Another major cause, however, are missing or corrupted software libraries that allow programs to run on Windows. A “vcruntime140.dll is missing” error, for instance, points to a missing or corrupted Microsoft Visual C++ runtime installation. If you want to fix this issue, here’s what you’ll need to do.
Repairing or Removing a Microsoft Visual C++ Installation
The vcruntime140.dll file is part of the Microsoft Visual C++ software runtime library. Provided by Microsoft, this library is used as part of the process of compiling software (created in C++ using Visual Studio) to run on Windows PCs. If the file is missing, the “vcruntime140.dll is missing” error will appear. To fix this issue, the first thing you should attempt is to repair the Visual C++ installation on your PC. If that doesn’t work, you should remove it entirely by following these steps, then proceed to the next section to reinstall it.
Installing or Reinstalling a Microsoft Visual C++ Installation
Without the Microsoft Visual C++ runtime library installed, software that relies on it won’t work, so you’ll need to install it. You’ll also need to do this if you’ve removed a corrupted installation previously. This should, for most users, resolve the “vcruntime140.dll is missing” error on Windows 10 PCs. However, if the software you’re running requires an older version of the Visual C++ runtime (before 2015), you’ll need to download and install the older version instead. You may also be able to fix the issue by removing and reinstalling software that has an older version of the Visual C++ runtime installer included. This is common in larger software bundles, such as games, that require multiple runtime libraries to work correctly. By reinstalling software that’s coupled with an older Visual C++ runtime installer, the specific version of that library required to run the software should automatically reinstall itself and resolve any lingering issues.
Running Windows Update
The Microsoft Visual C++ runtime receives security updates through Windows Update, just like other major Windows services. If you’re having trouble with a “vcruntime140.dll is missing” error, it might be worth checking for any recent updates using the Windows Update service. While this is unlikely to fix a broken installation, installing new updates could repair your installation automatically. You can check for new system updates in the Settings menu. Windows will check for updates and install any that are currently pending. Once installed, you’ll need to restart your PC to ensure that they’ve been correctly applied. You should then check your software to see if the missing runtime issue is resolved.
Downloading DLL Files Online
If very specific error messages like “vcruntime140.dll is missing” start to appear, you might be tempted to source the file online to fix it. Various DLL download sites exist, allowing you to quickly download the missing file to resolve the issue. We would recommend avoiding sites like these, however. DLL files are crucial elements of the Windows operating system that allow software to interact with more restricted Windows components. Unless you absolutely trust the source, it’s usually a better idea to remove and reinstall the entire Visual C++ runtime library instead. This should resolve the issue for most users, but if you’re still having issues, you could source the file from another PC in your network as a last resort.
Keeping Windows 10 Maintained
The steps above should help you to fix a “vcruntime140.dll is missing” error on your Windows 10 PC. In most cases, repairing the installation or reinstalling the Visual C++ redistributable should fix the issue, but you may also need to look at removing and reinstalling any affected software. A missing DLL file is usually a sign of a PC that’s having some issues, which is why it’s important to keep up with regular PC maintenance. You can do this by keeping Windows updated to ensure you have the latest bug fixes, as well as running regular malware scans to remove malware that could leave your PC at risk.
