0X80280037

Fix TPM_E_INVALID_FAMILY 0x80280037 on Windows 10/11

EP
Erropedia Team
📅 August 8, 2026 📅 Updated Aug 8, 2026 👁 0 views Windows Errors Intermediate
TPM error 0x80280037 appears during TPM firmware updates or when clearing TPM. It means the TPM's family ID doesn't match. Reset via BIOS or Windows Security.

You're updating TPM firmware through Windows Update or the manufacturer's tool, and right after the reboot, you get TPM_E_INVALID_FAMILY (0x80280037) with the message "The command is attempting to use an invalid family ID." Or you tried to clear the TPM from the Windows Security app and it failed with the same code. I've seen this on Dell and Lenovo laptops, especially when the TPM is a discrete chip from Infineon or Nuvoton.

The TPM has a family ID that identifies its generation and feature set. When the firmware update or clear command sends a family ID that doesn't match what the chip expects, the TPM refuses to execute it. That mismatch happens when the TPM driver is out of sync with the actual firmware, or when the update process sent the wrong ID.

The real fix is to reset the TPM to its default state, which forces it to accept a new family ID. You can do that through the UEFI/BIOS or through Windows if the TPM still responds. I'll walk you through both, starting with the easier Windows method.

Before you start

Clearing the TPM will turn off BitLocker, if you're using it, and you'll need to sign in again on all your apps. You won't lose your personal files, but any encryption tied to the TPM will break. If you have BitLocker, make sure you have your recovery key backed up first. Write it down or save it to a USB drive.

Method 1: Clear the TPM from Windows Security

  1. Open Windows Security — Press Win + I to open Settings, go to Privacy & security (Windows 11) or Update & Security (Windows 10), then select Windows Security > Device security.
  2. Click Security processor details — Under "Security processor," you'll see a link. Click it.
  3. Click TPM troubleshooting — In the next window, look for "TPM troubleshooting" and click it.
  4. Click Clear TPM — You'll see a warning about BitLocker. Click Clear and then Restart.

After the restart, your PC will boot to the UEFI setup screen. That's normal — the TPM was cleared, and the system wants you to confirm the change. Press Enter to accept the reset. The PC will reboot again, and Windows should start normally. After that, try the firmware update or whatever command failed — it should go through now.

Method 2: Reset TPM from UEFI/BIOS

If Windows Security gives you an error when you click Clear TPM, or if the system won't boot into Windows, you'll have to do this from the BIOS.

  1. Restart your PC and press the key to enter UEFI. That's usually F2 on Dell, F1 on Lenovo, Esc on HP, or Del on custom builds. Watch the screen for the prompt.
  2. Find the TPM settings — Look under Security, Trusted Computing, or Advanced. The name varies. On Dell, it's Security > TPM 2.0 Security. On Lenovo, it's Security > Security Chip.
  3. Select Clear TPM or Reset TPM — The option might say "Clear TPM," "Reset to Factory Defaults," or "Change TPM State." Choose the one that clears or resets.
  4. Save and exit — Press F10 to save changes and exit. Confirm when asked.
  5. Let it reboot — The system will restart and might show a prompt to press a key to clear the TPM. Press the indicated key. If it doesn't show a prompt, just wait for Windows to load.

Once Windows boots, go back to Windows Security and check the TPM status. It should say "Ready." Then retry whatever you were doing when you got the error.

Method 3: If the error persists after clearing

Sometimes clearing the TPM doesn't fix it because the firmware itself is corrupted. That's rare, but I've seen it on systems where the TPM firmware update was interrupted by a power loss.

Check your motherboard or laptop manufacturer's support site for a TPM firmware update utility. On Dell, that's the TPM Firmware Update Utility. On Lenovo, it's in the System Update tool. Download the latest version, run it as administrator, and let it update the TPM. It'll ask you to reboot a couple of times — don't skip that.

If you still get 0x80280037, you might have a hardware issue. Try resetting the BIOS to default settings. On most systems, you can do that from the BIOS setup screen by selecting Load Defaults or Reset to Factory Defaults. Save and exit.

What else to check if it still fails

  • TPM driver — Open Device Manager, expand Security devices, right-click Trusted Platform Module 2.0, and select Update driver. Choose "Search automatically for drivers."
  • Windows updates — Make sure you have the latest cumulative update. Go to Settings > Windows Update and check for updates.
  • BitLocker — If you had BitLocker on, you'll need to re-enable it after clearing the TPM. If you don't have the recovery key, you're locked out. That's why I told you to back it up.
  • Hardware switch — Some desktops have a physical TPM jumper on the motherboard. Check your manual. I've seen a reset jumper fix TPM issues that software couldn't.

If you've done all this and the error still shows up, it's time to contact the manufacturer. The TPM chip might be faulty, and that's not something you can fix in software.

Related Errors in Windows Errors
0XC00D32DE NS_E_METADATA_CANNOT_RETRIEVE_FROM_OFFLINE_CACHE fix 0X4000002F Fix STATUS_SYSTEM_POWERSTATE_TRANSITION (0X4000002F) 0XC00D1159 Fix NS_E_WMP_CONVERT_NO_RIGHTS_ERRORURL (0XC00D1159) in Windows Media Player 0XC00D10B7 Fix NS_E_WMPCORE_BUSY (0XC00D10B7) in Windows Media Player
TPM_E_INVALID_FAMILY 0x80280037 TPM error 0x80280037 invalid family ID TPM fix TPM error Windows 11 TPM firmware update failed clear TPM error 0x80280037 TPM family ID mismatch TPM reset BIOS Windows Security TPM clear

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EP
Erropedia Team
Tech Support Editors
The Erropedia editorial team researches and documents real-world tech errors from across Windows, Linux, macOS, networking, databases, cloud platforms, and more. Every solution is reviewed for accuracy and updated as software and systems evolve.