hid.dll Missing: Repair Windows Safely on Windows 11 and 10

“The program can’t start because HID.DLL is missing from your computer.”

You may instead see “The code execution cannot proceed because HID.DLL was not found,” “There was a problem starting hid.dll,” or “Error loading hid.dll.” The correct repair depends on whether Windows is damaged or only one application has a broken installation.

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hid.dll is a genuine Microsoft Windows system file called Hid User Library. It provides user-mode support for applications that communicate with Human Interface Devices, including keyboards, mice, game controllers, and other USB or Bluetooth input devices. Microsoft documents Hid.dll as the library for the Windows HID user-mode API.

Do not start by downloading a replacement DLL. Work through the diagnosis below, then use Windows’ own repair components or the affected program’s official repair process.

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Which fix applies to you

Use the symptom that best matches your situation:

• The error appears during startup, sign-in, or when several programs fail: repair Windows with DISM, followed by SFC.
• Only one game or application refuses to start: repair, verify, or reinstall that application.
• The issue began after an antivirus detection: check Windows Security Protection history before restoring anything.
• Keyboards, mice, or controllers also stopped working: investigate the device driver separately. A HID driver problem is not the same as a missing hid.dll.
• The problem started immediately after an update, driver installation, cleanup utility, or software installation: consider System Restore after checking Windows repair results.
• Windows will not sign in normally: use Windows Recovery Environment to run repair tools or System Restore.
• The file exists but Windows still reports it missing: inspect the exact path, application logs, Event Viewer, and other dependencies named in the same message.

Also check the dialog carefully. Sometimes an application reports hid.dll while another dependency is the real failure. If the message names VCRUNTIME140.dll, MSVCP140.dll, a DirectX component, or a .NET component instead, repair the dependency actually identified by the error.

What hid.dll is and where it belongs

hid.dll ships with the Microsoft Windows operating system. It is not a game-specific file and does not belong to the Visual C++ Redistributable, DirectX, or .NET.

On 64-bit Windows, the native system copy is normally located at:

%windir%System32hid.dll

A 32-bit application running on 64-bit Windows normally uses the 32-bit system copy through Windows’ WOW64 file-system redirection:

%windir%SysWOW64hid.dll

The names can be confusing: on 64-bit Windows, System32 normally contains 64-bit system files and SysWOW64 contains 32-bit system files. Do not swap files between these folders.

There is no single correct universal version, file size, or checksum for every Windows installation. The correct binary varies with the Windows edition, build, servicing level, and architecture. That is why a DLL download page’s list of versions is not an authoritative repair source.

Fix 1: Repair Windows with DISM, then SFC

This is the safest first repair when:

• the error appears at startup or sign-in;
• more than one application reports a Windows DLL problem;
• Windows behaves abnormally in other ways;
• the file may have been damaged by an interrupted update, disk problem, cleanup utility, or malware;
• the error says the file is “not designed to run on Windows” or “contains an error.”

Microsoft recommends running DISM before System File Checker. DISM repairs the Windows component store that SFC uses as its repair source.

Step 1: Install pending updates

1. Press Windows + I to open Settings.
2. Select Windows Update.
3. On Windows 11, select Check for updates. On Windows 10, select Check for updates or Download and install if offered.
4. Install pending updates.
5. Restart the computer, even if Windows does not insist on a restart.

Test the affected program after restarting. If hid.dll is still missing, continue with DISM.

Step 2: Run DISM as administrator

1. Open Start.
2. Type Command Prompt.
3. Right-click Command Prompt.
4. Select Run as administrator.
5. Approve the User Account Control prompt.
6. Enter this command exactly:

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth

1. Press Enter and wait for the operation to finish.

Do not close the window simply because the percentage appears to pause. DISM may take time while it checks and repairs the component store.

A successful completion means DISM reports that the restore operation completed successfully or that no component-store corruption was detected. Restart Windows, then run SFC.

If DISM reports that it cannot find source files or cannot obtain repair files through Windows Update, do not download hid.dll from a third-party site. Microsoft documents using a matching Windows installation source with the /Source and /LimitAccess options in its repair-a-Windows-image guidance. The source must match the installed Windows image closely, and you must use the correct path for that source.

Outbyte PC Repair can reduce the guesswork when you are tired of hunting through repair results and repeating SFC or DISM without knowing what changed; its free scan identifies reported issues, while repair actions require the full version. It is optional, and Windows’ built-in DISM and SFC remain the primary repair path.

Step 3: Run System File Checker

After DISM finishes successfully:

1. Keep Command Prompt open as administrator.
2. Enter:

sfc /scannow

1. Press Enter.
2. Wait until verification reaches 100 percent.
3. Restart Windows.

SFC may report one of several outcomes:

• Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations: SFC found no damaged protected files. If the error remains, investigate the individual application, the exact file path, or another missing dependency.
• Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them: restart and test the program again.
• Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them: save the result, rerun DISM with a correct matching repair source, and then run SFC again. Do not manually overwrite hid.dll.
• Windows Resource Protection could not perform the requested operation: restart into Safe Mode or Windows Recovery Environment and run the repair from there.

Microsoft’s System File Checker instructions explain how to interpret the SFC result and locate repair details.

How to confirm the Windows repair worked

The repair is effective when:

• Windows starts and signs in without the hid.dll message;
• the previously failing application opens normally;
• multiple affected programs work again;
• keyboards, mice, or controllers function normally if they were also affected.

If only one application still fails after DISM and SFC report no unrepaired corruption, stop treating this as a system-wide DLL problem. Repair that application next.

Fix 2: Repair or reinstall the affected application

If hid.dll is mentioned only when launching one game, emulator, Discord installation, utility, or traditional desktop program, the application’s installation may be damaged. That does not prove the application caused the Windows problem, but it makes an application repair the appropriate next step.

Repair a Windows app in Windows 11

1. Press Windows + I.
2. Select Apps.
3. Select Installed apps.
4. Find the affected application.
5. Select its three-dot menu.
6. Select Advanced options.
7. Select Repair.
8. Launch the application again.

The Repair option attempts to correct the installation without removing the application’s data where supported.

If Repair does not help, return to the same screen and use Reset only if you understand that it may remove the application’s local settings or data. If the application stores important profiles, check its own backup or account-sync options first.

Repair a Windows app in Windows 10

1. Open Settings.
2. Select Apps.
3. Select Apps & features.
4. Select the affected application.
5. Select Advanced options.
6. Select Repair.
7. Restart the application and test it.

Repair a traditional desktop program

1. Open Control Panel.
2. Select Programs.
3. Select Programs and Features.
4. Select the affected program.
5. Choose Repair or Change if the option is available.
6. Follow the installer’s instructions.
7. Restart Windows and test the program.

If no repair option exists, uninstall the program and reinstall it from the developer’s official installer or launcher. Avoid preserving a damaged installation directory if the installer offers a clean reinstall choice. Back up saved games, profiles, and custom settings before removing the program.

Verify a game through its launcher

For a Steam game:

1. Open Steam.
2. Select Library.
3. Right-click the game.
4. Select Properties.
5. Select Installed Files.
6. Select Verify integrity of game files.
7. Wait for verification to finish.
8. Start the game again.

This repairs files belonging to the game installation. It does not replace the Windows-managed copy of hid.dll, so run DISM and SFC when Windows itself appears affected. Steam documents this process in its file verification instructions.

If the game launcher reports a missing Windows component after file verification, reinstalling the game repeatedly will not repair a damaged Windows component. Return to the DISM and SFC procedure.

Fix 3: Check Windows Security quarantine

A security product may quarantine a file after a scan. This is especially important if the error started immediately after an antivirus action.

1. Open Start.
2. Type Windows Security.
3. Open it.
4. Select Virus & threat protection.
5. Select Protection history.
6. Look for an entry involving hid.dll.
7. Expand the entry and inspect:
8. the exact file path;
9. the detection name;
10. the stated publisher or source;
11. whether the file has a valid Microsoft digital signature.

Do not restore the file merely because an application needs it. Restore it only when the file is demonstrably legitimate and the detection is confirmed to be a false positive. If the file was located beside an application executable, in a temporary directory, or outside the normal Windows system folders, leave it quarantined and run Windows repair tools.

If Windows Security found malware, follow its removal instructions and run an additional Microsoft Defender scan. A suspicious copy of hid.dll outside the Windows system directories can indicate DLL hijacking or a malicious replacement.

Microsoft explains these entries in its Protection History guidance.

Fix 4: Check the file path and digital signature

When the error says hid.dll is missing but the file appears to exist, the path matters.

In File Explorer:

1. Press Windows + E.
2. Select the address bar.
3. Enter:

%windir%System32

1. Press Enter.
2. Search for hid.dll.

On 64-bit Windows, also check:

%windir%SysWOW64

Do not replace or delete either copy. Right-click the file, select Properties, and inspect the Digital Signatures tab if it is available. A normal Windows copy should identify Microsoft as the signer. The file’s exact version and size can vary by Windows build, so do not reject a legitimate file simply because its metadata differs from a value found online.

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If a copy is found in an application folder, Downloads, Temp, or another unexpected directory, do not use it as a replacement. Record the path, scan it with Windows Security, and repair the application or Windows installation through official methods.

If the file exists in the expected system folder but an application still reports it as missing, possible explanations include:

• the application is loading a different copy;
• the application has a missing dependency;
• the file is corrupt or has an invalid signature;
• the application installation is damaged;
• the error dialog refers to another module as well.

Record the complete error text and path before making changes.

Fix 5: Update a HID device driver only when hardware is also failing

A missing hid.dll message is not usually a device-driver failure. hid.dll is a user-mode Windows library, while HID-class and device drivers operate in a separate layer. Treat drivers as the cause when the keyboard, mouse, controller, touch device, or another HID device is also malfunctioning.

Check Device Manager

1. Right-click Start.
2. Select Device Manager.
3. Expand categories such as:
4. Human Interface Devices;
5. Keyboards;
6. Mice and other pointing devices;
7. Universal Serial Bus controllers.
8. Look for a warning icon or a device that has disappeared.
9. Right-click the affected device.
10. Select Update driver.
11. Select Search automatically for drivers.
12. Restart Windows if a driver is installed.

You can also select Properties and inspect the General tab for a device status message. If the problem began after a driver update, open the device’s Driver tab and use Roll Back Driver when Windows makes that option available.

For a manufacturer-specific device, obtain the driver through Windows Update or the hardware manufacturer’s official support channel. Do not download a replacement hid.dll as a substitute for a device driver.

Outbyte Driver Updater can show which installed drivers are reported as stale instead of making you compare versions across many devices; its free scan identifies issues, while driver installation through the full version is optional. For a game or application that specifically owns the failure, repairing or reinstalling that program remains the definitive fix.

Remove and rediscover a device

If a particular HID device remains broken:

1. In Device Manager, right-click the affected device.
2. Select Uninstall device.
3. Confirm the uninstall.
4. Restart Windows.
5. Reconnect the device if necessary.

Windows may rediscover the device and install a compatible driver. If it does not, use Windows Update or the manufacturer’s official driver package. Do not uninstall several unrelated HID devices at once, especially if you rely on a USB keyboard or mouse.

Fix 6: Use System Restore after a recent change

System Restore is useful when hid.dll errors begin immediately after:

• a Windows or driver update;
• an application installation;
• a cleanup utility;
• a security-software action;
• another system configuration change.

It can roll back system files, registry settings, drivers, and recently installed programs. Personal files are intended to remain, but recently installed programs and drivers may be removed, so review the restore point before confirming.

Start System Restore in Windows

1. Press Windows + R.
2. Type:

rstrui.exe

1. Press Enter.
2. Select Next.
3. Choose a restore point created before the error began.
4. Select Scan for affected programs if offered.
5. Review the changes.
6. Select Next, then Finish.
7. Allow Windows to restart.

You can also open Control Panel > Recovery > Open System Restore.

Microsoft describes this process in its System Restore guidance.

If Windows will not start or sign in

If the hid.dll message appears before the desktop loads, use Windows Recovery Environment rather than repeatedly trying to start the same broken session.

1. Turn on the computer.
2. When Windows fails to start, allow recovery options to appear. If necessary, interrupt startup according to Microsoft’s recovery instructions until Windows enters the recovery environment.
3. Select Troubleshoot.
4. Select Advanced options.
5. Choose Command Prompt or System Restore.

From Recovery Environment, drive letters may differ from normal Windows. The /Online DISM command applies to the currently running recovery environment, not necessarily the offline Windows installation. If you are repairing an offline installation, identify the Windows drive first and use Microsoft’s recovery options guidance for the appropriate offline repair syntax.

BitLocker may require the recovery key before recovery tools can access the Windows installation.

If normal repair tools cannot restore Windows, consider an in-place Windows repair using matching official installation media or the available Windows recovery options. Back up important personal files first.

Do not register hid.dll with regsvr32

regsvr32 is not a general-purpose DLL repair command. Microsoft documents it as a tool for registering DLLs that expose registration entry points such as DllRegisterServer, commonly used by COM or ActiveX components.

hid.dll is a Windows API library, not a normal COM plug-in. Running commands such as these is not the correct repair:

regsvr32 hid.dll
regsvr32 /i hid.dll

An error from regsvr32 does not prove that Windows needs a different copy. Use DISM and SFC for the Windows component, or repair the application that reports the error. Microsoft’s regsvr32 documentation explains when the command genuinely applies.

Do not download or manually copy hid.dll

Random DLL download pages are an unsafe shortcut because the file may have:

• the wrong Windows build;
• the wrong architecture;
• an invalid or missing Microsoft signature;
• a modified payload;
• malware;
• dependencies that still do not match your system.

Copying a file from another PC, an old Windows installation, or an application folder can also hide component-store corruption. It may make one dialog disappear while creating a version or architecture mismatch elsewhere.

The safe sources are:

• Windows Update;
• DISM and SFC;
• matching official Windows installation media;
• Windows Recovery Environment;
• the official installer or launcher for the affected application;
• the official hardware manufacturer or Windows Update for device drivers.

Should you reinstall Visual C++, DirectX, or .NET

Not as a general fix for hid.dll.

hid.dll belongs to Windows. Reinstalling the Visual C++ Redistributable, DirectX, or .NET does not normally replace Windows’ copy. Install one of those components only when the application’s documented prerequisites or the error message identifies it.

For example, an error naming VCRUNTIME140.dll or MSVCP140.dll points toward the supported Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable packages. That is a different diagnosis from a missing hid.dll.

Prevention and final checks

After the repair:

• restart Windows and test the original application;
• install pending Windows updates;
• keep security protection enabled;
• avoid registry cleaners and DLL download repositories;
• keep important application settings and saved games backed up;
• investigate recurring disk errors rather than repeatedly replacing system files;
• use official installers and launchers for applications and games.

If the error persists, collect this information before contacting Microsoft or the application developer:

1. The exact error wording.
2. The application name and version, if shown.
3. The complete path displayed in the message.
4. Your Windows edition, version, build, and whether the system is 32-bit or 64-bit.
5. Whether the error occurs at boot, sign-in, or only inside one application.
6. The final DISM result.
7. The final SFC result.
8. Any relevant Event Viewer entry or application log.
9. The file’s location and Microsoft digital-signature status.
10. Whether a keyboard, mouse, controller, or other HID device also stopped working.

That evidence distinguishes a damaged Windows component from a broken application, a quarantined file, a suspicious replacement, or a genuine hardware-driver problem.

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