Follow the steps below carefully. Nothing here removes your personal files.
✅ What you’ll do in this guide:
Turn on the correct security setting so the upgrade tool can communicate properly, clear old update leftovers, restart the PC, and then try the tool again.
🧰 Step 1: Open the Registry Editor
Click the Start menu and type regedit, then press Enter. If you see a permission prompt, click Yes.
🧩 Step 2: Enable the needed security setting
In the Registry Editor, use the left panel to navigate through the folders in this exact order:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
└── SOFTWARE
└── Microsoft
└── Windows
└── CurrentVersion
└── Internet Settings
└── WinHttp
Right-click WinHttp, then choose New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
Name the new value: DefaultSecureProtocols
Double-click DefaultSecureProtocols and set the value to: A00
Click OK, then close the Registry Editor.
🧹 Step 3: Remove old update download files
Press Windows + R on your keyboard. In the box that appears, paste:
C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download
Press Enter. When the folder opens, press Ctrl + A to select everything, then right-click and choose Delete. Confirm any prompts that appear.
🔄 Step 4: Restart your computer
Restart your PC and wait for it to boot back up fully.
🚀 Step 5: Run the upgrade tool again
Open the Windows 10 upgrade tool you downloaded earlier (often named MediaCreationTool.exe). If it still doesn’t open, right-click it and choose Run as administrator. It should launch normally now.