Error 0x80070422: The Service You Need Is Turned Off

What Error 0x80070422 Means in Plain English

A service is a background helper program that Windows uses for a specific job. Error 0x80070422 means the service for the job you started has been set to Disabled. Windows is not allowed to run it, so the task cannot start.

Most readers see this code in one of three places. It appears when Windows Update checks for updates, when a standalone update installer is run, or sometimes in the Microsoft Store when an app is installing or updating. Note which one you were using, because that tells you which task was blocked.

Disabled is not the same as Stopped. A service that is Stopped but set to Manual can still be started by Windows when it is needed. A service set to Disabled cannot be started that way, which is why the error appears instead of the task running.

This code on its own does not mean your files are damaged, and it does not mean anything has been deleted. It points to one setting, a service switched off, and to the update or Store task that needed that service.

Why We Warn Against 'Optimizer' and Fixer Tools First

Many PCs get this error after someone runs an optimizer or tweaking tool. Tools sold with claims like 'disable updates to speed up your PC' often turn the Windows Update service off, and leave it set to Disabled.

That does not mean a tool caused your error. A work setting, a past repair, or another change can do it too. But if you search for 0x80070422, ads and pop-ups for paid fixers will try to sell you the same kind of tool.

If you did use an optimizer or tweaking tool recently, write down its exact name now. You will need it later on this page. Everything that follows uses the Services app already built into Windows, and it costs nothing.

Turn the Windows Update Service Back On

Turn the Windows Update service back on

Windows 10 and Windows 11 use the same steps for this check. Work through the steps in order, and read each setting before you change it. If a setting already looks right, leave it as it is.

You need only the Services app that is already in Windows, and nothing to download or pay for. If a site offers a paid fix at this point, close that site and come back to these steps.

1. Select Start, type Services, and open the Services app from the results.
2. Scroll through the list of services until you find Windows Update. The list is in alphabetical order, so look near the bottom. Double-click Windows Update to open its Properties window.
3. Look at Startup type before you change anything. If it says Manual or Automatic, leave it unchanged and close the window. Only change the setting if it says Disabled.
4. If Startup type says Disabled, select the Startup type box and change it to Manual. Select Apply at the bottom of the window, and keep the window open for the next step.
5. Select Start to start the Windows Update service. When Service status shows Running, select OK. You can now close the Services app.

Manual is the normal default for the Windows Update service. It lets Windows start the service when an update needs it, so you do not need Automatic. A Startup type of Manual is not a fault, and it does not need correcting.

Windows may ask for an administrator password during these steps. On a work or school PC, the setting may be grayed out or the change may be blocked. Stop there and contact the person or team who manages the PC, and do not try to force it, as the setting may be intentional.

Check the Two Helper Services for Updates and the Store

If the Windows Update service already said Manual or Automatic, do not change it. Check the two services below instead. You are still in the Services app, and you will use the same Properties routine. As before, change a service only if its Startup type says Disabled.

Find Background Intelligent Transfer Service, usually shown as BITS. The list is in alphabetical order, so look under B. BITS carries update downloads in the background, so an update can stop even if the Windows Update service itself is switched on. If BITS is set to Disabled, change it to Manual, select Apply, then Start it. If it already says Manual or Automatic, leave it unchanged.

Next, find Microsoft Store Install Service. Look under M for this one. The Store needs this service to install and update apps, even when Windows Update itself works, so a Store install can fail on its own. If its Startup type says Disabled, change it to Manual, select Apply, then Start it. If it already says Manual or Automatic, leave it unchanged.

Change only these two services in this section, and leave every other name in the list alone. Then retry only the action that failed the first time. If the error came from Windows Update, check for updates again. If it came from the Store, try the same app install or update again, and note whether 0x80070422 comes back.

Restart and Check the Service Has Stayed On

Restart the PC once. When Windows has started again, try the job that failed before, either checking for updates in Windows Update or installing the app in the Microsoft Store, just once. Note whether the job finishes or whether error 0x80070422 comes back.

Then look at the Windows Update service one more time in the Services app, in the same place as before. Its Startup type should still say Manual. If it does, and the update or Store install finished, the fix has held and you are done.

If the Startup type has changed back to Disabled, something on the PC is applying that setting again. Open the optimizer or tweaking tool you noted the name of earlier, and turn off any option in it to disable updates or turn off services.

If you cannot find that option, uninstall the tool instead, in Settings > Apps. Then redo the service change from "Turn the Windows Update Service Back On" once only. Do not add any new tuning, cleaning, or optimizing once the service stays on.

If the Service Was Never Disabled, or It Will Not Start

If the Startup type for Windows Update already said Manual or Automatic, stop there and leave it as it is. Changing services is not the fix for you in that case. Write down the exact wording of the message and where 0x80070422 appeared, such as in Windows Update or the Microsoft Store.

If Start is grayed out, the service is missing from the list, or starting it shows a new error, write that new message down word for word. Note which service you were trying to start, too. Do not use registry edits or downloaded service-repair files to force it to start.

Open Update History in Settings and look for the failed update, its KB number if one is listed, and any different code beside it. If a different code appears, follow the link to that code's own page for the steps that match it. Keep your notes together if you ask for help.

A missing service is a job for Microsoft support or your PC maker, not for a downloaded file. On a work or school PC, contact your administrator first. The setting may be intentional, and only the administrator may be allowed to change it.