The error 0x80040204 is basically an update issue that appears when you attempt to update Microsoft Edge to its next available version. This might occur because of varied reasons. Some of them are – incompatible OS, poor net connectivity, or its update has been blocked by your organization.
The error 0x80040204 might also occur when you try updating Google Chrome by downloading its setup file. If you are facing this issue while upgrading Chrome on your computer, read this section instead.
Fix – Microsoft Edge Error 0x80040204
Here are a few things that you may try in cases wherein you are running into problems downloading, installing, or updating the Microsoft Edge web browser –
Note: Apply the below solutions in exact same order as provided below. Only when a solution fails to fix the error code 0x80040204, proceed to the next one –
1] Check Operating system compatibility
Though Microsoft Edge is designed to run on almost all operating systems, this may sometimes fail to function on a few OS. Here’s a list of operating systems that are compatible with the new Microsoft Edge –
- Windows 11
- Windows 10 all versions (x86, x64)
- MacOS 10.12 Sierra or higher
- All Linux distros
2] Check Network connectivity
The error 0x80040204 may also appear when you are experiencing a slow internet speed or there are any network connectivity issues.
Tip: If you use VPNs to connect to a particular site or use them to tunnel your whole computer, consider disabling them temporarily.
3] Enable Microsoft.com as your trusted sites
At times, we or our organization (where we work) block certain sites to prevent misusing them during office works. This could also be a probable reason to trigger an error code 0x80040204.
Talk to your IT team to get an idea about the same. You may even ask them to download and install Chromium-based Edge on your PC.
If you are an individual and own full rights, put www.microsoft.com as one of your trusted sites. Here’s how to perform this task –
- Open your default web browser (say Internet Explorer) first.
- Go to Tools and then Internet options.
- Under the Security tab, click Trusted sites > Sites.
Note: You may recognize a trusted site by searching for a green checkmark over it.
- Under Add this website to the zone, copy/paste the following –
https://officeapps.live.com
- Click Add and then close all running windows on your PC.
- Reboot your computer next so that changes made become effective from the next logon.
When Windows 11/10 restarts, check if you can now download or reinstall Microsoft Edge.
4] Reinstall Microsoft Edge
If neither workarounds discussed above resolve the error 0x80040204, you are left with only one option and that is to reinstall Microsoft Edge. However, before you proceed to this, keep the below points in your mind –
- Windows users: Reinstalling Edge won’t clear cookies, history, or any other settings on this browser.
- Mac or Linux users: Reinstalling Edge will purge all your history, cookies, or any settings that you have set up previously.
Here’s how to uninstall Microsoft Edge in Windows, Mac, or Linux –
Mac users only
- Launch Finder first.
- Go to the Applications folder and select Microsoft Edge.
- Select File and then hit Move to Trash.
Linux Users
To uninstall any application on Linux distros, you may run a command. The essential code to a few distributions is listed below –
Debian/Ubuntu (deb): sudo apt remove microsoft-edge-dev
Fedora (rpm): sudo dnf remove microsoft-edge-dev
openSUSE (rpm): sudo zypper remove microsoft-edge-dev
How to install or uninstall Microsoft Edge on Linux
Windows users
As stated above, you need not require uninstalling the Edge browser on your PC. So, open any other web browser and download its setup file. Once the download completes, double-click on the setup file to begin updating Microsoft Edge.
Note: After you complete updating the Edge browser, make sure to clear all its cache by visiting the path below –
Power Menu (Win + X) > Apps & Features > Apps
- Head over to the right navigation, scroll down and locate Microsoft Edge.
- When found, click the three vertical dots beside it and hit “Advanced options“.
- Under the Reset section, click the Reset button.
- Restart your Windows next to purge any leftover or residual files as well.
Fix – Chrome Download Error 0x80040204
You may encounter this error while downloading the Chrome setup file as well. If that’s the case, you may do the following in order to overcome this issue –
1] Disable Third-party Antivirus
Third-party antivirus programs are known to cause problems while downloading files online. So, if you do own any such security app, consider disabling it temporarily. Windows Security is a great in-built security antivirus for Windows 11 or 10 PC. Unlike in Windows 8.0 or 8.1, Windows Defender works pretty fine nowadays and is considered enough to deal with different viruses or malware.
In case you don’t have any external security app running on your computer, temporarily disable the Windows Defender app. After you disable this in-built app, check if you can now download Google Chrome’s setup file.
2] Boot into Clean boot state
In case the error 0x80040204 still persists, boot your device into the Clean boot state, and check if this resolves the Chrome’s setup downloading issue.
Booting into this state disables all third-party apps and services. As there won’t be any interactions from external apps, you must be able to download the setup file of Google Chrome. Now that you have the setup file, double-click on it to begin Chrome’s installation. Once this is over, you may boot into your Windows PC normally.
I hope the error 0x80040204 resolves after troubleshooting your device with the above tweaks. Let’s know if you are still struggling with this issue on your computer in the comment section.
