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If you see “VCRUNTIME140.dll is missing” or “MSVCP140.dll was not found,” install or repair the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable that matches the affected app’s runtime generation and target architecture. Don’t download a standalone DLL from a third-party site: the error names are runtime-library dependencies, and replacing one file manually can leave the application without the rest of the required runtime.
What VCRUNTIME140.dll and MSVCP140.dll errors mean
These files are part of the Microsoft C and C++ runtime libraries used by many applications built with Microsoft Visual C++. Microsoft’s Visual C++ Redistributable documentation explains that the redistributable installs runtime libraries required by those applications. A missing-file message usually means the app cannot find a required runtime component; it does not, by itself, identify which package generation or architecture the app needs.
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The current v14 redistributable supports applications built with Visual Studio 2017 and later. Older applications can depend on separate legacy redistributables, so installing the newest package indiscriminately is not a guaranteed fix.
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Use the application’s requirements to select a package, rather than choosing by the Windows label or by which option sounds newest. Microsoft provides current v14 packages for x86, x64, and ARM64, as well as separate sections for legacy releases. Its download endpoints can change, so use the current links and instructions on the Microsoft documentation page instead of relying on a version number copied from an older guide.
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| What to check | How to choose |
|---|---|
| Runtime generation | Use current v14 for apps built with Visual Studio 2017 and later. For an older app, check its requirements for the legacy Visual C++ redistributable generation. |
| Application architecture | Select x86, x64, or ARM64 to match the app’s target architecture. Microsoft notes that the x64 package on ARM64 includes both x64 and ARM64 binaries, but the app’s target still guides the choice. |
| Download source and signature | Get the installer from a Microsoft-hosted endpoint and use only a Microsoft-signed installer. |
If you cannot determine the app’s architecture or runtime generation, ask its publisher for the required package. Microsoft likewise advises app users troubleshooting runtime problems to contact the application vendor for app-specific instructions.
Install or repair the runtime safely
- Note the exact error and app. Record whether the message names VCRUNTIME140.dll, MSVCP140.dll, or another file, and identify the application that triggers it. Check the app publisher’s requirements for its target architecture and Visual C++ generation.
- Open Microsoft’s current redistributable guide. Go to Latest supported Visual C++ Redistributable downloads and select the appropriate generation and architecture.
- Install or repair the package. Run the Microsoft installer, follow its prompts, and restart Windows if requested.
- Try the app again. If the error remains, follow the app publisher’s repair or reinstall instructions, or contact its support team with the exact error text and the package you installed.
Why you should not download a loose DLL
A standalone DLL from a download site is not a substitute for the redistributable. It may be the wrong version or architecture, and manually copying it does not ensure that the application has all of its runtime dependencies. Repackaged installers also make it harder to verify what you are installing.
Microsoft’s troubleshooting guidance states: “Never install a Visual C++ Redistributable installer that wasn’t downloaded from a Microsoft site. Never install a Visual C++ Redistributable installer that Microsoft didn’t sign.” See Microsoft’s troubleshooting guidance.
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When to use DISM and System File Checker
If Windows system-file corruption is suspected, Microsoft Support’s repair procedure is to run DISM first and then System File Checker in an elevated Command Prompt. These tools address Windows component or system-file problems; they do not identify which Visual C++ runtime an individual app requires.
- Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
- Run
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealthand wait for it to finish. - Run
sfc /scannowand let the scan reach completion.
Follow Microsoft’s System File Checker instructions for the Windows repair process.
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