On Windows 7 with IE 11 using Windows Update there is an option to get updates for other Microsoft products. This effectivily updates Windows Update to Microsoft Update but it doesn’t work! Instead it redirects you to a page telling you how to use Windows Update via the Start Menu.

Found the fux hidden away on https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/68fc8092-8480-4c10-ba53-f1a2d23654b2/ie-11-blocks-access-to-microsoft-update-service?forum=ieitprocurrentver

You add microsoft.com under compatibility view settings and then try again and it works!

After that you can remove microsoft.com from compatibility view settings.

It might be our group policy setting changing things but really would think that Microsoft would fix the web site.