You will see an error message when opening a program or game on a Windows computer:

• “The program cannot start because MSVCP140.dll is missing from your computer. Reinstalling the program may fix the issue.”

• “The program cannot run because MSVCP140.dll is missing. Installing the app again may fix the issue.”

The “MSVCP140.dll is missing” error is widespread. The good news is that you can fix it fast and efficiently.

Follow These Steps

You don’t need to try all the fixes. Go through them one by one until you find the one that works.

1. Manually install the MSVCP140.dll file
2. Reinstall the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable package
3. Perform a clean installation of the program
4. Copy the file from a trusted computer
5. Run a virus scan on your system

The screenshots in this guide are from Windows 11. The interface may look different if you use Windows 10 or an earlier version, but the steps remain the same.

Fix 1: Manually Add the MSVCP140.dll File

If your computer does not have MSVCP140.dll, you can restore it using DLL-files.com. Follow these steps:

• Open DLL-files.com.

• Enter MSVCP140.dll in the search bar and press Search for DLL file.

• Select MSVCP140.dll from the search results.

• Scroll down, choose the latest version for your operating system, and click Download.

• After downloading, unzip the file and move it to any folder. Copy MSVCP140.dll from that folder.

• Paste the copied file into C:\Windows\System32 and the application’s install folder.

• Check whether the system fixed the MSVCP140.dll error.

Fix 2: Reinstall the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable

The MSVCP140.dll file belongs to the Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2015 package.

The operating system installs the package automatically. Your system might have the file, but it could be damaged.

You can fix the issue by downloading the package again from Microsoft and reinstalling it.

Important: Always download from Microsoft’s official website. Unofficial sources may offer the MSVCP140.dll file instead of the complete package.

These files may contain viruses. To stay safe, only download from trusted sources.

Visit the Microsoft Visual C++ 2015 Redistributable Update 3 download page. Choose your language and click Download.

Select the correct file for your Windows version:

• x64 for 64-bit Windows

• x86 for 32-bit Windows

Which version do you have?

Type system information in the search box and open System Information. Check the System Type field to determine if your system is 32-bit or 64-bit.

If your system is 64-bit, download vc_redist.x64.exe. Click Next to start the download.

Once the download is complete, double-click the file and follow the installation instructions.

Restart your computer and try rerunning the program

If it works, great! If not, don’t worry—there are still other fixes.

Fix 3: Reinstall the Program

Reinstalling the program may fix the ‘MSVCP140.dll is missing’ error.

Why?

The program’s files might contain the correct MSVCP140.dll version.

Steps:

1. Press the Windows logo key and R on your keyboard to open the Run box.
2. Type appwiz.cpl and press Enter to see installed programs.
3. Find the program causing the error, right-click it, and select Uninstall.
4. Click Yes to confirm.
5. Restart your computer.
6. Install the program again and open it.

If no errors appear, the fix works. If errors show up, try another solution.

Fix 4: Copy the File from Another Computer

You can fix the error by copying the file from another computer and pasting it into yours. Follow these steps:

• Find a computer with the same operating system as yours.

• The version (Windows 11/10/8/7) and architecture (32-bit/64-bit) must match.

• On that computer, open File Explorer by pressing the Windows logo key + E.

• Go to This PC > Local Disk (C:) > Windows > System32.

• Locate msvcp140.dll and copy it to an external device, such as a USB drive.

• Paste the file into the exact location (This PC > Local Disk (C:) > Windows > System32) on your computer.

• Open the program again and check if it works.

Still not working? There’s one more solution to try…

Fix 5: Run a Virus Scan on Your Computer

A virus may prevent your system from detecting the MSVCP140.dll file or even cause an error.

Run a full virus scan on your Windows system. The process may take some time, but it is necessary.

Windows Defender might not detect all threats, so consider using other antivirus software like Avira or Panda.

If the scan finds malware, follow the antivirus instructions to remove it.

Restart the computer, then check if opening the program fixes the problem.