The short version
- 01Open Settings > Windows Update > Update history and record the failed driver's name and code.
- 02Check for current updates on a supported Windows 11 installation.
- 03Save your work and finish any required restart after installing updates.
- 04Test whether the hardware named by the failed driver update still works normally.
- 05Use Microsoft's driver-update procedure or the manufacturer's matching driver if the device needs an update.
- 06Give persistent driver failures, the device model and test results to the manufacturer or your IT administrator.
Raw message
0x80070103
Likely causes
- A driver installation failed; Microsoft's Windows 11 release notes record this code without assigning a universal underlying cause.
Identify the driver and check Windows updates
Microsoft's October 28, 2025 Windows 11 release, KB5067036, records changes intended to reduce driver-install failures with 0x80070103. That confirms a documented driver-update context; the release note does not define every cause of the code. This reference covers driver updates on Windows 11.
Open Settings > Windows Update > Update history and note the failed driver's name. Then check Windows Update for current fixes for your supported Windows version and complete any required restart. Our recommendation is to use the current update route rather than seek out that older preview package.
Check whether the named device has a problem
Our next check is the hardware named by the failed update: test its normal function and record the result. A functioning device and a device that has stopped working need different follow-up information. The code alone does not establish that the installed driver is defective.
Microsoft delivers recommended drivers through Windows Update. Optional drivers are listed separately in Windows Update > Advanced options > Optional updates and are not installed automatically. Select a driver relevant to the device you are investigating rather than treating every optional item as required.
Use a matching driver when an update is needed
For a specific device, Microsoft's manual route starts with its manufacturer's driver download, matching the Windows version and architecture. In Device Manager, choose that device's Update driver > Browse my computer for drivers and select the downloaded driver location.
If the driver cannot be updated, Microsoft directs you to the device manufacturer for a compatible driver or further support. Our recommendation is to include the failed update's name, device model, Windows version and hardware test result in that request.
Sources and review notes
Checked on . Based on Microsoft's Windows 11 release note naming 0x80070103 and its update and driver documentation. Recording the failed update, testing hardware and choosing the current update route are editorial guidance. This reference does not infer a duplicate driver from the code or advise ignoring all failures. Glitchary is independent of Microsoft.