The error message 80072F8F will typically be encountered in the error log after Windows fails to perform an update. The error is not exclusive to a certain Windows version and is usually associated with the following error message : There are four main causes that will lead to the 80072F8F:
Incorrect Time and Date – If the time and date on your computer do not match the ones on the Microsoft Update server, the secure SSL connection will be terminated. All SSL connections require a valid date and time before determining that a connection is secure.Missing Root Certificate Update – If the SSL certificate used to connect to the Microsoft server is not trusted, the connection will fail. If incorrect time and date are not to blame for the issue, you’are likely missing a trusted authority certificate.3rd-party Firewall Blocking SSL Connection – While WU is comfortable working through Windows Firewall, not the same can be said with external firewalls. Some firewalls will save security settings that will make trick Windows Update into determining that SSL connection is not secure.Invalid Proxy Settings – There is a lot of hijacking malware capable of altering the Connection settings. This will end up raising red flags when the SSL connection is establishing so the Microsoft server will terminate it.
If you are shown the 80072F8F error code when trying to download a Windows update, there are several different fixes that you can try. Below you have a collection of solutions that have helped a lot of Windows users to deal with the 80072F8F error. Please follow each method in order until you find the steps that work for your situation. Let’s begin!
Method 1: Setting the Correct Time and Date
Whenever an SSL connection needs to be established, the Windows server starts by validating the PC’s time and date. This happens when activating Windows and every Windows update. If the time is even remotely different from the server’s time and date (+- 5 minutes), the server can throw the error 80072F8F and terminate the SSL connection. If your date and time are off, here’s a quick guide on how to sync them with the ones on the Microsoft server. The following guide will work with Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10:
Method 2: Checking for Invalid Proxy Settings
Invalid Proxy Settings could also be a cause for the 80072F8F error, as the MS protocol is very picky about how a secure connection should look like. If you’re using a proxy server disable it, restart your computer and attempt to update again. If the update applies successfully, you’ll need to look for another proxy server or VPN provider if you want to get future Windows updates while surfing anonymously. But even if you’re certain that you don’t use any proxy settings, I urge you to double-check, as there is a lot of malware capable of redirecting your traffic through a proxy server. Here’s a quick guide on how to disable proxy settings on Windows:
Method 3: Installing the Root Certificate Update
Often times, the SLL certificate used by WU is not trusted by Microsoft’s servers due to a missing root Certification Authority (CA). Most Windows versions use an automatic update mechanism that will download certificate trust lists (CTLs) whenever a new one is available. However, you can manually download and install third-party root certificates that are distributed via Windows Root Certificate Program. Here’s a quick guide to installing root the certificate update. It should work in every Windows version:
Method 4: Disabling the 3rd party Firewall
It’s never a good idea to use two firewalls on the same computer (Windows Firewall + 3rd party firewall). This will create confusion whenever an SSL connection needs to be established between your computer and a Microsoft server, which can end up leading to the 80072F8F error. If you are using a 3rd party firewall like Zone Alarm, turn it off, restart your computer and see if the update is failing with the same error code. If the update is installing successfully, the issue has to be your additional firewall or a software conflict, since WU has no problem working under Windows Firewall. In the event that you want to keep using your 3rd party firewall and remove the 80072F8F error, you can try one of two things:
Disable Windows Firewall and eliminate the conflict – If you’re keen on using a 3rd party firewall, it’s important to disable the built-in firewall solution. To do this, press Windows + R and type firewall.cpl in the Run window. Then, click on Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off and disable it for both Public network settings and Private network settings. If disabling Windows Firewall still doesn’t allow WU updates to get through your 3rd party firewall, you have little choice but to seek support from the developers of that respective software. Some firewalls have security options that will interfere with the SSL connection.
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