What wuauclt.exe is
wuauclt.exe is the Windows Update Automatic Updates client. For many years administrators used it from the command line to make a computer check for updates or report its status to a WSUS (Windows Server Update Services) server. It is generally described as a legacy tool, and on current versions of Windows its commands are widely reported as unreliable or not doing anything visible.
Commonly listed switches
These are the switches most often documented for older Windows versions:
| Switch | What it was used for |
|---|---|
/detectnow |
Start a check for available updates |
/reportnow (or /r) |
Send queued status information to the WSUS server |
/resetauthorization (or /a) |
Reset the client’s WSUS authorization and targeting information |
/updatenow |
Start detection and download of updates |
/showwindowsupdate |
Open the Windows Update interface |
A frequently quoted combination for managed machines is:
wuauclt.exe /resetauthorization /detectnowSources differ on exact behavior across Windows versions, so treat this list as a guide rather than a guarantee.
Does wuauclt still work on Windows 10 and 11
On Windows 10 and 11 (and recent Windows Server versions), Microsoft moved update scanning to a different component. In practice many people find that running wuauclt /detectnow appears to do nothing, even though the command returns no error. Reports point to Windows 10 version 1903 as the point where it stopped working. If you are on an up-to-date version of Windows, it is better to use the methods below.
Modern alternatives
- Settings. Open Settings, go to Windows Update, and select Check for updates. This is the simplest and most reliable method for home users.
- usoclient. The Update Session Orchestrator client has switches such as
StartScan,StartDownloadandStartInstall. Commonly cited sources describeStartScanas the closest equivalent to/detectnow, but it is not formally documented by Microsoft for general use, and its behavior may change, so use it with care. - PowerShell. The community PSWindowsUpdate module can search for and install updates from the command line. It is a third-party module, so review it and install it only from a source you trust.
- Group Policy or management tools. In business environments, update behavior is usually controlled through policy, WSUS, or tools such as Intune and Configuration Manager.
When Windows Update is stuck
Before reaching for commands, try the basic steps:
- Restart the computer and check for updates again.
- Make sure there is enough free disk space and that the date and time are correct.
- Confirm the internet connection works (a Wi-Fi network can show as connected with no internet behind it).
- Run the Windows Update troubleshooter from Settings under troubleshooters.
- If it still fails, note the error code and search for it, or ask for help.
For a more general process, follow the computer troubleshooting guide. If it stays stuck, see what to do when you can’t solve an IT problem.
Use in managed environments
On a computer that gets updates from WSUS, the reporting and authorization switches were historically used to make a machine reappear in the console or refresh its group membership. On modern systems, check your organization’s documentation and your administrator before changing update settings. If you need to run commands on many machines, the remote restart command guide covers related tasks such as rebooting after updates.