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DLL file errors on Windows

"The program can't start because MSVCP140.dll was not found" - or VCRUNTIME140.dll, or d3dx9_43.dll. A DLL is a shared library many programs use at once; when one goes missing or gets corrupted, every program that needs it fails. The good news: the safe fix is almost never "download the DLL".

First, the warning: never download individual DLL files from "DLL download" websites. Those files are unverified, often outdated for your system and a well-known malware channel. Every fix below gets the DLL from a legitimate source instead.

The fixes, in order

1. Reinstall the program that shows the error

  1. Uninstall the affected program via Settings, then Apps.
  2. Reinstall it from the developer's official website - the installer carries the DLLs the program needs and puts them back correctly.

2. Repair the Visual C++ Redistributables (fixes MSVCP*, VCRUNTIME*)

  1. Most "MSVCP140.dll" and "VCRUNTIME140.dll" errors mean the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable is missing or broken.
  2. Download the latest redistributable from Microsoft's official site (search "Visual C++ Redistributable latest supported downloads" - the page is learn.microsoft.com).
  3. Install both the x64 and x86 versions, then restart the PC.

3. For game errors (d3dx9_*, xinput*) - repair DirectX through the game platform

  1. In Steam: right-click the game, Properties, Installed Files, then "Verify integrity of game files".
  2. Game platforms reinstall the DirectX components their games need; standalone games often carry a redist folder inside their installation directory.

4. Repair Windows system DLLs

  1. Right-click Start, open Terminal (Admin), and run sfc /scannow - it restores protected system DLLs from Windows' own store.
  2. If needed, follow with DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth and run SFC again.

5. Check for malware

  1. Run a full scan in Windows Security - malware sometimes replaces or corrupts shared DLLs.

The automatic option

Outbyte PC Repair scans the system for junk and temporary files, unneeded background processes, tracking cookies and vulnerabilities such as missing updates, and fixes what it finds in one pass - a reasonable shortcut when the system as a whole feels unhealthy.

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Frequently asked questions

Why not just download the missing DLL?

Because a DLL from a random site may be the wrong version for your Windows build, may conflict with other programs, and may carry malware. The legitimate sources - the program's installer, Microsoft's redistributables, Windows' own repair tools - give you the right file safely.

The same DLL error appears in several programs. What does that mean?

A shared runtime is broken - almost always the Visual C++ Redistributable. Fix 2 above repairs it for every affected program at once.

The error appeared after a Windows update. What now?

Run sfc /scannow first, and if the error remains, uninstall the most recent update (Settings, Windows Update, Update history, Uninstall updates) to confirm the update caused it. See the Windows errors guide for the full sequence.