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MSVCP140.dll is missing - how to fix it safely

MSVCP140.dll belongs to the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable - a runtime package thousands of programs and games rely on. When Windows says the file is missing, the runtime is absent or damaged on your PC. The correct fix is reinstalling that package from Microsoft, and it takes about five minutes. Downloading the single DLL from a random site is the one thing you should never do.

Fix it automatically

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Quick answer

Download the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable (2015-2022) from Microsoft's official site and install both the x64 and x86 versions, then restart the PC. This restores MSVCP140.dll and its companions in one step - most programs start normally right after.

Symptoms - how this problem looks

"The program can't start because MSVCP140.dll is missing from your computer"
The error names a related file instead: VCRUNTIME140.dll or MSVCP140_1.dll
A game or app crashes on launch right after installation
The error appeared after a Windows reinstall or a big cleanup
Reinstalling the program did not help
Several different programs show the same missing-DLL error

Why it happens

The Visual C++ runtime is not installed

Fresh Windows installs do not include every runtime version. The first program that needs it shows the error.

The runtime got damaged

Aggressive cleanup tools, interrupted updates and disk errors can corrupt runtime files - programs then fail even though the package looks installed.

Wrong bitness

32-bit programs need the x86 package even on 64-bit Windows. If only x64 is installed, 32-bit apps still report the file as missing.

A rogue DLL copy

A single MSVCP140.dll dropped into a program folder from a download site is often the wrong version - or worse. It breaks apps in ways that look random.

The fixes, in order

1. Install the official Visual C++ Redistributable

  1. On Microsoft's official site, find "Visual C++ Redistributable latest supported downloads".
  2. Download both installers: vc_redist.x64.exe and vc_redist.x86.exe (yes, both - even on 64-bit Windows).
  3. Run each; if the installer offers Repair instead of Install, choose Repair.
  4. Restart the PC and start the failing program.

Stay safe: Only Microsoft's site. DLL download sites distribute mismatched and sometimes tampered files - a single wrong DLL creates errors far harder to trace than the one you started with.

2. Repair the package if it is already installed

  1. Open Settings, Apps, Installed apps and search for "Visual C++ 2015-2022 Redistributable".
  2. Click the three dots, choose Modify, then Repair - do it for both x64 and x86 entries.
  3. Restart and test.

3. Reinstall the failing program

  1. Uninstall the program in Settings, Apps.
  2. Restart, then install it fresh - many installers bring the exact runtime version they need.
  3. For Steam games use: right-click the game, Properties, Installed Files, Verify integrity of game files.

4. Repair system files if nothing sticks

  1. Right-click Start, open Terminal (Admin).
  2. Run sfc /scannow, then DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth.
  3. Restart and repeat method 1 - repairs succeed on a healthy system.

Frequently asked questions

Can I just download MSVCP140.dll and drop it into the program folder?

Technically the error may disappear - and a subtler one appears, because the runtime is a set of matched files, not one DLL. Version mismatches crash apps in random places, and DLL sites are a known malware channel. The redistributable installer is official, free and takes a minute.

Why do I need both x64 and x86 versions?

64-bit Windows runs both 64-bit and 32-bit programs, and each kind loads its own copy of the runtime. Installing both covers everything; the two packages coexist by design.

The error names VCRUNTIME140.dll instead. Is it the same fix?

Yes - VCRUNTIME140.dll, MSVCP140.dll and MSVCP140_1.dll all ship in the same Visual C++ Redistributable. Our VCRUNTIME140.dll guide covers that variant in detail.

The automatic route, whenever you are ready

Outbyte PC Repair checks the system and shows what it found - then waits. Nothing is applied without your OK, and a restore point lets you undo changes.

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