How to fix ‘MSVCP140.dll missing’

You probably landed on this article because you were looking for a solution to the error message you had encountered. Perhaps, you were launching a game or program on your Windows PC when you saw one of these:

“The code execution cannot proceed because MSVCP140.dll was not found. Reinstalling the application may fix this problem.”

“The program can’t start because MSVCP140.dll is missing from your computer. Try reinstalling the program to fix this problem.”

There’s no need to worry when you come across this issue. In this article, we will teach you how to fix the ‘MSVCP140.dll is missing from your computer’ error message. We’ve prepared several solutions for you. You can work your way down the list until you find the method that works best for you.

Solution 1: Installing the MSVCP140.dll File

As the error message suggests, the program failed to launch because of a missing MSVCP140.dll file. So, the ideal solution to this problem is to restore the file. You can do this by using the System File Checker (SFC). Here are the steps:

1. Go to your taskbar, then click the Search icon.
2. Inside the Search box, type Command Prompt.
3. Press Enter on your keyboard.
4. Once Command Prompt is up, type sfc /scannow.
5. Hit Enter.
6. Wait several minutes until the SFC scan and restoration process is complete.

Solution 2: Reinstalling the Microsoft Visual C ++ Redistributable Package

It is worth noting that the MSVCP140.dll file is a component of the Microsoft Visual C ++ Redistributable package. It is so crucial to the Windows operating system that it gets installed automatically with the OS. So, it is likely that the MSVCP140.dll file is already on your computer by default. However, along the way, it got corrupted.

Thankfully, you can always download the package from Microsoft’s website again. Keep in mind that you should get the file only from the official website of Microsoft. There are other sites that offer the MSVCP140.dll file alone without the entire package. However, these are unapproved sources that may be dodgy. You might end up dealing with viruses and malware when you download the file from these sites.

Before we teach you how to resolve the ‘MSVCP140.dll was not found’ error message, you must ensure that you know the type of operating system you have. If you know what it is, you can skip to Step 4. Otherwise, begin with the first step.

1. On your keyboard, press the Windows Key.
2. Type system information, then press Enter.
3. Go to the System Type field to know whether you are using a 32-bit or 64-bit Windows OS.
4. Now, visit Microsoft’s official website and download the latest Visual C ++ Redistributable update. Select your preferred language, then click Download.
5. Choose the file that is suitable for your Windows version.
6. After downloading the file, double-click it.
7. Follow the instructions on installing the file.
8. Restart your computer, then try to open the program that prompted the error message.

Solution 3: Perform a Clean Installation of the Program

The error message states that reinstalling the program may resolve the problem. So, it would not hurt if you tried doing what it recommends. Here are the instructions on how to fix the ‘MSVCP140.dll is missing on Windows 10’ error message:

1. Press Windows Key+R on your keyboard. Doing so will launch the Run dialog box.
2. Inside the Run dialog box, type appwiz.cpl, then hit Enter. After doing this, you will see a list of all the programs on your computer.
3. Look for the program that shows the error message. Right-click it, then select Uninstall.
4. If asked to confirm the uninstallation, click Yes.
5. Restart your PC.
6. Install the program again, then try to launch it to see if the error has been fixed.

Solution 4: Copy the MSVCP140.dll File from a Trusted PC

You can also resolve this issue by copying the file from another computer. Make sure that you choose a device that you can trust. Also, it should have the same operating system as yours. Here are the steps:

1. On the other PC, launch File Explorer by pressing Windows Key+E.
2. Navigate to this path: C:\Windows\System32.
3. Copy the MSVCP140.dll file from that folder.
4. Now, go to your own computer and paste the file to the same location (C:\Windows\System32).
5. Run the affected program again and check if the error message is gone.

Solution 5: Performing a Deep Virus Scan

The problem can also be caused by a virus on your computer. So, if you want to know how to resolve the ‘MSVCP140.dll was not found’ error message, you must learn how to perform a full virus scan of your PC. To proceed, follow the instructions below:

1. On your keyboard, press Windows Key+I. Doing so will launch the Settings app.
2. When the Settings app comes up, click Update & Security.
3. Now, select Windows Security from the options at the left pane.
4. Move to the right pane, then click Open Windows Defender Security Center.
5. Select Virus & Threat Protection.
6. On the right pane, click the ‘Run a new advanced scan’ link.
7. Select Full Scan.
8. Click Scan Now.
9. Once the process is complete, restart Windows. Try to launch the program that caused the error.

Which of the solutions helped you resolve the error?

Share your answer in the comments below!