How to Use DISM to Repair Windows 10

DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) is a built-in Windows 10 command-line tool that repairs the Windows image, the store of original system files that Windows uses to fix itself. When that store is damaged, tools like System File Checker can’t repair anything, updates fail, and features stop working. DISM checks the image, downloads clean files from Windows Update, and replaces the damaged ones. This guide covers the three main DISM repair commands, how to repair from an ISO file when Windows Update can’t help, and what to run afterward.

Windows 10 reached end of support in October 2025. DISM still works on Windows 10, and the commands are the same in Windows 11.

Quick answer

Open Command Prompt as administrator and run DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth. When it finishes, run sfc /scannow and restart.

Step 1: Open Command Prompt as administrator

Click Start, type cmd, right-click Command Prompt, and choose Run as administrator. Click Yes when asked. DISM won’t run without admin rights.

Step 2: Check the image (optional)

DISM has two read-only checks you can run first:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth takes a few seconds and tells you if corruption has already been recorded.
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth does a deeper scan that takes several minutes.

Neither command changes anything. If they report that the component store is repairable, continue to Step 3. If you already know something is wrong, you can skip straight to Step 3.

Step 3: Repair the image

Run:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

DISM compares your files against clean copies from Windows Update and replaces anything damaged. It usually takes 10 to 20 minutes. The progress can sit at 20% or 62% for a long time, which is normal. When you see “The restore operation completed successfully,” move on.

Step 4: Run System File Checker

DISM fixes the repair source, and SFC uses it to fix the system files you’re actually running. Run:

sfc /scannow

Then restart the PC. See our guide on running an SFC scan in Windows 10 for what each SFC result means.

If DISM fails: repair from an ISO

If RestoreHealth fails with error 0x800f081f (“The source files could not be found”), or your PC isn’t online, point DISM at a Windows 10 installation file instead.

Download the Windows 10 ISO from Microsoft using the Media Creation Tool. Match your edition and version as closely as possible.
Right-click the ISO file and choose Mount. Note the drive letter it gets, such as E:.
Check which file is in the sources folder: install.wim or install.esd.
Find the index number of your edition with DISM /Get-WimInfo /WimFile:E:\sources\install.wim (use install.esd if that’s the file). Look for your edition, such as Windows 10 Pro, and note its index.
Run the repair, replacing the letter and index: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:wim:E:\sources\install.wim:6 /LimitAccess. For an .esd file, use /Source:esd:E:\sources\install.esd:6.

The /LimitAccess switch tells DISM to use only the ISO, not Windows Update.

Clean up the component store

DISM can also free up space by removing old versions of updated components:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /AnalyzeComponentStore shows how much space can be reclaimed.
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup removes the old versions.

This is safe, but you won’t be able to uninstall updates that were installed before the cleanup.

Troubleshooting

Error 87: There’s a typo. Check for a space before each slash.
Stuck for over an hour: Leave it a bit longer, then restart and try again. Disconnecting from a slow VPN can help.
Still failing: Check the log at C:\Windows\Logs\DISM\dism.log, or do a repair install that keeps your files and apps.

For the full repair sequence, including CHKDSK and repair installs, see our guide on fixing corrupted system files in Windows 10.

Frequently asked questions

Is DISM safe to run?

Yes. It only replaces Windows system components and doesn’t touch your personal files or apps.

Should I run DISM or SFC first?

Run DISM first, then SFC. If the image SFC relies on is damaged, SFC can’t repair files correctly.

Summary

Open Command Prompt as administrator.
Run DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth.
Use an ISO with /Source and /LimitAccess if it fails.
Run sfc /scannow and restart.

Kermit Matthews

Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.

He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.

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