To install a .cab update in Windows 10, open Command Prompt as administrator and run DISM /Online /Add-Package /PackagePath: followed by the file’s full path. Then restart the PC. If the CAB file is a driver, unpack it with the expand command and install it from Device Manager instead.

Applies to: Windows 10. Microsoft ended Windows 10 support on October 14, 2025, so a PC without Extended Security Updates no longer receives security fixes; that program runs until October 12, 2027.

Contents hide

1 Before you start

2 Install a Windows update CAB file

3 Install a driver CAB file

4 Where CAB files usually come from

5 Other ways to install CAB and MSU files

6 Check or remove an installed package

7 Troubleshooting

8 Frequently asked questions

Before you start

Only use CAB files from Microsoft or your PC’s maker. A bad file can break Windows.
Most updates install on their own through Windows Update, so try to update Windows 10 that way first.
Put the file somewhere with a short path, like C:\Temp, so it’s easy to type.

Install a Windows update CAB file

Select Start, type cmd, right-click Command Prompt, and select Run as administrator. (There are other ways to open Command Prompt in Windows 10 if search doesn’t find it.)
Type this, using your file’s path, and press Enter:

DISM /Online /Add-Package /PackagePath:C:\Temp\contoso-update.cab

Wait for The operation completed successfully, then type Y to restart.

Administrator Command Prompt running DISM Add-Package on a CAB file with a success message — Run the DISM command (1) and wait for the success message (2).

Install a driver CAB file

Driver CAB files hold a few files, including one that ends in .inf.

Open Command Prompt and make a folder: mkdir C:\Drivers\Contoso
Unpack the CAB file into it: expand -F:* contoso-driver.cab C:\Drivers\Contoso

Command Prompt running expand on a driver CAB file into a folder — Run expand (1). Windows lists the files it unpacked (2).

Open Device Manager, right-click the device, and select Update driver > Browse my computer for drivers.
Choose the C:\Drivers\Contoso folder and select Next.

Drivers that don’t come as CAB files are handled in updating all drivers on Windows 10.

Where CAB files usually come from

Microsoft Update Catalog. Microsoft’s official site for downloading single updates. Many downloads there are .msu files with a CAB inside.
Your PC maker’s support site. Dell, HP, Lenovo and others publish driver packs as CAB files for IT staff and for PCs that can’t reach Windows Update.
Language packs and optional features. These come as CAB files on Microsoft’s installation media for offline PCs.

Before you install anything by hand, check that it matches your Windows 10 version and type. Open Settings > System > About to see your version (such as 22H2) and system type (64-bit or 32-bit). A CAB built for a different version or for ARM PCs won’t install, and DISM will say it isn’t applicable.

Other ways to install CAB and MSU files

PowerShell. In an administrator PowerShell window, run Add-WindowsPackage -Online -PackagePath "C:\Temp\contoso-update.cab". It does the same job as the DISM command.
Driver files with pnputil. After you unpack a driver CAB, run pnputil /add-driver C:\Drivers\Contoso\*.inf /install to add and install it without opening Device Manager.
MSU files. Microsoft Update Catalog downloads often end in .msu. Double-click one to install it with Windows Update Standalone Installer. If that fails, unpack it with expand -F:* update.msu C:\Temp\msu and install the CAB inside with DISM.

Check or remove an installed package

To see whether an update is installed, run DISM /Online /Get-Packages /Format:Table and look for its KB number. To remove one, copy its full package name from that list and run DISM /Online /Remove-Package /PackageName: followed by the name. Some updates are permanent and can’t be removed.

Troubleshooting

“Error: 740” or “Elevated permissions are required.” Close the window and open Command Prompt with Run as administrator.
“The system cannot find the file specified.” Check the path. If it has spaces, put it in quotes, such as /PackagePath:”C:\My Files\update.cab”.
DISM stops with a pending restart message. Restart the PC first, then run the command again.
The file seems damaged. Download it again from the official source. Right-click the file, select Properties > Digital Signatures, and check that it’s signed by Microsoft or your PC maker.

Frequently asked questions

DISM says the package isn’t applicable. What does that mean?

The update doesn’t match your version of Windows 10, or it’s already installed. Check Windows Update instead.

Can I use DISM to repair Windows too?

Yes. DISM pairs with System File Checker when you run an SFC scan in Windows 10 (with DISM).

What is a CAB file?

A CAB (cabinet) file is a compressed Windows package. It can hold updates, drivers, language packs or other system files. You can open one in File Explorer like a ZIP file to see what’s inside.

Can I open a CAB file without installing it?

Yes. Double-click it in File Explorer to browse the files inside, then drag them out to copy them. This is useful for checking what a driver pack contains.

Do I need to restart after installing a CAB file?

Usually, yes, for updates and language packs. DISM asks you when it’s needed. Drivers often work right away.

Every DISM package option is listed in DISM Operating System Package (.cab or .msu) Servicing Command-Line Options.

On a newer PC? Related: installing a CAB file in Windows 11.

Matt Jacobs

Matt Jacobs writes and maintains the guides on Support Your Tech, which he started in 2017. He spent most of his career keeping small-business PCs running and still takes the occasional consulting job, so the steps here come from fixing the same problems on other people’s computers. Every guide is checked on his own Windows 11, Windows 10, Mac, iPhone and iPad before it goes up.