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MSVCP140-DLL-MISSING

DLL Errors MSVCP140.dll Is Missing or Not Found Applies to: Windows 7, Windows 10, Windows 11

What it means

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.

Also seen as: The code execution cannot proceed because MSVCP140.dll was not found, MSVCP140.dll is missing from your computer

Quick fix steps

  1. Download and install the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable (x64) directly from Microsoft's own site — this is the actual, correct fix for the large majority of cases, since it installs MSVCP140.dll along with dozens of related files at once.
  2. If it's already installed, try repairing it instead: Settings > Apps > Installed apps, find "Microsoft Visual C++ 2015-2022 Redistributable," and choose Repair if the option is available, or uninstall and reinstall it fresh.
  3. On a 32-bit program specifically, you may also need the x86 version of the redistributable alongside the x64 one — some programs need both.
  4. Restart your PC after installing, even if not explicitly prompted, before testing whether the error is gone.
  5. If the error persists after this, run sfc /scannow in case a genuine Windows system file is also affected.
For the full step-by-step walkthrough, see How to Fix a Missing or Not Found DLL File Error.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will installing the Visual C++ Redistributable fix every program showing this error?
Yes, typically — since MSVCP140.dll is a shared file, one installation of the redistributable package fixes this error for every program that depends on it, not just the one you were trying to run.
Is it safe to install multiple versions of the Visual C++ Redistributable?
Yes — different programs may need different versions, and Windows allows multiple versions to coexist safely without conflicting with each other.

Other error codes

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.

API-MS-WIN-CRT-DLL-MISSING — api-ms-win-crt-runtime-l1-1-0.dll Is Missing

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.

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.