Errors that stop you from running a game or an app on your Windows PC are critical. You should fix them without delay.
The ‘msvcp140.dll is missing’ error is analogous to such critical errors. It pops up when you try to run a program on your Windows 10/8/7 computer. Generally, you get this error when the msvcp140.dll file goes missing from your computer.
In this post, we’ll discuss how to get the missing MSVCP140.dll file back. But, before that, let’s see why this file is important for your Windows computer.
What is MSVCP140.dll File? Why You Need it on Windows 10?
When you try to run a program, it may face an error and throw a message that reads, ‘ The program can’t start because msvcp140.dll is missing from your computer ’.
At times, the missing msvcp140.dll file error may also throw a message that reads –
- Error loading msvcp140.dll ,
- There was a problem starting msvcp140.dll ,
- msvcp140.dll contains an error ,
- msvcp140.dll is corrupted , or
- msvcp140.dll is not designed to run on Windows
All these messages indicate that your Windows operating system is unable to locate the msvcp140.dll file.
Either the msvcp140.dll file doesn’t exist in the destination folder, or due to some reasons, the msvcp140.dll is corrupted and can no longer serve its function.
Now, it is the msvcp140.dll file’s function that makes this error critical. The msvcp140.dll file is Dynamic Link Library (DLL) file that is responsible for launching programs.
The msvcp140.dll file is a core component file of the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable Packages for Virtual Studio.
It is developed with the Visual C++ language and is required for Windows to execute a command or run a program/application.
DID YOU KNOW?
When you install a licensed Windows operating system for the first time in your computer, a series of Microsoft C++ Runtime Libraries get installed.
The msvcp140.dll file is one such runtime library. The size of a msvcp140.dll file is 626KB and doesn’t increase further.
In your Windows computer, the msvcp140.dll file is located in the System32 folder on your C: drive. Ergo, the ‘msvcp140.dll is missing’ error indicates that this file has been removed from its destination i.e. the System32 folder.
How to Fix the “MSVCP140.dll is Missing” Error – 4 Effective Methods
As you explore the solutions presented below, you’ll understand the reasons that caused the msvcp140.dll file to go missing on your Windows computer.
One by one, try out each method illustrated below to see which restores the msvcp140.dll file back to the System32 folder. This helps you identify the factor that caused the ‘msvcp140.dll is missing’ error in the first place.
1. Clean Installation of the Program
To start off, you might as well try re-installing the troubled program. You need to carry out a ‘clean’ installation of the program that triggered this error when you tried running it.
To execute a clean installation of the program,
- Hold-press the shortcut keys ‘ Windows ’ and ‘ R ’ on your keyboard
- This brings up the Run dialog box
- Type ‘ appwiz.cpl ’ in the dialog box and press the Enter key
- Your screen displays a list of all programs installed on your Windows computer
- Right-click on the program that triggered the error
- Click on ‘ Uninstall ’
- Now, confirm it by clicking on ‘ Yes ’ in the prompt pop-up
- Restart your computer
- Log on to Windows with the administrator account
- Clear out all running applications
- Re-install the troubled program
Reinstalling the program in this way may fix the missing msvcp140.dll file error. Launch the program to see if you face the error again. If it runs smoothly, you don’t need to try out any other fix for this error.
BEST PRACTICE
Update Drivers
If a clean installation of the program fixed the issue, you may consider updating your drivers and system adaptors. An outdated software driver may have automatically removed the msvcp140.dll file from its destination.
To update drivers automatically, check for updates with Windows Updates and install them. Restart your computer to configure the updates.
You can manually install the driver updates as follows:
- Open the Run dialog box by hold-pressing ‘ Windows ’ and ‘ R ’ keys
- Type ‘ devmgmt.msc ’ in the box and click on OK
- Select the drivers from the list
- Right-click on each one of them, and select Update Driver Software from the drop-down menu
- Choose the option – Search automatically for updated driver software
- Restart your computer
2. Restore Microsoft C++ Redistributable Package
The msvcp140.dll file is a part of the Microsoft C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio package. So, if you reinstall the package, it automatically restores the msvcp140.dll file back into the System32 folder.
The package gets installed automatically every time you install the Windows. So, if the msvcp140.dll is corrupted, you can download the package and reinstall it.
Follow the procedure carefully; it could be a bit complicated. First, download the package from the link below:
www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=53840
- Choose “ English ” as the language before you click ‘ Download ’
- Select the version based on your current Windows OS
- If you are using a 64-bit version Windows , download the package in the 64-bit version
- To know which Windows version you’re currently running, type ‘ system information ’ in the Start menu search box
- Open the System Information window
- Go to System Summary and look for System Type
- Now, after downloading the appropriate package, click on ‘ Next ’
- Install the package by following the installation wizard instructions
- Restart your computer
Now, try to launch the program that triggered the missing msvcp140.dll file error. You may not face the error, now that the msvcp140.dll file has been restored.
QUICK FIX
Download DLL File & Restore Manually
You may consider downloading just the msvcp140.dll file and placing it back into the System32 file. This method is not as effective as the above and comes with risk .
However, you can fix the error quickly and get the program running.
To download the msvcp140.dll file, click on the link below:
www.dllme.com/dll/download/29970/msvcp140.dll
- After downloading the msvcp140.dll file, go to the Downloads folder on your Windows computer
- Copy the msvcp140.dll file
- Enter the address C: Drive>Windows>System32 on the File Explorer window
- Paste the file
Restart your computer, and run the troubled program again.
3. Scan Your PC for Viruses
You can also consider running third-party antivirus software to detect if the msvcp140.dll file is corrupted or not. Usually, any software that scans your PC for viruses detects the corrupted DLL files.
You can go for online tools if you don’t have any antivirus software installed on your PC. If you have, then run a full scan for viruses.
Allow the antivirus software to scan the C: drive of your Windows computer, in particular. You can also run a scan with Windows Defender.
FREE PICK
Run an SFC Scan
Another way to scan for corrupted msvcp140.dll files – you can run the System File Checker (SFC) scan. With an SFC scan, you don’t need to spend on purchasing antivirus software; the scan is inbuilt and free!
To run an SFC scan,
- Type ‘ cmd ’ in the Windows 10 search box
- Go to Command Prompt program from the search results
- Right-click on it and select ‘ Run as administrator ’ from the context menu
- Type the command ‘ sfc /scannow ’ in the Command Prompt window
- Press the Enter key to execute the scan
- Wait for the scan to finish (this make take a couple of minutes)
- Restart your PC
You should always run an SFC scan; just in case you’re unable to assess whether the msvcp140.dll file is corrupted or not.
So, try all the three methods above to see which one fixes the ‘msvcp140.dll is missing’ error effectively.
We recommend the solution #2 , considering how it doesn’t pose any risk and can safely fix the error.