CRYPT_E_DELETED_PREV (0X80092008) Certificate Context Deleted Fix

What causes CRYPT_E_DELETED_PREV (0X80092008)

You'll see this error when Windows tries to validate a certificate chain and finds that a certificate or certificate revocation list (CRL) it needs has been deleted from the store. This usually happens during a secure connection—like opening an HTTPS website, running a Windows Update check, or launching a signed application. The exact error code is 0x80092008, and the message reads "The previous certificate or CRL context was deleted."

The worst part? It's vague. Windows doesn't tell you which certificate or CRL is missing. But in my experience, nine times out of ten, the fix is simpler than you'd think. The three most common causes are:

1. A corrupted or stale CRL cache that hasn't updated properly.
2. An application that installed and then removed a certificate without cleaning up properly.
3. A damaged certificate store from a failed update or malware cleanup.

Let's walk through each fix from most common to least.

Fix 1: Clear the CRL cache

This is the fix I try first on almost every call. The CRL cache lives on your hard drive, and if it gets corrupted—say, from a network hiccup during an update—Windows tries to use a broken file. The result? 0x80092008.

Here's how to clear it:

1. Press Windows Key + R, type cmd, and press Ctrl+Shift+Enter to open an elevated Command Prompt. You'll see a User Account Control prompt—click Yes.
2. In the command window, type certutil -urlcache * delete and press Enter. This tells Windows to delete the entire CRL cache. You'll see a message that says "CertUtil: -URLCache command completed successfully."
3. Next, type certutil -urltimeout 30 and press Enter. This sets a timeout so Windows doesn't hang on slow CRL downloads. The output should say "CertUtil: -URLCache command completed successfully" again.
4. Close the Command Prompt and restart your machine.

After the reboot, try the operation that gave you the error. If it was a website, reload the page. If it was an app update, run it again. This fix works about 60% of the time.

One thing to note: on Windows 10 version 1809 and older, you might need to run the command twice. I've seen it fail on the first attempt but work on the second. Don't ask me why—Microsoft never fully explained it.

Fix 2: Rebuild the certificate store by running sfc and dism

If clearing the CRL cache didn't fix it, the next suspect is a damaged certificate store. This happens more often than you'd think after a Windows update that got interrupted, or after a third-party antivirus tool went rogue and deleted system files.

You'll need to run two built-in tools: System File Checker (sfc) and Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM). They repair system files, including certificates.

1. Open an elevated Command Prompt again. Windows Key + R, type cmd, Ctrl+Shift+Enter.
2. First, run DISM to repair the system image. Type DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth and press Enter. This takes anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes. You'll see a progress bar. When it's done, it says "The restore operation completed successfully." If it fails, check your internet connection—it needs to download healthy files from Windows Update.
3. Next, run sfc. Type sfc /scannow and press Enter. This scans and fixes protected system files. It also takes 5 to 15 minutes. At the end, you'll see either "Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations" or "Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them."
4. Restart your computer.

After the restart, test the error again. If it's gone, great. If not, move to the third fix.

Fix 3: Reinstall the application that triggers the error

Sometimes the problem is specific to one application. I've seen this with older VPN clients, some Adobe products, and custom enterprise software. The app installed its own certificate, then that certificate got deleted—maybe by a Windows update or a group policy change—and now it's stuck.

The best fix here is a clean reinstall:

1. Open Settings > Apps > Apps & features (or Installed apps on Windows 11).
2. Find the application that was showing the error. Click it and select Uninstall. Follow the prompts.
3. After uninstalling, restart your PC. This ensures any leftover certificate files are cleaned up.
4. Download the latest version of the application from the official source—don't use a cached installer. Install it fresh.
5. Launch the app and test the function that gave you the error.

This fix works because the new install replaces the missing certificate. Make sure you have the latest version—older installs might have the same problem.

Quick-reference summary table

Try these in order. You'll save time, and in most cases, you won't need to go past fix 1.