If the November Windows update fails to install on your PC, here’s what to do

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• The November Windows update may fail to install on some PCs.
• People who installed the preview update seem to be affected.
• Microsoft is rolling out a fix to address the problem.

Ah, Microsoft. Another Windows update, another glitch. This latest one affects some Windows 11 users who attempt to install this week’s November Patch Tuesday update, only for it to fail. But don’t worry, there’s already a fix in play.

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On its support page to the November update designated KB5132061, Microsoft revealed and explained this latest problem.

Windows users who installed the November preview update released on October 28 may run into a glitch when trying to install the actual November update released on November 10. In this case, the installation may fail to complete. Your PC might repeatedly try to install the update or you may simply see an error code such as 0x80070306, 0x800f0989, or 0x800f0993.

I can confirm the problem. I installed the preview update on one of my Windows 11 virtual machines. Trying to then install the actual November update triggered the installation error.

If you’re in the same boat, what can you do to fix this dilemma? Just be patient.

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Microsoft promises that all affected PCs should receive repairs within 24 to 48 hours starting from November 11, 1pm ET. For this, make sure your PC is connected to the internet and is set up to receive updates via Windows Update. Head to Settings and select Windows Update. You may already find the November update known as 2026-11 Security Update (KB5132061) (26300.9974) available again. If so, select it to install it, and the process should work now.

Why would a problem like this occur?

Here’s how the update process works.

Microsoft typically releases each monthly Windows update in two phases.

First, there’s an optional preview update that kicks off around the end of the previous month. This one is considered a non-security update because it contains only feature changes. In this case, the preview update for November was released on October 28. Labeled KB5127936, this one unveiled the new customizable right-click menu, Cloud rebuild option, and other feature changes.

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Second, there’s the actual mandatory Patch Tuesday update that contains both security patches and the non-security changes. Here, the November KB5132061 update was rolled out on November 10.

The preview updates are designed for IT administrators, software testers, and others who want an early look. That means they aren’t always fully baked and may contain a few bugs. But since they pop up in Windows Update, anyone can install them.

The actual Patch Tuesday updates are for all Windows users. In this case, there seemed to be an incompatibility or other conflict between the two updates that Microsoft then had to resolve.

Lance Whitney is a technology journalist with an IT background. He's written for TechRepublic, PCMag, Macworld, and Time, among others, He also teaches classes in AI, cybersecurity, and social media. See full bio