Medium
Operating Systems
✓ Solution Verified by Community (0+ upvotes)
How to fix error 0x80072efe in Windows 11
ERROR_WINHTTP_CONNECTION_ERROR: Connection aborted.
Fix based on community reports and expert analysis. Last verified: 2026-08-12
· How we verify fixes
| Error Code | 0x80072efe |
|---|---|
| Affected System | Windows 11 (Microsoft) |
| Difficulty | Medium |
| Estimated Time | 15 min |
| Requires Admin Rights | ⚠️ Yes |
| Requires Reboot | 🔄 Yes |
Solution Steps
- 1 First, check your internet connection: Open a web browser and try to visit a website. If it fails, restart your router and modem. This ensures you have a stable connection.
- 2 If you're using a VPN, disconnect it and try Windows Update again. VPNs can sometimes interfere with the connection.
- 3 Disable any third-party firewall or antivirus temporarily to see if it's blocking the connection. If it is, add Windows Update to the exceptions list.
- 4 Open Command Prompt as administrator and run the command 'netsh winsock reset'. This resets the Windows network stack, which can fix network issues.
- 5 Also run 'netsh int ip reset' to reset the IP configuration. Restart your computer after these commands.
- 6 If the error persists, try using the Windows Update Troubleshooter from Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters.
- 7 You can also try changing your DNS server to a public one like Google DNS (8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4) by going to Network & Internet > Advanced network settings > More network adapter options, right-clicking your adapter, selecting Properties, then Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and entering the DNS addresses.
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