If Windows says MSVCP140.dll was not found
or The code execution cannot proceed because MSVCP140.dll was not found
, reinstall the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable that matches the affected application. Do not download a lone DLL from an unaffiliated site. Repair the existing runtime first, then install the current package from Microsoft’s official Visual C++ Redistributable download page; use the application’s installer and Windows integrity tools if the error remains.
MSVCP140.dll is a file in the Microsoft Visual C++ runtime used by programs built with Microsoft’s C++ toolchain. The message normally indicates that the runtime is missing, damaged, or incompatible with the application, rather than that the individual file should be copied into a Windows folder.
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What the MSVCP140.dll error means
Applications compiled with Microsoft C++ can depend on shared runtime files. MSVCP140.dll supplies part of that runtime. When an application starts, Windows loads the version and architecture it needs. A missing file, a damaged Visual C++ installation, or a runtime that is not compatible with the application’s build can stop the launch.
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The wording varies by Windows version and by application. You may see “MSVCP140.dll missing,” “MSVCP140.dll was not found,” or a longer message saying that code execution cannot proceed. These messages identify a runtime dependency; they do not tell you to obtain a replacement file from a random DLL library.
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Check the application and architecture before changing anything
The safest reinstall begins with the program that fails. Write down its exact name and, if shown, its version. If only one program reports the error, that program’s installer or support page may specify a required Visual C++ package. Microsoft advises following the application vendor’s instructions when repairing an individual application.
Match the package to the program
Visual C++ packages are architecture-specific. A 64-bit application normally needs the x64 redistributable; a 32-bit application needs x86, even when it is running on 64-bit Windows. On a PC that runs programs of both types, installing both x64 and x86 is reasonable because each program loads its own architecture.
Windows on ARM can use the ARM64 option for applications built for that architecture. If you cannot establish which architecture the failing program uses, check its documentation or installer. Installing both x64 and x86 is the practical choice for a mixed-use 64-bit PC, while an ARM64 requirement should be confirmed from the application’s documentation.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors| Application architecture | Redistributable choice | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| x86 (32-bit) | x86 | For a 32-bit application |
| x64 (64-bit) | x64 | For a 64-bit application |
| ARM64 | ARM64 | For an application built for Windows on ARM |
Check whether a runtime is already installed
Do not assume that the absence of a desktop shortcut means the runtime is absent. Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps in Windows 11, or Settings > Apps > Apps & features in Windows 10, and search for Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable. You may see separate entries for x64 and x86, and several generations can coexist for different applications.
Recommended repair and reinstall sequence
1. Download the complete, official redistributable
Use Microsoft’s official Visual C++ Redistributable page rather than a standalone DLL site. The current v14 redistributable is the supported package for applications built with Visual Studio 2017, 2019, 2022 and 2026. Microsoft provides x64, x86 and ARM64 downloads.
Choose the download that matches the failing application. If the computer runs both 32-bit and 64-bit programs, download both x86 and x64. The installed redistributable must be the same version or newer than the Microsoft C++ build tools used to compile the application, so the current v14 package is generally the correct first choice for a recent program.
Save the installer locally, close the affected application and any other program that may be using the runtime, and run the installer with an account allowed to install software. A complete redistributable installation restores the package as a unit instead of placing one unverified file in a system directory.
2. Repair the existing Visual C++ entry first
If an appropriate entry is already listed, repair it before uninstalling anything:
- Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps (Windows 11) or Settings > Apps > Apps & features (Windows 10).
- Find the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable entry whose architecture matches the application. Select its menu or entry and choose Modify. On some Windows builds, you may need to select Change from the classic Programs and Features panel.
- When the maintenance window appears, choose Repair and allow it to finish.
- Restart Windows if the installer requests it, then launch the application again.
Repair preserves the installed package while replacing damaged components. If the relevant entry has no repair option, or repair ends with an error, continue with a clean reinstall.
3. Perform a clean reinstall when repair fails
- Return to the installed-apps list and select the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable entry that matches the failing application.
- Choose Uninstall and complete the removal. Avoid removing unrelated runtime generations unless the application’s vendor specifically instructs you to do so; other programs may depend on them.
- Restart Windows. This clears the old installation state before the replacement package is applied.
- Run the official v14 installer you downloaded. Install x86, x64 or ARM64 as appropriate; install both x86 and x64 when the PC runs applications of both architectures.
- After setup completes, start the affected application. If it launches, no manual DLL copying is needed.
If the installer reports that a newer version is already present, use the installed-apps entry’s Modify and Repair controls, then retry the program. The exact maintenance labels can vary between Windows releases, but the objective is to repair the complete Microsoft Visual C++ package.
4. Use the application’s own installer or repair command
A program can ship an installer that registers additional components or selects a legacy runtime. If reinstalling the current v14 package does not resolve the message, open the application’s setup program and look for Repair, Change or a bundled prerequisites option. Follow the application’s vendor instructions rather than copying a DLL from another computer.
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This step matters for older software. The current v14 redistributable is intended for Visual Studio 2017 and later builds. An older application may require a legacy redistributable identified by its vendor, including a package associated with an earlier Visual Studio release. Installing a legacy package should be based on the application’s documented requirement, not on a random download site’s file name.
5. Repair Windows component corruption with DISM and SFC
If the runtime installation repeatedly fails, or Windows reports other missing or damaged components, use the built-in integrity tools. Open Command Prompt as an administrator, run DISM first, and then run System File Checker:
- Open Start, type Command Prompt, right-click it, and select Run as administrator.
- Run
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealthand wait for it to complete. - At the next prompt, run
sfc /scannowand let the scan reach 100 percent. - Restart Windows after both commands finish, then test the application again.
DISM services the Windows image, while SFC scans protected system files and restores missing or damaged components when possible. These commands address Windows corruption; they do not replace an application’s own prerequisite installer, so use the vendor repair step as well when the error is limited to one program.
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Use these distinctions when more than one download or installed entry is available:
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| Decision | Recommended choice | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Application architecture | x86, x64 or ARM64 matching the application | The program must load a runtime of the appropriate architecture. |
| Runtime generation | Current v14 for Visual Studio 2017, 2019, 2022 and 2026 builds | Microsoft’s current supported line covers these later toolchains. |
| Older application | Legacy redistributable specified by the application vendor | Some older builds require a runtime generation other than current v14. |
| Existing installation state | Repair first; clean reinstall if repair is unavailable or fails | Repair is less disruptive and tests the existing package before removal. |
| Download source | Microsoft or the application’s vendor | These sources provide the complete installer instead of an unaffiliated DLL file. |
Microsoft describes the latest supported version as containing the most recently implemented C++ features. That does not mean every old program can use it: the application still determines the required architecture and, for legacy software, possibly the required runtime generation.
What not to do
- Do not download a single MSVCP140.dll file from a random DLL website. A loose file can be the wrong build, architecture or revision, and it does not repair the rest of the runtime installation.
- Do not copy an MSVCP140.dll file into
C:WindowsSystem32orC:WindowsSysWOW64. Manual replacement can create version conflicts and makes future servicing harder. - Do not use a registry cleaner as the first-line fix. The supported remedy is to repair or reinstall the complete Microsoft Visual C++ package, then use Windows integrity tools if corruption is suspected.
- Do not delete every Visual C++ entry indiscriminately. Different applications can depend on different architectures and generations.
- Do not treat an antivirus warning as proof that this DLL is the problem. The error itself describes a missing, damaged or incompatible runtime dependency; investigate the installation and the application’s requirements.
If the error remains after reinstalling
Confirm that you repaired the right architecture
A common mismatch is installing x64 because Windows is 64-bit while the failing application is 32-bit. Install the x86 package for a 32-bit program. Conversely, a 64-bit program needs x64. On a mixed-use PC, keeping both current x86 and x64 packages avoids choosing based only on the operating system’s architecture.
Check for a legacy runtime requirement
If the application is older and the current v14 package installs successfully but the same message returns, consult that application’s documentation for a legacy Visual C++ redistributable. The v14 line covers Visual Studio 2017 and later; it is not a universal replacement for every earlier build.
Run the application repair path
Use the program’s original installer or its Apps settings entry to select Repair. An application installer may restore files or registration that the general runtime installer does not know about. Microsoft specifically directs users repairing an application to follow the application’s vendor instructions.
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Separate a launch error from a different failure
If the MSVCP140.dll message disappears but the application now shows another error, crashes after opening or fails with a different dependency, record the new wording. The runtime reinstall solved the original missing-file condition; the new symptom may belong to the application’s own files, another prerequisite or a Windows component problem. Run DISM and SFC when Windows corruption is suspected, and use the application’s support procedure for application-specific failures.
How to verify the repair
- Restart Windows after a clean uninstall or after DISM and SFC complete.
- Open the application from its normal shortcut or executable.
- Confirm that the original MSVCP140.dll message no longer appears.
- Test the application’s normal workflow rather than stopping at the splash screen.
- If it still fails, note the exact message, application version, architecture and which Visual C++ entry you repaired. Those details let the application’s vendor identify a legacy-package or application-installer requirement.
A successful repair means Windows can load the runtime expected by that application. It does not require downloading or manually registering a separate DLL file.
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