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If Brave shows “The application was unable to start correctly”, the hexadecimal code in parentheses is the most important clue. This is a general Windows startup error, not a diagnosis unique to Brave. The cause may be an unsupported Windows version, a damaged Brave profile or installation, antivirus interference, incompatible runtime files, or broader Windows corruption.
Before reinstalling, record the complete error code and try Brave with a temporary clean profile. These two steps often show whether the problem is Brave itself or the data and security settings around it.
Start with these three checks
- Record the full code, such as
0xc0000005,0xc0000022, or0xc000007b. - Confirm compatibility. Current Brave desktop requirements list Windows 10 or later, with an ARM64 processor or a 64-bit Intel/AMD processor supporting SSSE3. See Brave’s system requirements.
- Test a temporary profile before deleting or replacing your existing Brave data.
If the temporary profile opens, your Brave executable is probably working and the original profile, extension set, preferences, or cached data is the more likely trigger.
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Write down the complete message in this format:
The application was unable to start correctly (0xc000XXXX)Also note:
- Windows edition and version
- Whether you use Brave Release, Beta, Dev, or Nightly
- Whether the failure affects the installer or the already-installed browser
- Whether it began after a Brave update, Windows update, antivirus update, or profile restoration
- Your antivirus or endpoint-security product
The code is a troubleshooting indicator, not proof of one particular cause. For example, 0xc0000005 is commonly associated with an access violation or a blocked or damaged executable/DLL; 0xc0000022 commonly indicates an access or permission failure; and 0xc000007b often points toward incompatible or damaged application/runtime components.
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2. Make sure Windows is supported
Current Brave desktop documentation supports Windows 10 or later. The processor must be ARM64 or a 64-bit Intel/AMD CPU with SSSE3 support. Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1 should be treated as unsupported for current Brave releases.
To check your Windows version, press Win+R, type winver, and press Enter. For more system information, open Settings → System → About.
If you are trying to install a current Brave build on an unsupported Windows version, profile cleanup and DLL replacement will not solve the underlying compatibility problem. Upgrade Windows or use a browser that still supports your operating system, understanding the security limitations of remaining on an obsolete platform.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3. Close stuck Brave processes
Open Task Manager with Ctrl+Shift+Esc. End any remaining brave.exe processes, then try launching Brave again.
This is a low-risk check, but it is unlikely to fix a genuine application-initialization error by itself. If Brave immediately reappears in Task Manager and disappears without opening a window, continue with the profile and security tests below.
4. Launch Brave with a temporary clean profile
Open Command Prompt and run:
"C:Program FilesBraveSoftwareBrave-BrowserApplicationbrave.exe" --user-data-dir="%TEMP%Brave-Test-Profile"Brave may instead be installed per-user at:
C:Users<username>AppDataLocalBraveSoftwareBrave-BrowserApplicationbrave.exeUse the path shown in your Brave shortcut if the first command reports that the file cannot be found. Release, Beta, Dev, and Nightly can also have different executable and profile locations. Brave documents these paths and flags in its command-line flag guide.
How to interpret the result
- The test profile opens: the original profile is likely damaged or incompatible. Keep the original data backed up and create a clean profile. Restore data selectively rather than copying the entire old profile.
- The test profile also fails: the problem is more likely the installation, security software, Windows compatibility, permissions, or a system dependency.
Do not delete your normal profile yet. The default profile can contain bookmarks, history, cookies, extension data, preferences, locally stored passwords, and other account or wallet-related state.
5. Test without extensions and GPU acceleration
Run this command, adjusting the executable path if necessary:
"C:Program FilesBraveSoftwareBrave-BrowserApplicationbrave.exe" --disable-extensions --disable-gpuThese are diagnostic flags documented by Brave, not necessarily settings you should keep permanently.
- Brave opens only with
--disable-extensions: an extension or extension-related profile state is implicated. Keep extensions disabled, then remove or re-enable them individually. - Brave opens only with
--disable-gpu: a graphics driver or hardware-acceleration problem is plausible. Update the graphics driver and, once Brave opens, consider disabling hardware acceleration in its settings. - Brave still fails: focus on compatibility, installation damage, security software, and Windows integrity.
6. Check antivirus and endpoint security
Security software can block or interfere with a browser executable, updater, DLL, or profile directory. Check for:
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- Browser or web-access protection
- Recent quarantines involving Brave
- Ransomware or controlled-folder protection
- Application-control or exploit-protection rules
- Recent antivirus updates
A Brave Community case involving 0xc0000022 was resolved when ESET browser/web-access protection was disabled, showing why reinstalling Brave may not help when security software is the actual blocker. This does not mean antivirus is always responsible for that code.
Use a safe test:
- Temporarily pause only the relevant browser or web-protection module, if your security product provides that control.
- Try launching Brave once.
- Re-enable protection immediately. Do not browse with antivirus disabled.
- If Brave starts, update the security product and create a narrowly scoped allow rule through its documented controls.
If the security product reports a detection, do not override it casually. Download Brave only from the official Brave download page and review the product’s quarantine and event logs.
7. Back up Brave data before reinstalling
Before uninstalling Brave or deleting a profile, close all Brave processes and copy this folder to a safe location:
%LOCALAPPDATA%BraveSoftwareBrave-BrowserUser DataThe exact location can vary by installation type and Brave channel. Brave’s Windows update and repair guidance documents the standard profile location.
Depending on what is synchronized or exported, deleting profile data may affect bookmarks, history, extensions, cookies, active logins, preferences, and locally stored wallet or Rewards-related data. Do not assume Sync is a complete backup unless you have verified that the specific information is synchronized and recoverable.
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Reinstalling is reasonable after backing up your data and checking security software:
- Uninstall Brave through Settings → Apps → Installed apps or Control Panel → Programs and Features.
- Restart Windows.
- If necessary, remove documented leftover Brave installation files. Do not delete your backed-up
User Datafolder unless you have decided to create a completely new profile. - Download the installer from brave.com/download, not a software-aggregation site.
- Install Brave and test it before restoring old profile data.
If the fresh installation works until you copy the old Default folder back, the old profile contains the trigger. Do not restore the entire profile wholesale. Start with a clean profile and recover important data selectively.
9. Understand the common error codes
0xc0000005
This commonly indicates an access violation, but the message does not identify the cause by itself. A corrupted or incomplete DLL, a blocked executable, damaged profile data, incompatible software, or antivirus interference may be involved. Microsoft’s discussion of this error notes that corrupted or unsigned DLLs and antivirus effects can be relevant; it is not a definitive Brave diagnosis. See Microsoft’s troubleshooting discussion.
Check security logs, Event Viewer, the clean-profile test, and whether other applications are failing. A historical Brave Community report involving Windows 7 is not current evidence that the same workaround applies to supported Windows versions.
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This commonly suggests an access or permission failure. Antivirus browser protection, application-control policy, file permissions, or a damaged installation are plausible causes. Review antivirus and endpoint-security logs first, especially if Brave stopped working immediately after a security-product update.
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0xc000007b
This often involves incompatible or damaged application/runtime components, including architecture mismatches. Install Windows updates, repair Windows components, and use only official Microsoft runtime packages when a runtime repair is appropriate. Do not download individual DLL files from “DLL fix” websites or install every runtime package you can find.
General guidance for this code often includes repairing Visual C++ components, but Visual C++ is not automatically the cause of every 0xc000007b failure. See the background guidance from Paradox Support.
Any other code
Search for the exact code only after recording the complete message and checking the context. Open Event Viewer → Windows Logs → Application and look for entries mentioning brave.exe, Application Error, SideBySide, or a faulting DLL. The faulting module can point toward a driver, runtime, security product, or Windows component.
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10. Repair Windows components
If a clean Brave profile and fresh installation both fail, or other applications also show startup errors, repair Windows rather than repeatedly reinstalling Brave.
Open Command Prompt as administrator and run:
sfc /scannowAllow the scan to finish. If it reports that some files could not be repaired, run:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealthRestart Windows after the repairs complete, then test Brave again. These are Windows-integrity repairs, not Brave-specific commands.
11. Check permissions, accounts, and managed-device policies
Running Brave as administrator can be a short diagnostic test, but it is not a safe permanent fix for a browser. Permanent elevated execution increases privileges and can create profile ownership problems.
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If Brave opens only as administrator, investigate:
- NTFS permissions on the Brave installation and profile directories
- Security-product policies
- Group Policy or enterprise application allowlists
- Corruption in the current Windows user account
Do not disable User Account Control, edit the registry, or grant broad “Everyone” permissions without a specific diagnosis. If Brave works in a new Windows user account, the original account’s permissions or profile state may be damaged.
12. If the installer fails instead of Brave
Separate an installer failure from a browser-launch failure. For an installer error:
- Download a fresh installer from the official Brave site.
- Confirm that Windows and the CPU meet current requirements.
- Check antivirus quarantine and application-control logs.
- Briefly test the relevant security module, then re-enable it.
- Run the installer with normal Windows permissions; use administrator execution only as a diagnostic step if required by your environment.
- Check whether enterprise software-deployment policy or Windows Installer restrictions are blocking it.
Do not assume that an old Windows 7 installation report describes current Brave support. Current compatibility requirements take priority.
What to provide when requesting support
If the problem remains, include:
- The exact hexadecimal error code
- Windows version and system architecture
- Brave channel and version, if available
- Whether the temporary profile launches
- Whether
--disable-extensionsor--disable-gpuchanges the result - Your antivirus or endpoint-security product
- Relevant Event Viewer details, including the faulting module
- Whether other Windows applications fail
Keep the original profile backup until the issue is resolved. Reinstalling or deleting profile data without a backup can remove local browser information and may make diagnosis harder.
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