Windows 10 to Windows 11 Upgrade Stuck or Fails During Installation: How to Fix It

Upgrading from Windows 10 to Windows 11 sometimes does not go as planned. Many users report the installation getting stuck at a specific percentage such as 32%, 74%, or 99%, freezing on a black screen, or failing with no error message and rolling back to Windows 10. Others see error codes like 0xC1900101, 0x800F0922, or 0x8007025D with no clear explanation.

This happens most often due to TPM or Secure Boot issues, driver conflicts, low disk space, corrupted system files, or background services blocking the upgrade. This guide covers every fix in order, from the simplest checks to advanced troubleshooting.

Why Windows 10 to Windows 11 Upgrade Gets Stuck or Fails

Before applying fixes, here are the most common causes:

• TPM 2.0 or Secure Boot not enabled in BIOS
• Incompatible or outdated drivers (especially storage and chipset)
• Insufficient free space on the C: drive
• Third-party antivirus or security software blocking setup
• Corrupted Windows system files
• External devices interfering with setup
• Background services conflicting with the upgrade process

Fix 1: Wait and Confirm the Upgrade Is Actually Stuck

Windows upgrades can appear frozen while running background tasks.

What to do:

• Wait at least 90 to 120 minutes
• Check if the hard disk LED is blinking
• Press Caps Lock to see if the keyboard responds

If there is no disk activity and no keyboard response for over two hours, proceed to the next fix.

Fix 2: Check TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot in BIOS

Windows 11 requires TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot to be enabled. If either is disabled, the upgrade will silently fail or roll back.

Steps:

1. Restart the PC and press F2, Del, or F10 to enter BIOS (key varies by manufacturer)
2. Find the Security or Advanced tab
3. Enable TPM 2.0 (may appear as PTT on Intel systems or fTPM on AMD systems)
4. Enable Secure Boot
5. Save changes and restart
6. Run the upgrade again

How to check before entering BIOS:

1. Press Win + R, type tpm.msc, press Enter
2. If it shows “TPM is ready,” TPM 2.0 is active
3. For Secure Boot: open System Information (msinfo32) and look for Secure Boot State

Fix 3: Run the PC Health Check Tool

Before upgrading, confirm your PC officially meets Windows 11 requirements.

Steps:

1. Download the PC Health Check tool from Microsoft
2. Run it and click Check now
3. If any requirement fails, the tool will tell you exactly what is missing
4. Address the flagged issue before running the upgrade again

Fix 4: Disconnect External Devices Before Upgrading

External hardware is a frequent cause of upgrade failures.

Steps:

1. Shut down the PC completely
2. Disconnect all non-essential devices:
   • USB drives
   • External hard disks
   • Printers
   • Game controllers
   • Docking stations
3. Keep only the keyboard and mouse connected
4. Restart and run the Windows 11 upgrade again

This prevents driver conflicts during setup.

Fix 5: Free Up Space on the System Drive

Windows 11 requires at least 25 to 30 GB of free space on the C: drive.

Steps:

1. Open Settings → System → Storage
2. Turn on Storage Sense
3. Remove temporary files, Windows Update cache, and Recycle Bin contents
4. Restart the system

Low disk space often causes the upgrade to stall silently with no error message.

Fix 6: Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

Windows Update problems can prevent the upgrade from completing.

Steps:

1. Open Settings → System → Troubleshoot → Other troubleshooters
2. Click Run next to Windows Update
3. Follow the on-screen instructions and apply any fixes
4. Restart the PC and try the upgrade again

Fix 7: Disable Antivirus and Device Encryption Temporarily

Third-party security tools can block system file changes during setup.

Do this temporarily:

• Disable any third-party antivirus software
• Turn off BitLocker or device encryption
• Pause real-time protection in Windows Security

After Windows 11 installs successfully, re-enable everything.

Fix 8: Repair Corrupted System Files

Corrupted Windows files frequently cause upgrade failures.

Steps:

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator
2. Run:

sfc /scannow

3. After it completes, run:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

4. Restart your PC before attempting the upgrade again

These commands repair system files required for a successful upgrade.

Fix 9: Perform a Clean Boot Before Running the Upgrade

Background services may interfere with Windows setup.

Steps:

1. Press Win + R, type msconfig, press Enter
2. Go to the Services tab
3. Check Hide all Microsoft services
4. Click Disable all
5. Go to the Startup tab and open Task Manager
6. Disable all startup items
7. Restart the PC and start the Windows 11 upgrade again

This ensures only essential services run during installation.

Fix 10: Upgrade Using the Windows 11 Installation Assistant

Windows Update sometimes fails silently. The Installation Assistant is Microsoft’s recommended alternative.

Steps:

1. Go to microsoft.com/software-download/windows11
2. Under Windows 11 Installation Assistant, click Download Now
3. Run the downloaded file as Administrator
4. Click Accept and install
5. Let the process run without interrupting it — it will restart your PC once or twice automatically

This method bypasses many Windows Update issues and is the most reliable way to upgrade when the standard process fails.

Fix 11: Use the Media Creation Tool for a Clean Upgrade

If the Installation Assistant also fails, use the Media Creation Tool to perform an in-place upgrade.

Steps:

1. Go to microsoft.com/software-download/windows11
2. Under Create Windows 11 Installation Media, click Download Now
3. Run the tool and select Upgrade this PC now
4. Choose Keep personal files and apps
5. Click Install

This performs the same upgrade but using locally downloaded installation files, which avoids network-related failures.

Fix 12: Update Storage and Chipset Drivers

Outdated drivers can prevent Windows 11 from completing setup, especially if the upgrade freezes early in the process.

Steps:

1. Visit your PC or motherboard manufacturer’s support page
2. Download the latest chipset drivers
3. Install the latest Intel RST or NVMe storage drivers if applicable
4. Avoid third-party driver update tools
5. Restart and try the upgrade again

Fix 13: Check Windows Upgrade Logs for the Exact Error

If Windows 11 fails repeatedly, logs reveal the specific cause.

Log location:

C:\$WINDOWS.~BT\Sources\Panther

Key files to check:

• setupact.log — full record of what setup did and where it stopped
• setuperr.log — lists specific errors that caused the failure

Open these files in Notepad and search for “error” or “fail” to find the relevant lines. The log entries usually name the driver, file, or service that blocked the upgrade.

FAQs

Related Guides

• Windows 11 Says PC Not Compatible: How to Fix It
• How to Download Windows 11 Media Creation Tool (Official Method)
• Windows 11 Not Activating After Hardware Upgrade (0x803F7001)