technician can re-register all BITS DLL files manually and check the Windows event log for specific BITS service errors. Persistent BITS failures sometimes indicate deeper system file corruption that requires a DISM repair or in-place Windows upgrade.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is BITS and why does Windows Update need it?

BITS stands for Background Intelligent Transfer Service. It is a Windows service specifically designed to download files quietly in the background without interfering with whatever you are doing. Windows Update uses BITS for all its downloads — that is why updates can happen silently while you work. BITS also handles interruptions gracefully: if your connection drops, it automatically resumes the download when the connection comes back.

Can third-party apps break BITS?

Yes. Some system optimizer tools, disk cleaners, and PC maintenance apps delete or interfere with BITS job files because they look like temporary data. If you recently ran a PC cleanup tool before the error appeared, it may have deleted files BITS was using. The bitsadmin /reset command and the Windows Update Troubleshooter can both repair this.

How much disk space does Windows Update need?

It varies by update size, but a good rule is to keep at least 10 GB free on your C: drive at all times. Major updates like Windows feature updates can require 20 GB or more of temporary space during installation. If your drive is very full, Windows Update will fail with various errors — this is one of the more common ones.