How to Fix Windows Update Error 0x80070070 on Windows 10/11

How to Fix Windows 10 Update Error 0x80070070? Just download 4DDiG Partition Manager to help you fix this error within a few minutes!

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William Bollson

5 mins read

Updated on 2026-09-18 18:56:56 to Windows Fix

Table of Contents

Windows Update error 0x80070070 indicates that the drive containing Windows does not have enough free space to download, unpack, or install an update. You may still see this message even when another drive has plenty of available storage, because Windows Update normally needs working space on the system drive, usually C:.

This guide covers the safest ways to free up space, when extending C: is appropriate, and what to check if Windows Update still fails after the storage issue has been addressed. Start by checking the available space on your system drive.

Quick Answer

Error 0x80070070 is usually caused by insufficient space on the Windows system drive. Free up space on C:, aim for around 20 GB or more where possible. Microsoft also supports using an external storage device in some update scenarios.

What Does Windows Update Error 0x80070070 Mean?

Windows Update error 0x80070070 means that Windows cannot find enough available disk space to complete an update. This error most often affects the drive that contains Windows, usually the C: drive. As a result, having plenty of free space on D: or another storage drive may not resolve the problem.

The exact amount of space required depends on the update type, Windows version, and current system configuration. Microsoft recommends keeping around 20 GB of available space on the operating system drive for updates, although this should be treated as a practical target rather than a guarantee for every installation scenario.

Why Does Windows Update Show Error 0x80070070?

Several storage-related issues can trigger the Windows Update error 0x80070070.

Insufficient space on the system partition: The C: drive may be running out of space because of installed applications and other files. In other cases, the partition itself may be too small, even if another drive has plenty of unused capacity.
Temporary and update files take up space: Failed downloads, Windows Update cache files, Delivery Optimization files, and temporary installation data may remain on the system drive.
Previous Windows installations use storage: Windows may keep files from a previous installation so that you can roll back if necessary.
The update cache needs attention: A damaged or incomplete update download may continue causing errors after enough disk space has been freed.

Part 2: How to Fix Windows 10 Update Error 0x80070070?

Option 1: Utilize Disk Cleanup Tool to Free up Space in C Drive

The initial strategy when dealing with the error code 0x80070070 is to employ Windows’ built-in disk cleanup tool for the cleanest option to free up space in your C Drive.

Not only does this help reclaim valuable disk space, but it also minimizes possible losses and issues over doing it manually. Plus, it’s way faster!

Go to start or press the Windows Key. Search for “Disk Cleanup.”
Choose “C Drive” for the clean up. Click on “Clean up system files” and select C: again.
Review the available categories. Select appropriate items and click OK.

Option 2: Deep Clean Windows System

If Windows’ built-in cleanup tools do not free up enough space, try 4DDiG Partition Manager’s Windows Clean feature. It scans common locations for removable junk files, temporary data, system cache files, application cache, browser data, and other unnecessary items that may be occupying your system drive.

Download and install 4DDiG Partition Manager from the official website. Launch it and go to the Windows Clean module. Select the types of junk files you want to clean and click Start Scan button to begin scanning.

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After scanning, the tool will display temporary files, system caches, log files, and other junk that can be safely removed. Select the file categories you want to delete and click Clean to proceed.
Once complete, the tool will confirm how much space has been freed.

Option 3: Move Large Apps to Another Drive

If large applications or games are using most of the space on your C: drive, you can use 4DDiG Partition Manager’s Application Migration feature to move supported installed apps to a different drive.

This method is useful when your C: drive contains large applications but another drive has enough available space. 4DDiG can move the selected application and its related files together, helping you avoid manually changing installation folders or breaking the application’s file paths.

Download and install 4DDiG Partition Manager on your Windows PC, then launch the program. Navigate to "Clone Disk", select "Application Migration".

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Select the large app that you want to move from C:. Then click the folder icon below to select a path where you want to move applications.
Click "Migrate" and confirm to start migration.
After completing, check the available space on C: before retrying Windows Update.

Option 4: Extend the System Partition with 4DDiG Partition Manager

If the above option isn’t working or a larger application gives you the problem, you can also go this route by extending the system partition and getting some free space.

The intricate nature of the 0x80070070 error can easily be dealt with using this method, and no way as much as by utilizing the 4DDiG Partition Manager.

First, download and then launch the tool. Once that’s done, choose “Partition Management” from the left-hand pane, where you can then right-click on the system partition you want to extend and pick “Extend/Shrink”.

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For extension, select and pull the right border of the partition to the right or the left leftwards. Otherwise, you can also pick one of the adjacent partitions with free space to spare and pull its border to release the space for your intended partition.
Your task list will now have a pending operation, so you need to “Execute 1 Task(s)” and then select OK to commit the operation.
Depending on the extent of space you’re looking to attach to the partition, it will take time. Therefore, to minimize any possible corruption (of files and processes) and data loss, don’t close the program. Once it’s complete, you can click “Sure”.

Option 5: Turn off Disk Quotas and Set a Limit

As disk quotas are often another reason for the 0x80070070 error, turning them off and establishing reasonable limits can help solve your larger issue. Here is a guide to follow to do exactly that:

Go to “Disk Management” from the Start menu.
Go to “Properties” of the C Drive (right-click pop-up menu).
Open the “Quota” tab and uncheck “Enable Quota Management” or reset the disk limit. Click “Apply.”

Other Windows Update Errors

How to Fix Windows Update Error 0x80080005?

How to Fix Windows Update Error 0x800f0922 with 7 Ways?

Final Words

The Windows Update error 0x80070070 is usually caused by insufficient disk space and can stop updates from installing. Fortunately, it’s straightforward to resolve. You can free up space using Disk Cleanup, disable disk quotas, or use the Media Creation Tool.

For a faster and more flexible solution, 4DDiG Partition Manager lets you quickly free up space, resize partitions, or manage your drives without complicated steps. Try the methods in this guide, and the 0x80070070 error should no longer stand in your way.

William Bollson (senior editor)

William Bollson, the editor-in-chief of 4DDiG, devotes to providing the best solutions for Windows and Mac related issues, including data recovery, repair, error fixes.

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