Microsoft Warns of 0x80070643 WinRE Update Error on Windows 10 Devices

Microsoft has issued a warning that users may experience the 0x80070643 installation failure after installing the April 2025 Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) update. The company confirmed on the Windows Release Health dashboard that this bug affects Windows 10 version 22H2 and 21H2, as well as Windows Server 2022.

Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) is a tool designed to help users troubleshoot and fix common issues with their Windows PCs. It includes features such as Startup Repair to resolve boot problems, System Restore to revert the system to a previous state, System Image Recovery to restore from a backup, Command Prompt for advanced troubleshooting, as well as options to reset PC to factory settings.

What are Windows 10 users experiencing?

On April 8, Microsoft released the KB5057589 update for the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE), aimed at improving system repair and troubleshooting features. However, some Windows 10 users have reported encountering the 0x80070643 error during the installation of this update.

“This error is observed when the device installs the WinRE update when there is another update in a pending reboot state. Although the error message suggests the update did not complete, the WinRE update is typically applied successfully after the device restarts. Windows Update might continue to display the update as failed until the next daily scan, at which point the update is no longer offered and the failure message is cleared automatically,” Microsoft explained.

Microsoft’s response and workaround

Microsoft engineers are actively working on a fix for the issue affecting Windows devices, but no specific release date has been announced yet. In the meantime, the company has clarified that the error does not impact the actual installation of the update and can be safely ignored.

Microsoft is also reminding customers about its plans to drop support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025. After this date, the company will no longer provide feature and security updates, bug fixes, and technical support to protect users against security threats. Last year, Microsoft announced the Windows 10 ESU program, which will provide organizations with monthly security updates beyond October 2025.