{"id":80555,"date":"2026-03-24T15:10:54","date_gmt":"2026-03-24T09:40:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/?p=80555"},"modified":"2026-03-24T15:26:52","modified_gmt":"2026-03-24T09:56:52","slug":"clear-windows-update-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/clear-windows-update-history\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Clear Windows Update History"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>This post explains how to clear the Windows Update history on Windows 10 and 11.<\/p>\n<p>The Windows Update client keeps track of installed and failed updates. The updates include Feature updates, monthly Cumulative Updates (Quality Updates), driver updates, Microsoft Defender Antivirus definitions, Windows Security Platform updates, and other non-security updates. There is no GUI option to clear the update history.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-80559\" src=\"https:\/\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/clear-update-history-1.png\" alt=\"clear the entire windows update history\" width=\"702\" height=\"644\" \/><\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<h2>Clear the Windows Update History<\/h2>\n<p>The update history is stored in the following SQLite database files:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>C:\\Windows\\SoftwareDistribution\\DataStore\\DataStore.edb<\/li>\n<li>C:\\ProgramData\\USOPrivate\\UpdateStore\\store.db<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>(The successful update entries are stored in the Store.db database file. The failed update attempts are stored in the DataStore.edb database file.)<\/p>\n<h3>Option 1: Clear the Windows Update History (all entries)<\/h3>\n<p>To clear the entire Windows Update history, open <a href=\"https:\/\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/open-elevated-command-prompt-windows\/\">Command Prompt (admin)<\/a> and run these commands:<\/p>\n<pre class=\"cmd\">net stop wuauserv\r\n\r\nnet stop usosvc\r\n\r\ndel \/a C:\\windows\\SoftwareDistribution\\DataStore\\DataStore.edb\r\n\r\ndel \/a C:\\ProgramData\\USOPrivate\\UpdateStore\\store.db\r\n<\/pre>\n<p>Open Settings \u2192 Update &amp; Security \u2192 Windows Update \u2192 View update history.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-80557\" src=\"https:\/\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/clear-update-history-2.png\" alt=\"clear windows update history\" width=\"700\" height=\"410\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The page should now be empty.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Option 2: Clear failed entries from the Windows Update history<\/h3>\n<p>To clear the failed updates from the Windows Update history, open <a href=\"https:\/\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/open-elevated-command-prompt-windows\/\">Command Prompt (admin)<\/a> and run these commands:<\/p>\n<pre class=\"cmd\">net stop wuauserv\r\n\r\nnet stop usosvc\r\n\r\ndel \/a C:\\windows\\SoftwareDistribution\\DataStore\\DataStore.edb\r\n<\/pre>\n<p>Open Settings \u2192 Update &amp; Security \u2192 Windows Update \u2192 View update history.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-80558\" src=\"https:\/\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/clear-update-history-3.png\" alt=\"clear failed entries from windows update history\" width=\"701\" height=\"702\" \/><\/p>\n<p>As seen from the above screenshot, the &#8220;<strong>Failed to install<\/strong>&#8221; entries are gone. The &#8220;<strong>Successfully installed<\/strong>&#8221; entries will be intact.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This post explains how to clear the Windows Update history on Windows 10 and 11. The Windows Update client keeps track of installed and failed updates. The updates include Feature updates, monthly Cumulative Updates (Quality Updates), driver updates, Microsoft Defender Antivirus definitions, Windows Security Platform updates, and other non-security updates. There is no GUI option &#8230; <a title=\"How to Clear Windows Update History\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/clear-windows-update-history\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about How to Clear Windows Update History\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,869],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-80555","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-windows-10","category-windows-11"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":174,"url":"https:\/\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/how-to-print-the-windows-update-history\/","url_meta":{"origin":80555,"position":0},"title":"How to Print Your Windows Update History By Exporting to Text or HTML File?","author":"Ramesh","date":"April 11, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Every time you install an update or system installs it automatically, the Windows Update history is updated with the KB number. You can check the Windows Update history, but the GUI provides no option to print the list of updates installed from the Windows Update history screen. Here a couple\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Utilities&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Utilities","link":"https:\/\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/category\/utilities\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"print windows update list to a file","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/04\/get-hotfix-powershell-output.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/04\/get-hotfix-powershell-output.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/04\/get-hotfix-powershell-output.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/04\/get-hotfix-powershell-output.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8466,"url":"https:\/\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/how-to-check-if-a-windows-update-kb-is-installed\/","url_meta":{"origin":80555,"position":1},"title":"How to Check if a Windows Update (KB) is Installed on your Computer?","author":"Ramesh","date":"April 3, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"The Windows Update channel delivers all necessary updates suitable for your system. Most of the time, manual intervention is not required for installing updates. In some cases, especially during manual installation of an update using standalone installer, you may need to first check if a specific update (a prerequisite update)\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Windows&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Windows","link":"https:\/\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/category\/microsoft\/windows\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"WinUpdatesView - Windows Updates History Viewer","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/winupdatesview.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/winupdatesview.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/winupdatesview.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5156,"url":"https:\/\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/disk-cleanup-3-99-tb-bug-windows-update-cleanup\/","url_meta":{"origin":80555,"position":2},"title":"Disk Cleanup Bug : 3.99 TB Used by Windows Updates [Fixed]","author":"Ramesh","date":"January 15, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"After installing a Cumulative Update, when you run Disk Cleanup (cleanmgr.exe) as administrator to cleanup system files, it may incorrectly show 3.99 TB as being occupied by older versions of Windows Updates. This incorrect reporting happens because Disk Cleanup miscalculates the size of WinSxs folder, not taking the hard links\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Windows 10&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Windows 10","link":"https:\/\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/category\/microsoft\/windows\/windows-10\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"kb3194798 3.99 tb disk cleanup","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/wu-cleanup-399tb-1.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":46632,"url":"https:\/\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/wu-shows-updates-earlier-version\/","url_meta":{"origin":80555,"position":3},"title":"Windows Update Shows Old Updates","author":"Ramesh","date":"May 17, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"After installing the latest Feature Update, the Windows Update may still show updates that apply to the previous Windows version. For example, after updating to Windows 11 to 22H2 from 21H2, the Windows Update page in Settings lists the updates applicable for Version 21H2. However, the wushowhide.diagcab tool doesn't list\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Windows 10&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Windows 10","link":"https:\/\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/category\/microsoft\/windows\/windows-10\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":10554,"url":"https:\/\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/windows-10-cumulative-updates-install-twice\/","url_meta":{"origin":80555,"position":4},"title":"Why does a Windows 10 Cumulative Update Install Twice?","author":"Ramesh","date":"August 1, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"You may have installed the latest Windows 10 Cumulative Update via Windows Update or by downloading the .msu package via MU Catalog. After some days, Windows Update may offer you the same update, download, and install it again. You may be wondering why does Windows 10 offer the same update\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Windows 10&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Windows 10","link":"https:\/\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/category\/microsoft\/windows\/windows-10\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"cumulative update installs twice in windows 10","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/wu-install-twice-cu.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/wu-install-twice-cu.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/wu-install-twice-cu.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/wu-install-twice-cu.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5759,"url":"https:\/\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/slipstream-windows-10-integrate-updates-setup-media-iso\/","url_meta":{"origin":80555,"position":5},"title":"Slipstream Windows 10\/11: Integrate Updates into ISO\/WIM","author":"Ramesh","date":"November 3, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Situations such as system file corruption and unexplained or erratic system behavior require you to repair or reinstall your Windows installation by running Setup.exe from a mounted Windows ISO or DVD\/USB flash drive. However, it's always possible that the current Windows installation's build or the Service Pack level is higher\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Windows 10&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Windows 10","link":"https:\/\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/category\/microsoft\/windows\/windows-10\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"slipstream windows 10 - ntlite","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/slipstream-ntlite-5.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/slipstream-ntlite-5.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/slipstream-ntlite-5.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/slipstream-ntlite-5.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80555","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=80555"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80555\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=80555"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=80555"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=80555"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}