Fix ERROR_SXS_XML_E_UNCLOSEDSTARTTAG (0x000036EC)

This error shows up when Windows can't read a manifest file because an XML tag wasn't closed. Usually it's from a bad app install or a corrupted manifest.

You're staring at error 0x000036EC and it's stopping your app from running. I get it — this one's annoying because it's vague. Let's fix it.

This error happens when Windows can't parse a side-by-side (SxS) manifest file. The XML has a tag that starts but never closes. Windows is strict about XML syntax — one missing ">" and the whole thing breaks.

I see this most often after installing a poorly-written app or update. A common trigger: installing an old game or business app from 2010-2015 that wasn't updated for Windows 10/11. The manifest was fine on Windows 7, but Windows 10's parser is pickier.

The direct fix: find and fix the broken manifest

Open Event Viewer. Press Win + R, type eventvwr.msc, hit Enter.
In Event Viewer, expand Windows Logs > Application. Look for events with Source = SideBySide and Event ID 33 or 63. The error message will show the manifest file path.
Write down the full path. It'll look like C:\Program Files (x86)\SomeApp\app.exe.manifest or C:\Windows\WinSxS\Manifests\x86_...manifest.
Open the manifest file in Notepad++ (or any editor that shows syntax errors, not regular Notepad).
Look for lines with < but no matching >. Common culprits: without >, or without closing >, or without .


  Fix the missing closing bracket or closing tag. For example, change  to  — note the > at the end.

  Save the file. Important: You might need admin rights. Save to a different location first if it won't save, then copy it back with admin permissions.
  Reboot the machine. Try running the app again.



After you reboot, open Event Viewer and check Application logs again. If you don't see new SideBySide errors, you fixed it. If you still see the same error, the manifest still has a problem — go back and look more carefully at each line.

Why this works

Windows loads the SxS manifest when an app starts. It reads the XML and checks for valid syntax. An unclosed start tag means Windows stops reading and throws error 0x000036EC. By closing that tag, you let the parser finish reading the manifest. The app then loads the correct version of the DLLs it needs.

I've fixed this exact error on a dozen machines. In one case, a vendor's installer had a typo:  missing the closing >. One character. That's all it took.


Less common variations of this issue

Sometimes the manifest isn't in the app's folder — it's in a Windows component. If the event log shows a path like C:\Windows\WinSxS\Manifests\amd64_microsoft-windows-..., you're dealing with a system manifest. Don't edit those directly unless you know exactly what you're doing. Instead, run the System File Checker:


  Open Command Prompt as admin. Press Win + X > Terminal (Admin).
  Type sfc /scannow and hit Enter. Wait for it to finish — this takes 10-20 minutes.
  If it finds corrupted files, it'll replace them from the Windows component store. Reboot after.


Another variation: the manifest is fine, but the XML file that references it has a problem. This happens with .config files in the app's folder. Look for *.exe.config files alongside the .exe. Open them and check for unclosed tags there too.

Yet another: third-party software that injects into the app's manifest. Antivirus suites sometimes modify manifests. If you recently installed or updated security software, try disabling it temporarily and see if the error goes away. If it does, uninstall that security software and use a different one.

Prevention for the future

This error almost always comes from badly-written installers. Here's how to avoid it:


  Use reputable software sources. Download from the official vendor site, not random download portals. Poorly packaged apps are the main cause.
  Test updates in a VM first if you're managing a company network. I've seen an update break the manifest of a line-of-business app and take down a whole department.
  Keep Windows updated — Microsoft has fixed manifest parsing bugs over time. Windows 10 22H2 and Windows 11 23H2 handle malformed manifests better than older builds (they still error, but the error message gives the exact line number).
  If you're a developer writing apps, validate your manifest files with an XML schema before shipping. Use Visual Studio's manifest validation or a tool like XmlLint.


Bottom line: error 0x000036EC is a syntax error in an XML manifest. Find the manifest, find the unclosed tag, close it, reboot. Nine times out of ten, that's your fix.