While attempting to update the software on your PC, an alert shows up on the screen stating “Waiting for you to review the license terms”. Though you try to get through the terms and conditions, either the page doesn’t appear or seems to get stuck and doesn’t go away. Fret not, mate! You are not alone to have encountered this Windows update-related issue. Getting to the root cause of the problem, I’ve jotted down the 15 tried and tested solutions to fix Windows 11 waiting for you to review the license terms. Keep reading to…
How to Fix Windows 11 Waiting for You to Review the License Terms
From what I have gone through, this issue generally crops up during Windows updates, especially when downloading and installing cumulative or feature updates. However, in certain scenarios, Windows doesn’t display the prompt where you can take a look at the review and accept the terms, causing the update to get stuck. As to what triggers the problem, it’s owing to a number of factors such as –
- Pending license agreement
- Corrupt update files
- Windows Update glitch
- Background services stopped
- Group policy restrictions
- Insufficient disk space
- Incorrect date/time
- Missing dependencies
- Conflicting third-party apps
- Authentication issues
Having spotted the culprits; now is the right time to take them on with viable solutions without harming any of your media and data.
1. Restart Your PC
Bear in mind that temporary glitches can block the license terms from being accepted. A quick restart will let you flush out such glitches.
- To reboot your PC, dive into the Start menu > Power menu > and choose Restart in the menu.
2. Manually Accept License Terms
If Windows doesn’t prompt you to accept the terms properly, try accepting the license terms manually.
- Open the Settings app on your PC > click Windows Update and then check for any pending license agreement prompts.
- If there is one, click Accept to continue.
3. Check Windows Update Settings
Bear in mind that if updates are paused or disabled on your Windows device, the system may be stuck in a pending state. Therefore, make sure to take a close look at the update settings via the Settings app > Windows Update.
4. Ensure the Date and Time Are Correct
Wrongly configured date/time settings might also be interfering with Windows Update. Thus, be sure the date and time settings are correct.
- Navigate to Settings > Time & language > Date & time.
- Now, enable the Set time automatically and Set time zone automatically.
5. Check for Pending Updates
On some occasions, multiple pending updates may block new license agreements from showing up. Therefore, go to the Settings app > Windows Update section to check for the pending updates and install them.
6. Check for Missing Dependencies
As the missing system components (like .NET Framework) may be causing the update issues, it would be better to check for the dependencies and ensure that they are in the right place.
- Open the Settings app on your Windows 11 device > Apps > Installed apps.
- Check if .NET Framework 3.5 and 4.8 are installed. If missing, install them.
7. Declutter Disk Space
Is your PC clogged up and doesn’t have much space to accommodate the latest update? Check the disk space and declutter it – if required.
- To begin with, open Settings > Storage to check available space.
- If your disk space is cluttered, make sure to free up space if needed by deleting unnecessary files.
8. Restart Windows Update Services
If update-related services have been stuck on your Windows 11 device, restarting them may resolve the issue.
- Press Win + R to fire up the Run dialog > type
services.msc, and hit Enter. - Then, locate Windows Update, Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS), and Cryptographic Services.
- Now, you have to right-click each service and select Restart.
9. Run Windows Update Troubleshooter
Should the issue persist, run the Windows Update troubleshooter as it’s very effective in detecting and eliminating issues.
- Open the Settings app on your Windows device > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters.
- Now, click Run next to Windows Update and follow the on-screen instructions to remove the detected threats.
10. Clear Windows Update Cache
Keep in mind that corrupt update cache files can block the path of updates and hinder them from completing. So, it’s the right time to wipe out the pileup of the Windows update cache.
To get going, launch the Command Prompt as Administrator and run these commands one by one:
- net stop wuauserv
- net stop bits
- net stop cryptsvc
- del /f /s /q %windir%\SoftwareDistribution\*
- net start wuauserv
- net start bits
- net start cryptsvc
- Then, you will have to restart your PC and try updating again.
11. Perform a Clean Boot
If the problem has continued to plague your PC, be sure to determine and eliminate the conflicting third-party applications or services. What better way to isolate the conflicting elements than bringing the clean boot into play?
- Press Win + R to reveal the Run dialog > type
msconfig, and hit Enter. - Now, head over to to Services tab > Check Hide all Microsoft services, and click Disable all.
- After that, open Task Manager > disable startup apps, and then restart your PC.
12. Run SFC and DISM Scans
It’s also important to mention that corrupt system files can interfere with Windows Update. Hence, it would be apt to run the SFC and the DISM scans to repair the malicious files and restore the missing ones.
- On your PC, open Command Prompt as Administrator and run:
sfc /scannow - If the SFC scan is unable to resolve an issue, you will be prompted to run:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth - Up next, you have to restart your PC and try updating again.
13. Switch to a Local Account and Back to a Microsoft Account
Account authentication issues might be hurting the Windows update functionality – to the point where it’s struggling to finish.
- To do so, launch the Settings app on your PC > Accounts > Your info.
- Now, click Sign in with a local account instead and follow the instructions.
- Up next, you need to restart and sign back in with your Microsoft account.
14. Perform an In-Place Upgrade Using Windows 11 ISO
If the standard update methods continue to fail, it would be a good idea to go for the manual upgrade as it can work wonders in resolving the update-related bugs.
- To get going, download the Windows 11 ISO from the official Microsoft website.
- After that, you need to mount the ISO and run Setup.exe.
- Next up, make sure to select Keep personal files and apps and then follow the on-screen instructions.
15. Reset Windows Update Components Using a Script
For a good many PC users, resetting all the update components has worked in troubleshooting the issue.
- To get it done, open Notepad on your PC > paste the following script, and save it as
reset-windows-update.bat: net stop wuauservnet stop cryptsvcnet stop bitsnet stop msiserverren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.oldren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 catroot2.oldnet start wuauservnet start cryptsvcnet start bitsnet start msiserver- After that, you have to right-click the file and select Run as administrator.
Wrapping up…
And, that’s about it! Hopefully, you have sorted out the Windows update issue on your PC by getting rid of the frustrating alert. Now, feel free to shoot your thoughts in the comments and the tips that brought the update feature back on track for you.
