Windows 11 24H2 has been struggling with numerous problems since it released back in October, including network connectivity failures, broken keyboard shortcuts, and crashing Office apps. For many, the only fix so far has been to revert to a previous version of Windows 11.

Last week, Microsoft released cumulative update KB5046617 that was supposed to improve stability and fix bugs in 24H2. Unfortunately, the rescue update itself is now causing frustrations because users are having trouble getting it to install at all. They’re running into various error messages with no clear causes.

If you’re one of these users, here’s some good news: there’s a workaround you can use to solve the problem yourself.

The problem with patch KB5046617

You may encounter problems at various points when trying to install cumulative update KB5046617. According to Windows Latest, you might receive error codes 0x800f0991 or 0x800f0922 after the installation reaches somewhere between 35 and 40 percent.

For others, the update might appear to install successfully, only for the Windows Update section of Settings to say that the update actually failed. This is particularly frustrating because it doesn’t explain why the installation failed, making troubleshooting near impossible.

To add insult to injury, Windows 11 will keep trying to install the update after failure, which can result in a continuous loop.

What you can do if you’re affected

Apparently, it’s possible to successfully install the KB5046617 patch if you do it manually instead of through Windows Update.

To do this, you need to open the Microsoft Update Catalog and search for KB5046617. Then, next to the appropriate one for your system, click the Download button. When the pop-up appears, click the appropriate link to download the installer file. Double-click the file to install the update — it should succeed without any error messages.

If you still run into problems installing the update, the only solution is to wait for Microsoft to fix the error. Unfortunately, there’s no information as to when that might happen as of this writing.

Further reading: My favorite improvements in Windows 11 24H2