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API-MS-WIN-CRT-DLL-MISSING

DLL Errors api-ms-win-crt-runtime-l1-1-0.dll Is Missing Applies to: Windows 7, Windows 10, Windows 11

What it means

This specific file is part of the Universal C Runtime, closely related to the Visual C++ Redistributable — a shared component many programs depend on. This message means it isn't installed or has become damaged.

Also seen as: api-ms-win-crt-runtime-l1-1-0.dll was not found, The program can't start because api-ms-win-crt-runtime-l1-1-0.dll is missing

Quick fix steps

  1. Download and install the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable (x64) directly from Microsoft's own site — this includes the Universal C Runtime files this specific error refers to.
  2. Run Windows Update fully (Settings > Windows Update) — the Universal C Runtime is also distributed as a standalone Windows update on older systems, particularly Windows 7 and early Windows 10 installs.
  3. If it's already installed, try repairing it: Settings > Apps > Installed apps, find "Microsoft Visual C++ 2015-2022 Redistributable," and choose Repair, or uninstall and reinstall it fresh.
  4. Restart your PC after installing, even if not explicitly prompted, before testing whether the error is gone.
For the full step-by-step walkthrough, see How to Fix a Missing or Not Found DLL File Error.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this the same fix as other DLL missing errors?
Yes, largely — installing the Visual C++ Redistributable covers this specific file too, since it's part of the same broader runtime component family.
Why would this specifically affect Windows 7 more than newer Windows?
Newer Windows versions include the Universal C Runtime built in by default, while Windows 7 needed it added separately, either through this redistributable or a specific standalone Windows Update.

Other error codes

MSVCP140-DLL-MISSING — MSVCP140.dll Is Missing or Not Found

MSVCP140.dll is part of the Microsoft Visual C++ 2015-2022 Redistributable — a shared component many different programs and games depend on. This message means that redistributable package isn't installed, or its installation has become damaged, not that anything is wrong with the program itself.

VCRUNTIME140-DLL-MISSING — VCRUNTIME140.dll Was Not Found

The same underlying cause as MSVCP140.dll — this is another file from the Microsoft Visual C++ 2015-2022 Redistributable package, and the fix is identical.

D3DX9-DLL-MISSING — d3dx9_43.dll Is Missing

This file is part of DirectX, specifically an older version many games still depend on. This message means that specific DirectX component isn't installed, which is common since it's not always included in the DirectX version Windows ships with by default.

XINPUT1-3-DLL-MISSING — XInput1_3.dll Is Missing

Another DirectX component, specifically the one handling Xbox-style controller input — common with older games that support gamepad input. Like d3dx9_43.dll, it's part of a legacy DirectX runtime not always included by default.