Are you unable to update Windows because of the “Your device is missing important security and quality fixes” error?
For smooth performance and overall health of the system, installing Windows updates is crucial. But if there are PC configuration issues, some temporary bugs, the PC hasn’t been updated in a while, or the operating system is significantly outdated, you might encounter the error.
This troubleshooting guide discusses some workable fixes to resolve the “Your device is missing important security and quality fixes” error. The best part about these methods is that you can use them to fix other similar updated issues.
What Does “Your Device Is Missing Important Security and Quality Fixes” Mean?
Typically, the error indicates that critical updates are not installed on your PC, and you might face performance issues. Besides, it suggests that the most recent updates installed might be problematic or corrupt.
Causes for “Your Device Is Missing Important Security and Quality Fixes
Several reasons can cause the computer’s missing security and quality fix error message. Here we enlist some probable causes for the error:
- Corrupt system files.
- The latest update has some bugs.
- The update was broken or partially installed.
- Third-party software is preventing updates from being downloaded.
- Outdated or problematic Servicing Stack Updates.
- PC is infected.
- The Telemetry level is set to Security only.
How to Fix “Your device is missing important security and quality fixes” Error on Windows?
The error does not seem fatal until it becomes difficult to update the PC. However, there’s nothing to worry about, as a few workable ways will help fix the issue. You can follow the solutions below to find the right fix.
Note – The screenshots used in the article are taken from Windows 11. If you are using Windows 10, you might find a difference in visual appearance and a slight variation in the option’s name. Do not get confused because of that. For any assistance, drop us a line in the comments section.
Solution 1. Reinstall the Previous Important Update
The Windows updates your PC gets regularly are essential. They give a sense of reliability that your PC’s security is getting refreshed now and then. Most of the time, these updates are installed without any issues. However, the error is generated if an older Windows update is broken.
The best way to deal with such a situation is to remove the broken update files and re-install the security update. Here’s how you can do it –
- Use your Windows taskbar to search for the updated history of the PC.
- Open the View Update History option available on your computer.
- Here, you will probably find the history of installed security and quality updates (if any). Select the most recently installed update > click Uninstall and confirm the action by again clicking Uninstall.
Note – If you cannot find the Uninstall option, scroll down and click Uninstall updates . From here, select the recent update, click Uninstall > confirm the action, and again click Uninstall.(Windows 11 users)
- Once you have uninstalled the recent update, restart your PC.
- Again, check for updates and reinstall it; it should work.
If this doesn’t help, move to the next fix.
Read Also: Identifying if Your PC Drivers Need Updates! Is there a Way?
Solution 2. Run Windows Update Built-In Troubleshooter
The troubleshooting feature of Windows is not always the go-to solution for the issues you face. However, it has surely gotten better over time. If the above technique did not fix the issue, you can initiate Windows update troubleshooting.
To initiate the troubleshooting error on Windows 10 & 11, follow the given path –
-
Windows 11
Go to Settings (Press Windows + I to open it) System → Troubleshoot→ Other troubleshooters→ Windows Update.
-
Windows 10
Open Windows Settings (Press Windows + I) → Update & Security → Troubleshoot→ Additional Troubleshooters → Windows Update.
- Click on Run (Windows 11) and Run the troubleshooter (in Windows 10) to initiate the troubleshooter for Windows Update.
- Wait for the troubleshooter to work out the potential errors and follow on-screen instructions to resolve the error.
Let the troubleshooting process get over. Restart your PC and check if the error “Your device is missing important security and quality fixes” is gone. If it is still there, move on to the next fix!
Solution 3. Enable Telemetry Settings on Your PC
If you are even slightly good with computers, you can easily perform this technique. Telemetry is your PC’s ultimate connection with Microsoft’s support, allowing it to send data directly to Microsoft.
If, by chance, these settings are off, you should try turning them on. This is because updates are often installed based on how your PC behaves. If Microsoft does not know of it, you might not get some important quality updates. To enable these settings, follow the given steps –
- Open Run by pressing Windows + R.
- Insert the Command gpedit.msc to open the group policy editor.
- Once opened, follow the path – Computer Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Windows Components >> Data Collection and Preview Builds.
- In the following window, look for Allow Telemetry and double-click it.
- Select Enabled and double-click on Options. Choose any option except 0 – Security [ Enterprise Only].
- Click Apply > OK.
Once the telemetry settings are applied, restart your PC. Considering if your telemetry was off, this should do the trick for you. Check for the latest update for Windows and install it to delete the error.
Solution 4. Reset Windows Updates Service
When Windows service components are corrupt, you encounter “Your device is missing important security and quality fixes.” To reset them manually through Command Prompt, follow the steps below:
Note – We must first stop the services required for Windows Updates to reset the service. After, we will delete the Software Distribution folder as Windows stores temporary updates in it. Windows detects and creates a new one when missing, so there is nothing to worry about. Lastly, we will restart the service to fix the device missing essential updates messages.
- Press Windows + R to open the Run window.
- Type cmd in the Run dialog box and press Ctrl+Shift+Enter. This will open Command Prompt with admin rights.
- Here, copy and paste the following commands. Make sure you press the Enter key after each command.
net stop wuauserv
net stop bits
net stop appidsvc
net stop cryptsvc
- After running the above commands, copy and paste – Ren %systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old command in the Command Prompt window and press Enter.
- After that, copy and paste the following commands and press enter after pasting each command:
net start wuauserv
net start bits
net start appidsvc
net start cryptsvc
- Windows Updates error should now be gone.
Solution 5. Modify the Registry
When looking for additional information about the error, some users found the error message – “You can’t install Windows on a USB flash Drive using setup.” If you also encounter a similar error message, a specific change in Windows Registry can help fix it. You need to change the value of the PortableOperatingSystem key in the Registry to 0.
However, before we learn how to modify the registry, take a complete backup of the Windows Registry.
Press Windows + R to open the Run window. Here, type regedit.exe and press the Enter key. Then, in the Registry Editor, click File > Export > Give it a name and save the backup.
Once that is done, follow these steps:
- Press the Win + R keys together to open Run.
- Type regedit and click OK > click Yes if you get the User Account Control prompt.
- Look for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control in the Registry Editor
- Double-click on PortableOperatingSystem and change the Value data to 0.
- Click OK > close the Registry Editor > restart the PC to check if the issue is fixed.
Solution 6 – Check System Files for Inconsistencies
In some cases, when essential system files are corrupt, then, too, you face the error message. To fix it, scan the system files for errors and fix them using SFC and DISM commands. To use these commands, follow the steps below:
- Run elevated command prompt
- Type – sfc /scannow command and press the Enter key.
- Let the command run. If everything is fine, you’ll see the message “Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.” However, if you get the message “Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them,” restart the PC in Safe Mode and re-run the command.
- Afterward, in the command prompt window, type – DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth and press Enter key.
- Wait for the command to run and restart the PC.
- Now, try to update Windows. You should no longer face any issues.
Solution 7 – Use Windows Update Assistant
If nothing has worked so far, try using Windows Update Assistant. It downloads and installs the most recent Windows Update without using the built-in Windows services.
Step 1. Download Windows Update Assistant from Microsoft’s official site.
Step 2. Install it by following on-screen prompts.
Step 3. Click on Update Now and wait for the update to download.
Now restart the PC and check for updates. You should no longer face any issues.
Pro Tip: Make Sure Drivers are Updated on your PC
While the above techniques revolve around the Windows Update settings, the error “your device is missing important security and quality fixes” might also result from missing drivers on your PC.
Drivers are a crucial part of your PC, and while outdated drivers do not directly cause this error, they might add to the gruesome repercussions that this error may cause. Not to mention, running your PC with outdated drivers is not recommended as it may cause a lot of errors.
However, you cannot deny that updating all drivers is a tough nut to crack, especially if you have to do it manually. Well, good for you; there’s an automated way!
Advanced Driver Updater is the ultimate tool that you can use to finish all your driver updates in just a few clicks. The tool is easy to use and takes 5 steps to finish the task. Check out the steps below.
- Download the Advanced Driver Updater on your PC and install it.
- Run the application to find the welcome screen with the Start Scan Now button.
- Initiate the preliminary analysis of outdated drivers on your PC
- Once the scanning is finished, you will have a number of outdated drivers listed on your screen
- Review the software that it has listed and click on update all to update the outdated drivers.
It is that easy! Updating the drivers will make your PC smoother and help you rectify common errors such as “your device is missing important security and quality fixes.”
FAQ
Q1. How to fix security settings missing or changed in Windows 10, issue?
There are different ways to fix the “Some security settings are missing or have been changed” error. Here are the best solutions you can try.
1. Restart and re-register TrustedInstaller (Windows Modules Installer Service).
- Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc and open Task Manager.
- Click the Services Tab and look for TrustedInstaller.
- Right-click on it and select Start.
If this doesn’t work, click Stop and Restart the service.
Once this is done, open Command Prompt as Administrator.
If you are working on a 32-bit operating system, copy and paste the below commands one by one.
Press Enter after each:
%windir%\system32\msiexec.exe /unregister
%windir%\system32\msiexec.exe /regserver
64-Bit operating system users, please use the following commands.
Press Enter after each:
%windir%\syswow64\msiexec.exe /unregister
%windir%\syswow64\msiexec.exe /regserver
Restart the system. This should work.
2. Repair Corrupted Files
- Open Command Prompt as Admin
- Type DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth and press enter. Wait for the command to process.
- After that, enter sfc /scannow and press the Enter key.
This will replace the files in the Windows cache and fix the error.
Q2. Why does Windows 10 show your device is missing important security and quality fixes?
The error usually occurs due to corrupted Windows Update files required to install the updates in the Software Distribution folder. You can easily fix this error using the steps we discussed above.
Q3. How do I reinstall the Windows Security update?
You can reinstall Windows Security update through Windows PowerShell. To do so, follow these steps:
1. Press Windows + X > select Windows Terminal (Admin)
2. Copy and paste the following command and press the Enter key:-
Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.SecHealthUI -AllUsers | Reset-AppxPackage
3. Wait for the command to execute. Once done, you will get a success message. Close Terminal.
4. Restart the PC and the security update will be reinstalled.
No Longer Missing On Windows Updates
There are multiple ways to resolve the issue, provided you can spend time on your PC. On a lighter note, the error is not fatal as it will not cost you all your data or slow down your PC; however, it might make your PC prone to virus and malware attacks.
Resolving the error and keeping your PC drivers up to date are the ultimate ways of using your machine well. I hope this blog gives you a solution to your PC issue. Let me know in the comments which technique worked for you. Catch you at the next one!
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