Many Windows 10 users are recently experiencing an error “0x80070426“. They usually see this error on Windows Defender or Windows Update. If you’re also experiencing it, you’re no doubt very frustrated. But don’t worry! This error is fixable…

Try these fixes

You may not have to try them all; just work your way down the list until you find the one that works for you. To fix error 0x80070426 on Windows Defender
  1. Run System File Checker
  2. Check for software conflicts
To fix error 0x80070426 on Windows Update

Fix 1: Run System File Checker

Perhaps this error occurs because you’re having issues with your Windows system files. You should run System File Checker to repair these files:
  1. Press the Windows logo key on your keyboard and type “cmd“.

  2. Right click Command Prompt in the list of results, then select Run as administrator.

  3. (If you’re using Windows 7 or an earlier version, skip this step.) Type the following line of command at Command Prompt and press Enter on your keyboard:
    dism.exe /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth
    Note that this command provides your system with the repair source required by System File Checker. This is done through Windows Update. * If you’re having problems with Windows Update, you should, instead of entering the command above, plug a Windows installation media into your computer (you may need to create one with the Windows system software), then type the following command:
    dism.exe /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth /source:[DRIVE]:\sources\sxs /limitaccess
    Replace [DRIVE] with the drive letter of your Windows installation media.
  4. Wait for the process to be complete.
  5. Type the following line of command at Command Prompt and press Enter on your keyboard:
    sfc /scannow

  6. Wait for the process to be complete.
  7. Restart your computer if this is not done automatically.
If this worked for you, great! But if not, then move on to Fix 2, below…

Fix 2: Check for software conflicts

This error may occur on Windows Defender because of software conflicts. To see if that’s the case for you, try performing a clean boot on your Windows system.
A clean boot is a process that starts your Windows system with only the most essential drivers and programs. By doing it, you can determine what is the cause of your computer problem if it is due to a software conflict.
To do so:
  1. Press the Windows log key and R on your keyboard to invoke the Run dialog.
  2. Type “msconfig” and press Enter on your keyboard.
  3. Click the Services tab. Then check Hide all Microsoft services (FIRST) and click Disable all. After that, click OK.
  4. Click the Startup tab, then click Open Task Manager.
  5. Right click each enabled Startup item, then click Disable. After that, close Task Manager.
  6. Click OK.
  7. Click Restart.
  8. Check to see if the error occurs. If not, proceed to the next step to find out the application or service that causes trouble. Otherwise skip all the steps below and try other methods.
  9. Press the Windows log key and R on your keyboard. Then type “msconfig” and press Enter on your keyboard.
  10. Click the Services tab. Check Hide all Microsoft services. Then enable any disabled service (by selecting its checkbox) and click OK.
  11. Click Restart.
  12. Check to see if the error occurs. If it doesn’t, repeat step 9 to 11 until you find out the service that causes the issue. If none of these services is the culprit, try the steps below.
    If there’s any service that brings up the 0x80070426 error, you should do some research on the Internet to see what program is this service related to. Then contact the vendor of this program or your system for advice, or use an alternative solution.
  13. Press the Windows log key and R on your keyboard. Then type “msconfig” and press Enter on your keyboard.
  14. Click the Startup tab, then click Open Task Manager.
  15. Right click one (only) disabled Startup item, then click Enable. After that, close Task Manager.
  16. Click OK and then click Restart.
  17. Check to see if the error occurs. If it doesn’t, repeat step 13 to 16 until you find out the startup item that causes the issue.
    If there’s any startup item that causes the 0x80070426 error, you should see what program is this item related to. Then contact the vendor of this program or your system for advice, or use an alternative solution.

Fix 3: Troubleshoot your Windows Update issue

If you see a 0x80070426 error on Windows Update, you’re probably having an issue with this component. You should troubleshoot this issue per the instructions on this page and see if they resolve your problem. Hopefully one of the fixes above worked for you. If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to leave us a comment below.
1
1 people found this helpful
guest
0 Comments
Most Voted
Newest Oldest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments