What Is msvcp140.dll? | Plus 6 Fixes For Common Issues

Many computer owners have experienced errors related to missing MSVCP140.dll files.

When this happens, some common computer functions will malfunction. These errors are usually indicated by error messages such as the following:

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

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

Fortunately, it’s not very hard to fix this issue as there are a number of solutions you can try out.

What Is MSVCP140.dll?

What exactly is this file, and why do programs such as Skype or games from Skidrow Games need it to run?

Basically, it is a Microsoft C Runtime Library file that stores some codes for a number of applications.

The DLL or Dynamic Link Libraries format is what stores those codes which can be used later for running certain applications. This file is usually found in the System32 folder. If it somehow goes missing or gets corrupted, the program that it helps run won’t be able to start properly.

Hence, if you see any of the error messages that we’ve mentioned above, you can try out some of the fixes we have for this file.

Quick Video Fix: What To Do If It’s Missing

The vlogger says that the tutorial will help you to fix msvcp140.dll missing errors in Windows 10/8/7:

6 Fixes For MSVCP140.dll Issues

1st Fix (Reinstall The Redistributable Package )

The first fix to this problem is to reinstall the Microsoft Visual C ++ Redistributable Package.

This was recommended by software provider Driver Easy. Since the folder is part of the Visual C++ Redistributable package, reinstalling it should solve the problem so that the MSVCP140.dll can be reinstalled or fixed that way.

Here are the steps to do so:

1. Go to the Microsoft Visual C++ 2015 Redistributable Update 3 page.
2. Download the program (either 64-bit or 32-bit depending on your Windows OS).
3. Install the program on your computer after it finishes downloading.
4. Restart your computer.
5. Try to boot the program that won’t start to see if the solution worked.

2nd Fix  (Reinstall The Application)

If that doesn’t work, then Ugetfix suggests that you may have to reinstall the application that causes the problem.

Here’s how:

1. Click the Start button and choose Apps and Features.
2. Look for the problematic application (for example Skype) and click on it.
3. Click the Uninstall button and wait for the program to uninstall.
4. Alternatively, run appwiz.cpl and look for Skype in the list of programs shown.
5. Right click on the application and click Uninstall.
6. Restart your computer.
7. Go back to the website where you downloaded the application and download it again.
8. Check to see if the application is now working.

3rd Fix (Windows Updates)

If that doesn’t work, Ugetfix has another solution that could help.

The solution is to install certain Windows updates that may contribute to fixing the problem. Here are some steps to do that:

1. Press Windows + I at the same time.
2. Click Updates and Security then click the Check for Updates option.
3. Install all the updates that are mentioned in the list.
4. Restart your computer.
5. When you reboot your computer, the problem should be fixed already.

Video Guide: How To Check For Windows 10 Updates

If that still doesn’t work, then there might actually be a problem with some of the drivers inside your computer. For that type of case, you can refer to the next fix to solve the issue.

4th Fix (Outdated Drivers?)

Driver Easy suggests that another cause of the problem would be outdated drivers.

In this case, you would have to update certain drivers so that you can solve the problem.

The easiest way to do that would be to download a driver updating software such as Driver Easy or IObit.

Follow these steps to do that:

1. Download and install your preferred driver updating software and run it.
2. Scan your computer for any outdated or missing drivers.
3. The application will show you all the missing and problematic drivers.
4. Update all the drivers and fix those that have problems.
5. Restart your computer.
6. Check to see if your problem was solved.

5th Fix (Manual .dll Download)

If that still doesn’t work, then you may need to manually download the msvcp140.dll file.

Take note that when you do a msvcp140.dll download, make sure it’s from the official DLL downloads website such as https://www.dll-files.com.

Doing a msvcp140.dll download from another website corrupt your applications further, or worse, send a virus to your computer. Here are the steps to do that:

1. Download the DLL file appropriate to your computer or program.
2. Scan your computer with an antivirus to see if the DLL file you downloaded is legit. If not, delete it right away.
3. Copy all of the files into the C:/Windows/System32 folder or alternatively the C:/Windows/SysWOW64 folder
4. Restart your computer.

6th Fix (Re-Register .dll)

Another very simple fix is given by a member of the Microsoft Community wherein he mentions that you may have to re-register the DLL file. This should help fix the problem if none of the other fixes above work. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Press the Windows key then type “cmd”. Once the Command Prompt appears in the menu, right click then choose “Run as administrator”.
2. When the Command Prompt is open in administrator settings, type the code regsvr32 and the dll file name. In this case, it will be regsvr32 msvcp.dll.
3. Click Enter and wait for it to fix.
4. After you have re-registered your DLL file, you may then check the application to see if it worked.

Video Guide: Register Or Unregister DLL Or OCX Files In Windows 10/8/7

Forum Feedback

A computer owner mentions that msvcp140.dll is legitimate and that it’s a Microsoft C Runtime Library file. He adds that the file is essential for the proper function of certain programs and that it gets installed automatically when you install your Windows. The user continues that the file is not an executive one and that it’s not usually visible.

Another person explains that msvcp140.dll should cause no problems, but you might run into troubles if it gets corrupted. In such cases, the program which requires the file would not load properly. As a result, you’d get an error message saying that msvcp140.dll is missing.

Another person mentions that msvcp140.dll is usually safe and that it’s necessary to run specific programs, for example, games or Skype. However, he warns that some viruses might disguise themselves as msvcp140.dll and harm your system. That’s why you have to check where the file is located. If it’s in C:\Windows\System32 or C:\Windows\SysWOW64 folder, it’s the genuine one. If it’s not, you might have a virus and should scan the system with your antivirus.

One person comments that msvcp140.dll is part of the Visual Studio package (Visual C++ Redistributable) which provides the necessary components needed to run C+++ applications in Windows.

He adds that if you get an error that msvcp140.dll is missing, the file might have been corrupted for some reason. In this case, you need to reinstall the Visual Studio package.

An individual also claims that the size of msvcp140.dll varies between 440-630 KB. He warns that if you notice that the file is very large, it’s probably a virus or malware. He also says that msvcp140.dll is not a Windows system file and that you can uninstall it from Control panel (uninstalling Microsoft Visual Studio).

A computer user shared that he had to run a scan for corrupted files using the System File Checker because he was constantly getting an error message that msvcp140.dll was not working. He also had to uninstall Visual Studio package and reinstall so that he could start Skype normally.

A person also commented that problems with the msvcp140.dll appeared after a Windows 10 update. He suspected that it was a bug because he also had issues with another DLL file – VCruntime140. The computer owner mentioned that he tried restoring the symptom to a previous point, but it didn’t work out. So, he had to download the package from the Microsoft site and install it anew.

Another individual said that he had problems with msvcp140.dll because he installed the wrong version. He didn’t check the if his OS is 64bit or 32bit, because he didn’t know he had to do it. After he downloaded the right one for his system, the problem disappeared.

However, a couple of other users mentioned that installing both versions was what fixed the msvcp140.dll error.

A user shares that he received the message “The program can’t start because msvcp140.dll is missing” when he attempted to launch Skype. He said that he installed and reinstalled the Microsoft Visual C++ package several times, but he stilled continue to get the error message. That’s why he had to reinstall the afflicted program – Skype – to fix the issue.

Another computer owner warns that he stumbled upon several sites that offered the msvcp140.dll for money and that they looked very suspicious. He states that the official Microsoft site provides the Microsoft Visual C++ for free so that there is no need to pay for it.

A person shares that restarting the computer after installing msvcp140.dll is not required, but it’s recommended.

A computer user complained that he couldn’t install the Visual C++ package because it wouldn’t load properly or freeze in the middle of the installation. He also claimed that he ran a scan for malware and that it found nothing suspicious.

A poster said that he got an error message regarding msvcp140.dll after a big Windows update and that probably some files got corrupted during the upgrade. He said that he ran the sfc /scannow in Windows 10 to check the integrity of the files after reinstalling Microsoft Visual C++ didn’t work.

A tech forum member also mentions that he searched through his files to check if msvcp140.dll was present. He copied in the correct system folder, restarted the computer, and the problem disappeared.

To get a better understanding of this process, we search through several Tech forums. In general, people are searching for msvcp140.dll missing error, msvcp140.dll free download, Windows 10, download 64 bit, and “PUBG.”

Conclusion

This error is definitely not a dangerous error as it doesn’t really make your computer crash or slow it down. However, it is definitely a very annoying error as there are certain applications that you may want to use but can’t use due to this.

Luckily, there are several fixes that may work for it. The ones mentioned above are some of the tried, tested, and trusted ones. If one doesn’t work, try the rest. One of them is bound to show results.