The Windows driver error 0x80070103 appears when you try to install a different version of a driver (including a lower-compatibility option) that is already on your system. Use the following steps to get rid of this error message.
Although this article focuses on Windows 11, the same steps also work for fixing this error on Windows 10.
Pause and resume Windows 11 updates
Pausing and resuming Windows 11 updates on your computer is one of the simplest ways to resolve installation error 0x80070103 in Windows 11. It forces Windows to recheck for driver updates and clears any temporary glitches causing the error.
Press Win + I to open Settings and go to the Windows Update tab. Click the Pause for 1 week button (next to Pause updates) on the right. Then click the Resume updates button. Wait for Windows to check for updates; it should no longer show the problematic driver update.
Hide the problematic update
You can hide the problematic update to fix error 0x80070103. To do that, you need to use the Show or Hide Updates tool from Microsoft. Here are the steps:
1. Press Win + I to open the Settings app and select the Windows Update tab.
2. Write down the names of the updates causing error 0x80070103.
3. Download the Show or Hide Updates tool to your PC.
4. Double-click the downloaded file to launch the Show or Hide Updates tool.
5. Click Next.
6. Select Hide updates.
7. Use the checkboxes to select the update that is causing the error. If you see this error for several updates, use the checkboxes to select all of them.
8. Click Next.
9. Wait for the troubleshooter to hide the problematic updates, then click the Close button to exit the tool.
Although the Show or Hide Updates tool is available at the time of writing, Microsoft plans to retire it. Instead, you can run the Windows troubleshooter to access similar functions. Go to Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters > Windows Update.
After you hide the problematic driver update, you will no longer see error 0x80070103 in the Windows Update tab.
Reset the Windows Update components
The Windows Update components on your PC are responsible for downloading and installing updates. If these components are corrupted or faulty, you may run into a variety of update errors, including the one discussed here.
To fix this, you need to reset the Windows Update components by running a few commands in Command Prompt or by creating and running a batch file. After that, installation error 0x80070103 should stop bothering you.
Try other general Windows 11 fixes
In most cases, one of the tips above will fix the error. If not, you can try some general Windows update fixes:
- Restart the Windows Update service: Temporary problems with the Windows Update service can also cause error 0x80070103. Try restarting the Windows Update service to get it running smoothly again.
- Install the update manually: If the problem persists, you can try installing the problematic update yourself. To do this, go to the Microsoft Update Catalog and download the update file. Then you can install the Windows update manually.
- Install optional Windows updates: These updates often include the latest driver files from OEMs. You can manually install these optional Windows updates to see whether they resolve the error. Find them under Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Additional updates > Optional updates.
Installing the latest updates on your computer is always a good idea to keep it running smoothly and securely. But because of driver conflicts, the process may not always go as expected. Hopefully the tips above will resolve Windows 11 error 0x80070103 and get your PC back to normal.
