PC Fix"VCRUNTIME140.dll was not found" and other missing DLL errors
The missing file belongs to a free Microsoft package that the program forgot to install. Install the package; never download the single file.
What you seeThe code execution cannot proceed because VCRUNTIME140.dll was not found. Reinstalling the program may fix this problem.
Which package does the file belong to?
| Missing file | Package that supplies it |
|---|---|
| VCRUNTIME140.dll, VCRUNTIME140_1.dll, MSVCP140.dll, CONCRT140.dll, VCOMP140.dll | Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2015 to 2022 |
| MSVCR120.dll, MSVCP120.dll | Visual C++ Redistributable 2013 |
| MSVCR110.dll, MSVCP110.dll | Visual C++ Redistributable 2012 |
| MSVCR100.dll, MSVCP100.dll | Visual C++ Redistributable 2010 |
| api-ms-win-crt-runtime-l1-1-0.dll | The Universal C Runtime: installed by Windows Update, and by the 2015 to 2022 redistributable |
| d3dx9_43.dll, d3dx11_43.dll, XINPUT1_3.dll, X3DAudio1_7.dll, d3dcompiler_43.dll | DirectX End-User Runtime (June 2010 files) |
| MFC140U.dll, mfc120u.dll | The matching Visual C++ Redistributable |
| mscoree.dll, or a message about ".NET" | .NET Framework, or the .NET Desktop Runtime the program names |
| A file with the program's own name | The program itself: reinstall it |
The number in the name tells the year: 140 is 2015 to 2022, 120 is 2013, 110 is 2012, 100 is 2010.
The fix
- Open Microsoft's official page "Latest supported Visual C++ Redistributable downloads" on learn.microsoft.com.
- Download both x86 and x64 installers for the version in the table. On 64-bit Windows a 32-bit program needs the x86 package, and you often cannot tell which kind a program is, so install both.
- Run each installer. If it says the package is already installed, choose Repair.
- Restart and open the program.
For the DirectX files, use Microsoft's DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer from microsoft.com. It adds the old files without replacing the DirectX that came with Windows.
For .NET: older programs need .NET Framework 3.5, switched on under "Turn Windows features on or off". Newer ones name a ".NET Desktop Runtime" version in their message and link to Microsoft's download page.
If the error remains
- Reinstall or repair the program. Its installer normally carries the right redistributable. For games in a launcher, run "Verify" or "Repair".
- Install Windows updates.
- Run sfc in case a system copy is damaged: see repair commands.
- Check your antivirus quarantine. Security software sometimes removes a file from a program's folder; restore it only if the program is from a trusted source.
- If the message now reads "was found but is not designed to run on Windows" or error 0xc000007b, a wrong-type copy is in the way. See 0xc000007b.
Why you must not download single DLL files
Websites that offer individual DLLs for download are not run by Microsoft. The file may be the wrong version, the wrong type (32-bit or 64-bit), or carry malware, and dropping it into System32 can break other programs. The official packages are free, small and install every related file correctly.
Errors that name a DLL at start-up of Windows
A message such as "There was a problem starting C:\...\something.dll. The specified module could not be found" at sign-in is different: a leftover start-up entry points to a file that an uninstaller or antivirus removed. It is usually harmless. Open Task Manager › Startup apps and disable the entry, and run a full malware scan, since removed malware leaves such traces.
Is it safe to install many Visual C++ versions side by side?
Yes. They are designed to coexist, and different programs need different years.
The error appeared after I uninstalled another program. Why?
That uninstaller removed a shared package. Reinstall the redistributable from Microsoft's page.
For Windows 11 and Windows 10. Written in November 2026. Menus move between updates; use the search box in Settings if a name differs. Back up important files before any step that resets, repairs a disk or opens the computer. This is an independent guide, not connected with Microsoft.