Windows is one of the most popular operating systems for a wide range of systems including desktops, laptops., etc. The programs are the backbone of the Windows operating system which allows the users to perform regular tasks like internet surfing, working, etc. However, sometimes the programs fail to run or start due to errors like “api ms win crt runtime l1-1-0 dll”.
This error occurs when the file with the same name is missing from your system. This file is a part of the dynamic-link library or DLL system file on the Windows OS. Hence, it is a crucial file needed to run most of the programs on the Windows-enabled system. If you are facing this error or Vcruntime140_1.dll Error while running any program, we advise you to go through this article.
This article will help you understand what this error is and how this problem arises while running your programs. It will also guide you through several steps for fixing the same error.
The “api ms win crt runtime l1-1-0 dll” File
Before we try to understand the error, we should be aware of the “api ms win crt runtime l1-1-0 dll” file. The Windows operating system uses dynamic link libraries or DLLs, provided by Microsoft. The “.dll” file has several instructions which are used by different software while running. These files are responsible for splitting various components of an application to promote additional functionalities.
Whenever a program is launched, the related .dll file will be used by the system. There are two types of .dll files in a system: run-time dynamic linking and load-time dynamic linking. The “api .dll file we are concerned with is classified as the run-time dynamic linking type” file. As a result, this DLL is important to create a small file size while running software.
The “api ms win crt runtime l1-1-0 dll missing” Error
When this .dll file goes missing, the error is shown by the system which prevents the startup of the program. Most times, these .dll files are installed automatically with the game or software during installation. However, these files are sometimes not provided with the installation. This creates a missing file error whenever you try to run the game or software.
You will see a popup window containing the following message: “The program cannot start because api ms win crt runtime l1-1-0 dll is missing from your computer”. Since this error prevents you from running the concerned program, it might frustrate you. Before we can explore any solution to this problem, we must understand the factors which cause this error.
Factors Which Cause The “api ms win crt runtime l1-1-0 dll missing” Error
As discussed earlier, the .dll files might or might not be provided by the installation file of a program. The major factor that contributes to this error is the unavailability of the .dll file. Apart from the missing .dll file, other factors also cause this error. The universal C runtime or CRT sometimes fails to install properly. Since it is a crucial part of the Visual C++ Redistributable package, an error arises.
These .dll files are expected to be provided by Visual Studio 2019’s Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable package. If your system does not have this software, the error will be displayed. Apart from this, if your system indeed has a Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2019, chances are the file might be corrupted.
Fixing The “api ms win crt runtime l1-1-0 dll is missing” Error
Now that we have understood the most common causes of this error, we can move towards finding a solution for the same. The solutions differ according to the troubleshooting process. Some solutions work instantly while some need patience. We advise you to go through each of them:
Installing the Latest Windows Update
Updating your operating system to the latest version sorts out most problems with the .dll files. To do this, you have to follow these steps:
- Press the Windows key on your keyboard. This will open the start menu where you can search for the update section
- By typing “update”, the update settings arrive on the screen
- Click on the “check for updates” option
- This will open a dedicated Windows update section where you can check if a new version has been released or not
- If yes, select the “Install updates” option (in Windows 10, the update is installed automatically)
- After the insulation process, restart your system and repeat the above-mentioned steps. This rechecking process will ensure that your system has the latest update
- Proceed to check the program or software if the eros message appears or not
Installing Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable For Visual Studio 2019
If updating the system has not worked in your favor, the problem might lie in the Visual C++Redistributable. Fortunately, you can download it from Microsoft’s website and install it on your systems. Before you can install it, you must know what type of system you have. Windows operating system is either an x64 bit or x86 (x32) bit.
- To check your system type, you have to press the Windows and R keys to open the run command
- In the search box, type “msinfo32” and press enter. This will open a system information window where all the necessary details of your system are displayed
- You can check your system type here, which will be useful while downloading the Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2019
- Visit the Microsoft website through this link: “my.visualstudio.com” and access the downloads section
- Search for “Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2019” in the download section.
- Right next to the software name, select the language you want to download the software in, and hit the download button
- Depending on your system type, download the x84 (x32) or x64-bit installation file
For 32-bit Windows
- After downloading the x32-bit installation file, you have to first unzip the zip file
- After extracting the file from this package, copy the .dll file
- You have to paste this file at this location on your system: C:/Windows/System32/
- After pasting the file in this location, restart your system
For 64-bit Windows
- For a 64-bit system, you have to download both 32-bit and 64-bit installation files.
- Extract both .dll files and keep track of both versions
- Now, the .dll file for 32 bits should be moved to the following location: C:/Windows/SysWOW64/
- After this step, copy the 64-bit .dll file and paste it into the C:/Windows/System32/ location
- At the last step, you will need to reboot your system
Manually Repair Problem With Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2019
If your system already has the Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2019, you can try repairing it.
- On your system, press the Windows and R keys to open the run menu.
- In the search box, type “control panel” and hit enter. This will open a list of various control panel items
- In this window, select the “programs and features” option. A list of all the installed programs will be displayed on the screen
- Locate the “Microsoft Visual C++ 2019 Redistributable” on the list
- Right-click on this program and select the “change” option
- A popup window will open where the “repair” option should be clicked
- The system will confirm the process after clicking “yes”. Follow the specific process and your program will be repaired
Download The Missing DLL File From A Verified Source
Sometimes, the .dll file goes missing by getting deleted or becomes corrupt. Several websites offer these .dll files for users to download and install on their systems. If the error message is displayed, you can visit these websites. The user must be aware of the authenticity of these websites since some websites might inject viruses into the downloaded file.
- You can visit websites like “www.dll-files.com” and locate the necessary .dll file
- Download the file and install it on your system by following the steps in the previous section (depending on the system type).
Reinstalling The Program Which Shows The Error
Sometimes the problem lies at the program level and not with the .dll file. In this case, you can uninstall the program and reinstall it. This process removes any irregularity at the software level.
- Access the programs menu by pressing the Windows button on your keyboard.
- Type “apps and features” and press enter. This will open a list of the installed programs on your system
- Locate the software that is displaying an error message upon opening it
- When you click on the software, the “uninstall” option will be visible. Click on this option and follow the process specified on the screen
- After complete removal of the program, the user can proceed to reinstall the program with the help of an authentic installation file of the same program
Scan The System
You can also perform a system scan to check for curated .dll files. This helps in locating the error-causing files and rereading them. The Windows operating system has a dedicated scanner called SFC (System File Checker )which helps in locating and repairing the corrupted files.
- By pressing the R and Windows keys, you have to open the run box
- In the search field, enter “cmd” and then press Shift, Ctrl, and Enter keys. This will run the command prompt with the administrator rights
- When the command prompt opens, type the “sfc /scannow” command and press the Enter key
- The SFC (system files checker) will start a scan against all the system files. It will also repair any corrupted or missing files during this process
- You will receive a notification that will update the status of the detected files (fixed, not fixed, etc)
When the system scan is finished, you have to run the “dism.exe” command to check your system’s health.
- Run the command prompt with the administrator rights
- Type the “dism.exe /online /cleanup-image /scanhealth” command in the command prompt. This will run a health scan on your system
- If any irregularities are detected in this process, you can use the “dism.exe /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth” command. This command will start a restore-health process for your system
If any error pops up during the health restoration process, you can see the following command: “dism /online /cleanup-image /startcomponentcleanup”. Users must be advised that this command takes up to 1 to 2 hours to run.
- If the system returns the “Error: 0x800F081F” error during the health restore scan, you can restart your system
- Again accessing the command prompt as administrator, run the following command: “Dism.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /AnalyzeComponentStore”
- You have to then restart your system and check the software for the “.dll missing” error message
Copy The DLL File From Another System
If all the above-mentioned solutions fail to solve your problem, you can get the replacement of the .dll file from another system. The system must run the same Windows operating system as yours. You should be aware of your system type to get a suitable system to copy the .dll file from.
- In the donor computer (which you will be using for copying DLL files), open the file explorer
- In the search box, type “ C:\WindowsSystem32” and search for the .dll file
- If no results are returned, you can visit the following location on File Explorer: “ C:\WindowsSysWOW64”
- Again search for the .dll file in this location. If found, you can copy this file and paste it in the same location on your computer (the computer that is showing the .dll is missing an error)
Additional Troubleshooting Tips
- If your system has antivirus software, it sometimes causes problems for the program while starting up. The problem arises as the anti-virus software sometimes quarantines the .dll file by mistaking it for a virus. You can turn off the antivirus software temporarily while opening the programs. This way, it will not cause problems for your programs.
- Locate the icon of the program which is displaying the error message. Right-click to open the drop-down menu. Select the “Properties” option to open a popup window with additional properties of the program. In the compatibility tab, check the compatibility mode option. Select the box against the “run this program in compatibility mode for” option and select the compatible Windows version. Click the “apply” option and press the “OK” option. Run the program that previously displayed the error message.
- If the problem still exists, you can contact the program’s support team. Depending on the program, the official website changes. Visit this website to get the contact details of the technical support team. The technical support sometimes includes direct contact with the program’s developer. Users can get a direct solution from the developer, which will remove the .dll missing error.
FAQs
Ans: To manually check if the DLL is corrupted, the user can use the command prompt. By typing the “cmd” text in the search box, the command prompt can be opened. Running as the administrator, the user can type the “sfc /scannow” command. This will start the SFC which will further check for corrupted files. If detected, it will display them and also repair the affected files.
Ans: Various factors can corrupt the DLL file. If you install or uninstall the program, the remaining files can corrupt the DLL file. Improper program closure can also affect the DLL file in the long run. Besides this, malware or viruses also corrupt the .dll file by modifying them.
Ans: DLL is not malware or virus but an important file of the Windows operating system. However, some malware or viruses can modify .dll files and inject them with malicious codes. As a result, sometimes antivirus software identifies such infected .dll files and quarantines them.
Conclusion
Programs are important for the users to run various tasks by providing instructions to the computer. When these programs do not start, you will be cut off from the basic functionalities. Among the popular errors, users commonly face the “api ms win crt runtime l1-1-0 dll is missing” error. Since this error pops up at the startup of a program, it needs to be addressed at the topmost priority. This article helps you understand this error along with the contributing factors. It also offers various solutions to fix it and resume the operation of the program. With this information, you will never face this error again on your system.
