Windows update not available in settings

margrave55 · 15 Jul 2019

On my laptop ... from Start menu I type "windows update" and I get the windows update settings ... quite normal:

Windows update not available in settings-y1.jpg

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But recently on my desktop I get this (abnormal):

Windows update not available in settings-x1.jpg

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OK, so I click Update & Security, and I get this:

Windows update not available in settings-x2.jpg

Notice that there is NO option for Windows Update in the left-side menu panel. This is abnormal.
Where did Windows Update go?
I checked the running services.
-- Windows Update is running
-- Windows Update Medic Service was not running, so I started it ... but that changed nothing

How did I lose Windows Update?

AuraticTrance · 15 Jul 2019

Hello

Try doing this:

Open gpedit.msc

Browse the path : Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Control Panel

On the right, double click and open "Settings page visibility"

Choose "Enabled" and under "Options" enter "showonly:network-vpn;windowsupdate" adding these two will show only Windows Update and Network pages in the Settings app.

Then disable this policy and see if that works...

margrave55 · 15 Jul 2019

Did not work:
Windows cannot find 'gpedit.msc'. Make sure you typed the name correctly, and then try again.

humbird · 15 Jul 2019

this may help.You will need to edit the registry if you are on Windows Home edition. I would make a backup before trying this. How odd but i did find other posts about the problem. Hope this helps.Will be opposite for adding.
How to hide Settings pages in the Windows 10 Creators Update | Windows Central

AuraticTrance · 15 Jul 2019

margrave55 said:

Did not work:
Windows cannot find 'gpedit.msc'. Make sure you typed the name correctly, and then try again.

gpedit.msc isn't available on Home Edition of Windows

Open regedit and browse to the path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

And look if any key named "SettingsPageVisibility" is present, and if it has any values in the form "hide:<settings-page-name>" delete them.

And if there isn't any key named "SettingsPageVisibility" , create a new string value, and enter "showonly:windowsupdate"
To show more than one page, separate each pageURI with a semicolon ;

To show all the pages under "Update & Security" use:

Code:

showonly:windowsupdate;delivery-optimization;windowsdefender;backup;troubleshoot;recovery;activation;findmydevice;developers;windowsinsider

Settings pages list:
Settings Pages List of URI Shortcuts in Windows 10

margrave55 · 16 Jul 2019

That did it. I had an item there that specified hide windows update.
I deleted it and I now get the proper, normal look in Settings.

humbird said:

this may help.You will need to edit the registry if you are on Windows Home edition. I would make a backup before trying this. How odd but i did find other posts about the problem. Hope this helps.Will be opposite for adding.
How to hide Settings pages in the Windows 10 Creators Update | Windows Central

Thanks, humbird and AuraticTrance.

AuraticTrance · 16 Jul 2019

margrave55 said:

That did it. I had an item there that specified hide windows update.
I deleted it and I now get the proper, normal look in Settings.
Thanks, humbird and AuraticTrance.

Nice

margrave55 · 16 Jul 2019

Now I wonder how that item got there?
Spooky.

humbird · 16 Jul 2019

Great.

I did see a few reports of it on reddit and microsoft forums. There was an update recently that was corrupting windows.Perhaps that was the culprit. Glad it is straightened out for you.