How to Fix Error Code 0x80072f8f Windows 11/10?

Summary: The easiest way to Fix Error Code 0x80072f8f Windows 11/10 is to turn off Windows Defender, finish the update, and then turn Defender back on. While fixing error code 0x80072f8f on Windows 11 the probability of losing data is quite high. Use purpose-built tools like Stellar Data Recovery Software to regain access to data that you may have lost.

As Windows user TenebraVos wrote on the Microsoft community forum:

“After I successfully installed a Windows 11 Update, I got the message ‘We couldn’t connect to the update service, we’ll try again later. To fix this, I tried updating the .NET framework, but got the error code 0x80072f8f on Windows 11”.

This article will help you fix this very error, the 0x80072f8f on Windows 11 (and below).

And now, without any further ado, let us get right into learning how to fix the 0x80072f8f error code on Windows 11.

Table of Content:

• What Causes Error Code 0x80072f8f on Windows 11?
• Common Fixes To Error Code 0x80072f8f on Windows 11?
• Recover Data Lost During The Fixes To Error Code 0x80072f8f Windows 10/11

What Causes Error Code 0x80072f8f on Windows 11?

Here is what causes the Error Code 0x80072f8f on Windows 11:

Cause Of Error 0x80072f8f on Windows 11	Difficulty Of Fix	Potential For Data Loss
Incorrect Date And/ Or Time And/ Or Time Zone Settings	Very Easy	Low Possibility For Critical Data Loss
Damaged And/ Or Corrupted And/ Or Missing System Files	Medium	High Possibility For Critical Data Loss
Restrictive And/ Or Nonconforming Firewall And/ Or Antivirus Settings	Medium	Medium Possibility For Critical Data Loss
The Nature Of Any Proxies Set Up By The User And/ Or System Administrator	Medium	Medium Possibility For Critical Data Loss

And here is when you are vulnerable to the Error Code 0x80072f8f on Windows 11:

– During Windows Updates. People who are on insider versions or developer versions of Windows are far more likely to fall victim to Error Code 0x80072f8f on Windows 11. PS, you can opt out of the insider program at this official Microsoft link.

– While Upgrading Your Windows Version: Again, early adopters of Windows, such as those on the insider or developer tracks are more susceptible to Error Code 0x80072f8f on Windows 11.

– Activating Your Windows Build: People who either install windows on another operating system (such as on a Mac), have also reported getting Error Code 0x80072f8f on Windows 11.

-Using The Microsoft Store: Another common time when people face Error Code 0x80072f8f on Windows 11 is when downloading something from the Microsoft store.

– Using The Media Creation Tool: The last commonly-reported time when users get the Error Code 0x80072f8f on Windows 11 is when attempting to create an installation media for Windows 11, 10, or lower.

Before You Begin: Do This

Before jumping straight into the technical fixes, try these steps: they may save you a lot of hassle.

– Fix Your Date And Time: Settings > Date & Time > Set Time Zone Automatically. If you are in another country, try setting the time zone to where you purchased the device.

– Run Anti-malware Programs: Settings > Virus And Threat Protection > Scan Options > Offline Scan

– Roll Back Versions: Settings > System Restore > Choose A Restore Point > Next > Follow On-Screen Instructions > Finish. Now, retry the update.

If these fixes do not make the error code message go away, then the problem may be a bit more serious than anticipated.

But worry not, for we have some more fixes you can try.

Common Fixes To Error Code 0x80072f8f on Windows 11?

Warning: All the fixes listed below have a high probability of resulting in data loss. That is why you should back up any important data before beginning.

1. Run “Update Additional” Troubleshooters

a. Navigate to Settings > Update & Security

b. Click the “Troubleshoot” tab

c. Click “Additional Troubleshooters”

d. Click “Windows Store Apps”

e. Let the troubleshooter run and fix any problems it finds.

f. Restart your computer

2. Reset The Microsoft Store: Method 1

a. Navigate to Settings > Apps

b. Navigate to “Installed Apps”

c. Scroll down and then click On “Microsoft Store” > Advanced Options

d. Scroll down and click on “Reset”.

e. Click on “Reset” again in the pop-up menu.

f. Restart your computer.

3. Reset The Microsoft Store: Method 2

a. Press the Windows Key + “R”.

b. Key in “wsreset” and hit enter

c. If successful, the Microsoft Store will open up automatically.

d. Close the Microsoft Store

e. Restart your computer.

4. Re-Register The Microsoft Store

a. Open up the Windows Powershell interface as an administrator.

b. Copy and run this command: Get-AppXPackage WindowsStore -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}

c. Wait for the command to complete.

d. Restart your computer.

5. Change Windows Update Settings In The Services Menu

a. Hit the Windows Key, and type in “Services” in the search box.

b. Scroll down till you find “Windows Update”.

c. Right click on “Windows Update” and navigate to “Properties”.

d. Click on “Start”.

e. Change the startup type to “Automatic” from the drop-down menu.

f. Click on “Apply” in the bottom right corner.

g. Restart your computer.

6. Use The Image Servicing And Management Utility

a. Open up any CLI (Command Line Interface) as an administrator. We have used the command prompt as an example.

b. Type in “sfc / scannow” without the quotation marks and hit enter.

c. Wait for the system scan to complete.

d. Type in “dism.exe /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth” without the quotation marks and hit enter.

e. Wait for the DISM to finish its cleanup. When done, you will get the message “The restore operation completed successfully”.

f. Restart your computer.

7. Reinstall Windows 10

a. Go to this official Microsoft link. Click on the “Download Tool Now” button.

b. Open the app and Click “Yes” when the pop up asks if you want to “Allow this app to make changes to your computer”.

c. Accept the terms of the agreement.

d. Click on “Upgrade this PC Now”, and then click “Next”.

e. Let the download complete.

f. Accept the License Terms.

g. Click the install button.

h. Wait for the install to complete.

Also Read: Download Free Data Recovery Software Full Version

Recover Data Lost During The Fixes To Error Code 0x80072f8f Windows 10/11

Despite every precaution, you may have lost data during these processes.

That is where a purpose-built data recovery tool such as Stellar Data Recovery may come in handy.

Also Read: Best Methods to Find Lost or Missing Files on Windows 10/11

Here is how to use it: Error Code 0x80072f8f Windows 10

a. Navigate to the Stellar Data Recovery Download Page and click the download button.

b. Run the downloaded file as an administrator. Click “yes” in the pop up dialog box that appears.

c. Choose the language you want.

d. The installation wizard will now open. Click “Next”.

e. Accept the terms of the agreement and click “Next”.

f. Specify where you want to install the app by clicking the “browse” button (highlighted in yellow, or click “Next” to continue with the default location.

g. Specify where you want app shortcuts to be installed by clicking the “browse” button (highlighted in yellow, or click “Next” to continue with the default location.

h. Choose whether or not you want a desktop shortcut for the app by checking or unchecking the box. Click “Next”.

i. Click on “Install”.

j. Wait for the installer to finish.

k. Click “Finish”. Stellar Data Recovery will now open.

l. Select the types of files you wish to recover. For this tutorial, we have gone with “Everything”.

m. Select the drive where you want to recover data from. Click “Scan”.

n. Wait for the scan to complete. This will take a significant amount of time.

o. You can toggle the preview button to open the preview pane.

p. This preview pane allows for a live preview of what Stellar Data Recovery can recover for you, and you can see this without spending any money at all.

q. If you want to recover a file, you will need a license, which is available to purchase at this link.

r. Enter the license code, specify where you want the recovered files saved, and let the software work its magic for you.

Also Read: Get Stellar Data Recovery Activation Key

Things To Remember

Although it is one of the rarer error codes, this one can be a bit of a tricky situation to navigate.

The 0x80072f8f error code generally stops the windows update service client from functioning properly.

This can, (and often does) block your computer from receiving patch and security updates from Microsoft, leading to vulnerabilities.

That said, the methods we have listed (including the clean install of windows 11) will solve your problem in most cases.

If you are on Windows 11, and clean install windows 10, you can choose to re-upgrade back to Windows 11 at any point you like.

Even so, you can directly install Windows 11 from the tools at this link instead of installing Windows 10 — the choice is completely up to you.

That said, we hope that you found this article useful, and we’ll see you in the next one.

Also Read: Top Data Recovery Software Available in India