Why Update Health Tools Reinstall Themselves After a Removal Attempt

Quick fix: Update Health Tools (KB4023057, often appearing as “Microsoft Update Health Tools” in installed apps) reinstalls because Windows Update considers it required for fixing update issues. Remove it via PowerShell, then block reinstall via wushowhide.diagcab targeting the specific KB.

You see “Microsoft Update Health Tools” in installed apps. You uninstall it. A few days later it’s back. The same package keeps reinstalling. Microsoft considers it part of the update infrastructure, so Windows Update keeps offering it. You can suppress it but not permanently delete unless you block the KB.

What Update Health Tools does

Update Health Tools is Microsoft’s remediation framework. When Windows Update encounters specific failures, this tool runs predefined fix-up scripts. It also collects diagnostic data about update behavior. Most users don’t need it actively but Microsoft considers it harmless. The persistent reinstall is by design — Windows treats it as critical update infrastructure.

Method 1: Uninstall via Settings

1. Open Settings → Apps → Installed apps.
2. Search for “Microsoft Update Health Tools”.
3. Click the three-dot menu → Uninstall.
4. Confirm.

Method 2: Hide the KB to prevent reinstall

1. Download wushowhide.diagcab from Microsoft.
2. Run it. Choose Hide updates.
3. Find KB4023057 (Update Health Tools) in the list.
4. Hide it.
5. Run Windows Update; the package won’t reappear.

Method 3: Block via Group Policy

1. Open gpedit.msc → Windows Update → Manage updates offered from Windows Update.
2. Set update deferral policies to skip optional/recommended updates.
3. For specific app blocks, use AppLocker (Pro/Enterprise) to deny execution of the Update Health Tools executable path.

How to verify the fix worked

• Update Health Tools no longer appears in Installed apps.
• Windows Update doesn’t offer KB4023057.
• Wait several weeks — the tool stays removed.

If none of these work

If wushowhide doesn’t list the KB, run Windows Update first (Check for updates) to make Windows offer the KB — then wushowhide can hide it. For managed devices, your organization’s Windows Update policy may override local blocks. Removing Update Health Tools doesn’t harm anything — Windows Update continues to function normally without it.

Bottom line: Update Health Tools is persistent by Microsoft’s design. Uninstall + hide-via-wushowhide is the standard removal recipe. Block in Group Policy for fleet deployment.