Fix the 'Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime Error' in Games Fast

I Know That Runtime Error Is Infuriating

You double-click your game, the screen flickers, and then—bam—a dialog box slaps you with "Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime Library" or just "Runtime Error!". The game dies before it even starts. I've been there, and it's not your computer dying. It's a mismatch between what the game expects and what your system actually has for C++ libraries.

The Short Fix: Nuke All Visual C++ Redistributables and Start Fresh

Skip the individual file downloads and the registry hunting. The real fix is to remove every Visual C++ redistributable on your machine and then install the correct ones fresh. Here's the exact process I use on Windows 10 and 11.

1. Open Control Panel → Programs and Features (or Apps & Features in Windows 11).
2. Sort by name. Look for any entry starting with "Microsoft Visual C++"—you'll see versions like 2005, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015-2022. Uninstall every single one. Yes, all of them. Reboot after.
3. Download the Visual C++ Redistributable All-in-One installer from a trusted source. I use the one from TechPowerUp or, if you prefer official, grab each version from Microsoft's site directly.
4. Run the installer. It'll install all major redistributables: 2005, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, and the latest 2015-2022. Let it finish. Reboot again.
5. Launch your game. Nine times out of ten, the error's gone.

Why This Works

Modern games—especially those built on Unreal Engine or Unity—are compiled against specific versions of the Microsoft Visual C++ runtime. If a file like vcruntime140.dll is missing, corrupt, or the wrong version, the game process can't find the functions it needs and throws that runtime error.

Uninstalling everything first clears out broken entries, corrupted files, and version conflicts (like having both x86 and x64 of the same version installed incorrectly). Then the fresh install puts every version in the right place: C:\Windows\System32 for 64-bit and C:\Windows\SysWOW64 for 32-bit. The game loads, finds its happy .dll, and runs.

When the Standard Fix Fails: Less Common Variants

If the error still shows up after the clean reinstall, here are three things I've seen cause it:

1. The Game Is 32-bit, But Your System Is 64-bit

Some older games (pre-2015) only install the 32-bit redistributable. You need both. The all-in-one installer covers this, but if you did it manually, you might've missed the 32-bit package. On a 64-bit system, install both x64 and x86 versions of each C++ redist.

2. DirectX Runtime Is Also Missing

This one trips me up still. I've seen a game throw a Visual C++ runtime error when the actual missing piece was DirectX. The game's error handler is lazy and shows the wrong dialog. Run the DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer from Microsoft. It adds older DirectX 9 libraries that many indie games still need.

3. A Third-Party Overlay or Anti-Cheat Is Blocking the DLL

Rare, but I've seen Discord overlay or Riot Vanguard prevent a game from loading vcruntime140.dll. Temporarily disable overlays and any anti-cheat software (like Easy Anti-Cheat or BattlEye) before launching the game. If it works, add an exception for the game's .exe in those tools.

How to Prevent This From Happening Again

You don't need to baby-sit your C++ runtimes. Just remember a few rules:

• Always run the all-in-one installer after a clean Windows install. I do it before I even install Steam. Takes 2 minutes, saves hours.
• Never delete files in System32 or SysWOW64 manually. If a game installer says it needs to overwrite a DLL, let it—but only if the installer is from a known publisher.
• Keep Windows Update turned on. Microsoft occasionally pushes security updates for the runtime. Let them through.
• If you reinstall a game later and the error returns, just rerun the all-in-one installer. It'll repair missing files without uninstalling everything again.

That's it. No registry tweaks, no command-line magic. Just clean house and reinstall. Your game will thank you.