SOLVED: Windows Update Error 0x80073712

Windows Update Error 0x80073712 means that there is some corruption in files that have been downloaded so you need to the old patches and possibly delete a pending updates. This is how you do it.

1. Open SERVICES.MSC and stop the WINDOWS UPDATE service
2. Use File Explorer to delete the C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\ folder
3. Use File Explorer to delete the C:\Windows\WinSXS\ and if there is a file named PENDING.XML, take ownership of it and delete it. See THIS article on the PENDING.XML problem.
4. Reboot your computer and try Windows Update again

If you still have problems there are three easy things to try:

1. Open a CMD Prompt or PowerShell and run SFC /SCANNOW
2. Open and PowerShell and run DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
3. Download the patch manually from the Microsoft Catalog and try to install it manually

We have seen this problem on operating systems from Windows 8, Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2019, and Windows Server 2022.