SoftwareDistribution

Bottom Line: You can safely delete the contents of the SoftwareDistribution folder, but only do so if Windows Update is stuck or failing.

What is the SoftwareDistribution folder?

Located at C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution, this folder is used exclusively by the Windows Update service.

Whenever Windows discovers a new update, it downloads the installer-folder)-folder)-folder)-folder)-folder)-folder)-folder)-folder)-folder)-folder)-folder)-folder)-folder)-folder)-folder)-folder)-folder)-folder)-folder)-folder)-folder)-folder)-folder)-folder)-folder) files into this folder before applying them to your system. It also keeps a database history of all the updates you have ever installed. Over time, or if an update fails and gets corrupted, this folder can become massive and cause your PC to endlessly fail future updates.

Can you delete it?

⚠️ Use Caution. It is safe to delete the contents of this folder, but you must temporarily stop Windows Update from running first, otherwise Windows will block you from deleting the files.

You should not delete this folder just to free up space. You should only clear it out if Windows Update is throwing error codes or stuck at “Downloading 0%”.

How to safely delete it

To delete the files, you have to shut down the Windows Update service temporarily:

1. Open the Start Menu, type cmd, right-click Command Prompt, and select Run as administrator.
2. Type net stop wuauserv and press Enter. (This stops Windows Update).
3. Type net stop bits and press Enter.
4. Now, open File Explorer and navigate to C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution.
5. Select everything inside the folder (Ctrl + A) and delete it all. (Do not delete the folder itself, just what is inside it).
6. Go back to the Command Prompt.
7. Type net start wuauserv and press Enter.
8. Type net start bits and press Enter.

What happens after you delete it?

Your Windows Update history will be wiped clean (though the updates themselves remain installed on your PC). The next time you check for updates, Windows will take a few extra minutes to rebuild its database and re-download any pending updates. This almost always fixes “stuck” Windows Updates.