Windows Update button has disappeared – Fix problem

The search button for Windows update can be found in the Settings menu of our computer. From there, it is in charge of notifying us every time there is a new update available, to download and install it, so that we can always have our PC updated.

The importance of Windows updates

Windows Update is a Microsoft operating system tool that is responsible for managing and controlling updates for the system and its components. To do this, it will give priority to important or security updates, later it will carry out those that serve to make improvements or fixes that may contain Windows and, finally, it takes care of minor and optional updates, which will only be executed if we start them.

Therefore, if the Windows Update button disappears, we will not be able to access the updates, which allows the system to maintain vulnerabilities in the face of possible viruses and spyware. In the same way, we could not solve possible bugs or system errors that require revision and updating of the software.

To avoid possible problems with our computer, we are going to show you how we can solve the absence of the Windpows Update button, as well as access the system updates, even if it is not available.

What to do if the Windows Update button has disappeared

In the event that we access the Update and Security section within the Settings menu and we cannot find the Windows Update button, we can try to solve it by performing the following actions.

Run the Troubleshooter

The problem of the disappearance of the check for updates button may be due to a temporary failure of our operating system. Therefore, we can try to run the Windows Update Troubleshooter, which has been designed to solve minor system problems.

To do this, we will access the Settings menu, by pressing the keyboard shortcut “Windows + I”, and access the “Update and security” section. In the next window, in the left column we select the option “Troubleshoot”. On the right side, click on “Additional troubleshooters”.

Now in the new window, in the first section, In operation, we select “Windows Update”. In this way, it will try to solve the problems that prevent the update of Windows. Once finished, we reboot and check if the check for updates button reappears.

Use Local Group Policy Editor

Another option to solve the problem is to use the Local Group Policy Editor. From here we have two possible solutions. On the one hand, we have to disable the visibility of the configuration page or disable the unconfigured Windows updates.

To access the editor we have to use the keyboard shortcut “Windows + R” to launch the command “Run”. Later we write “Gpedit.msc” and press Enter.

Disable the Visibility of the settings page

Next, we select the «Computer Configuration», we display the «Administrative Templates» menu and we access the «Control Panel» folder. Now we right-click on the entry “Configuration page visibility” and click on “Edit”.

Later, in the new window we will mark the option “Disabled”, even if it is found as “Not configured”. Finally, click on «Apply» and «OK» to complete the changes.

Disable unconfigured Windows updates

Once we have completed the previous step we must make another change. We go to the “User Configuration” and click on “Administrative Templates” and access the “Control Panel” folder. Now we right-click on the entry «Show only specified control panel elements», to be able to enter its properties.

Once the Properties screen appears, we will mark the “Deactivated” box, even if it is as “Not configured”. Click on “Apply” and “OK” to complete the changes.

Once the two operations have been carried out, we exit the editor, restart the device and check if the problem has been solved.

Modify the Windows 10 Registry

Making a small modification to the Windows Registry can help us to solve the problem of the disappearance of the check for updates button. Of course, it is a very powerful tool, so any erroneous modification can cause system maintenance problems. That is why we must use it with great care.

To access the Registry we are going to press the keyboard shortcut “Windows + R” and thereby launch the “Run” dialog box. Here we write “regedit” and press Enter. Once inside, let’s navigate to the following location:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE / SOFTWARE / Microsoft / Windows / CurrentVersion / Policies / Explorer

We look at the right panel and look for the entry SettingsPageVisibility and we delete it. To do this we press it and press the key DELETE of our keyboard.

Once this is done we should be able to manually check for updates in Windows 10.

Use Command Prompt

Another option that we can use is to use the Symbol, from where we can solve the problem by resetting the components. It will also help us to open Windows Update directly as if it were a direct access.

To access we must type “command prompt” in the search bar of the Start menu. Once it appears, we must select the option “Run as Administrator”.

Reset components

Once we have entered the command prompt, we must execute the following commands:

net stop wuauserv
net stop cryptSvc
net stop bits
net stop msiserver
Ren C: Windows SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
Ren C: Windows System32 catroot2 Catroot2.old
net start wuauserv
net start cryptSvc
net start bits
net start msiserver

After these actions, we close the command prompt and check if the Windows updates work again.

Open Windows Update

In the event that we are missing the Windows Update button, it will prevent us from looking for updates, so we can choose to use the command prompt to open it. For this we just have to execute the following command:

powershell.exe -command "(New-Object -ComObject Microsoft.Update.AutoUpdate) .DetectNow ()"

If this works, Windows Udapte should start immediately.

Update the system with Media Creation Tool

One of the actions that this tool provides us is the possibility of updating our equipment. If we proceed to perform a Windows update instead of restoring it, the system will update to the latest version keeping all our files and applications intact. With this, the Windows Update problem should be solved. For this we must download the tool Media Creation Tool, since this link.

Once downloaded we open it and click on Update this equipment now and we click Next.

Next, we select Download and install updates (recommended) and click Next. We follow the instructions that appear until we reach the screen of Ready to install. Here we click on Change what you want to keep. We must make sure that we select the option of Keep files and personal apps and we click Next.

Finally, we follow the instructions that appear on the screen until we complete the update process.