Fix 'VCRUNTIME140.dll not found' on Windows 10/11 for Good

If you're staring at that "VCRUNTIME140.dll not found" error, you're probably one of the millions who just installed a game, an Adobe app, or some random update and now the thing won't launch. I know it's annoying. But here's the good news: it's almost never a virus or a broken hard drive. It's just a missing runtime library. And you can fix it in under five minutes.

I've seen this error on Windows 10 and Windows 11, from old rigs to brand-new gaming laptops. The trigger is usually a fresh install of a program that needs Microsoft's Visual C++ redistributables, or a Windows update that accidentally removed them. Been there, done that.

Cause #1: Missing or Broken Visual C++ Redistributables (the real fix)

VCRUNTIME140.dll is part of the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2015-2022. Programs like Adobe Premiere Pro, many Steam games, and even some drivers expect this file to be present. If it's not there, you get the error. The fix is to install (or reinstall) the redistributable. Don't go hunting for the DLL online — that's how you get malware. Get it from Microsoft.

1. Go to the official Microsoft download page for vc_redist.x64.exe. If you're on a 32-bit system (rare these days), grab the vc_redist.x86.exe too.
2. Right-click the downloaded file and select Run as administrator.
3. Choose Repair if the option appears, otherwise just click Install.
4. Restart your computer.

That usually does it. But here's a tip: if you're on a 64-bit system, install both the x64 and x86 versions. Some programs are still 32-bit, and they need the 32-bit runtime. I've seen plenty of cases where the error persisted until the x86 package was installed.

Cause #2: Outdated or Corrupted C++ Runtime from a Previous Install

Sometimes the redistributable is already present, but it's corrupted or an older version. The error might show up after you update a program, and the new version needs a newer runtime. The quickest fix: uninstall all versions of the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable, then reinstall the latest.

1. Press Windows + R, type appwiz.cpl, and hit Enter.
2. Look for entries like "Microsoft Visual C++ 2015-2022 Redistributable (x64)" or older ones from 2010, 2013, etc.
3. Uninstall each one. Yes, all of them. Don't worry, you can reinstall them.
4. Restart your PC.
5. Download the latest vc_redist.x64.exe and vc_redist.x86.exe from the link above and install both.

I know it feels drastic, but a clean slate of the runtime libraries fixes a lot of weird DLL issues. I once spent an hour on a friend's PC trying to patch the runtime before I gave up and did the full reinstall. That worked.

Cause #3: System File Corruption from a Windows Update

Windows updates are great, except when they break things. Sometimes an update leaves a system file in a bad state, and VCRUNTIME140.dll gets caught in the crossfire. The quick check is to run the System File Checker (SFC) and DISM tools. They scan for corruption and repair it.

1. Open Command Prompt as administrator (type cmd in the Start menu, right-click, and choose Run as administrator).
2. Run sfc /scannow and let it finish. It might take 10-15 minutes.
3. After that, run DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth.
4. Restart your PC.

In my experience, SFC often finds and fixes the issue, but DISM is the backup for when SFC can't. Do both — it's worth the wait.

Quick-Reference Summary

If you've tried all three and the error is still there, the next step is to check if the specific program is 64-bit and you're on a 32-bit OS (unlikely). Or, the program itself is missing other DLLs. But honestly, 95% of the time, it's the Visual C++ runtime. Fix that, and you're golden.