VCRUNTIME140.dll or MSVCP140.dll Not Found: Fix for Games

“VCRUNTIME140.dll was not found” and “MSVCP140.dll is missing” mean the Microsoft Visual C++ v14 runtime the game was built with isn’t installed (or is damaged) for the game’s architecture — fix it by installing Microsoft’s latest Visual C++ v14 Redistributable in both x64 and x86 versions, then restarting. Never download the single DLL from a DLL website; that is how a missing-DLL error turns into a 0xc000007b error.

The message appears the moment you launch the game, before anything loads. On Windows 10 and 11 it reads:

The code execution cannot proceed because VCRUNTIME140.dll was not found. Reinstalling the program may fix this problem.

Older wording, and the same error for the other runtime files:

The program can't start because MSVCP140.dll is missing from your computer. Try reinstalling the program to fix this problem.

“Reinstalling the program” rarely helps on its own. The missing file belongs to a Microsoft runtime, not to the game.

Which package each DLL comes from

The number in the file name tells you which Visual C++ runtime the game needs. Find your DLL, install that package.

Missing DLL	Runtime it belongs to	What to install
VCRUNTIME140.dll, VCRUNTIME140_1.dll	Visual C++ v14 (Visual Studio 2015–2026)	Latest Visual C++ v14 Redistributable, x64 + x86
MSVCP140.dll, MSVCP140_1.dll, MSVCP140_2.dll	Visual C++ v14	Same package
CONCRT140.dll, VCOMP140.dll	Visual C++ v14	Same package
MSVCR120.dll, MSVCP120.dll	Visual C++ 2013 (12.0)	Visual C++ 2013 Redistributable, x64 + x86
MSVCR110.dll, MSVCP110.dll	Visual C++ 2012 (11.0)	Visual C++ 2012 Update 4 Redistributable
MSVCR100.dll, MSVCP100.dll	Visual C++ 2010 (10.0)	Visual C++ 2010 SP1 Redistributable

Microsoft ships one v14 package for everything built with Visual Studio 2017, 2019, 2022 and 2026, and it also upgrades the 2015 runtime in place. The 2013-and-older runtimes install side by side with it — a game that wants MSVCR120.dll needs the 2013 package even if the v14 one is current.

Fix 1: Install the Visual C++ v14 Redistributable (x64 and x86)

This fixes the large majority of VCRUNTIME140.dll and MSVCP140.dll errors.

1. Download both installers from Microsoft’s permanent links:
   • x64: https://aka.ms/vc14/vc_redist.x64.exe
   • x86: https://aka.ms/vc14/vc_redist.x86.exe
2. Right-click each one → Run as administrator.
3. If the installer offers Repair, choose Repair — the runtime is present but damaged. If it installs fresh, let it finish.
4. Restart the PC, then launch the game.

Why both? Microsoft states the redistributable’s architecture must match the app’s. A 64-bit game needs the x64 runtime, but its launcher, anti-cheat or a helper process may be 32-bit and need the x86 one. On 64-bit Windows installing both is normal and safe.

The current v14 package supports Windows 10 and 11. Microsoft lists Windows 10 and 11 (and Windows Server 2016–2025) as the only supported systems for the latest package, so on Windows 7 or 8.1 a failure is an OS-support limit, not a broken download.

Fix 2: Run the runtime installers the game ships with

Many games bundle the exact runtime versions they were tested against. On Steam they usually sit in a _CommonRedist folder inside the game’s install directory:

Steam\steamapps\common\<Game>\_CommonRedist\vcredist\

Run every x64 and x86 installer in each year’s subfolder. This is the fastest way to get an older runtime like 2013 or 2012 without hunting for it, and it’s worth doing even after Fix 1 if the error names a …120.dll or …110.dll file.

Fix 3: The installer fails — common error codes

If vc_redist itself errors out, Microsoft’s troubleshooting guide maps the codes like this:

Installer error	Meaning	Fix
1603	Generic install failure	Run as administrator, install pending Windows Updates, reboot, retry
5	Access denied	Temporarily turn off antivirus real-time protection, run as administrator, turn protection back on
32	File is locked	Close running programs (including the game launcher), restart, retry
1620	Corrupt or invalid installer package	Re-download the installer from the aka.ms link above
1714	Older version can’t be removed	Remove the old Visual C++ version (Settings → Apps → Installed apps, or run that old version’s own installer and uninstall), then install the new one

Re-enable your antivirus as soon as the install finishes. If you need an exact older version, Microsoft’s rule is simple: only install a Visual C++ Redistributable downloaded from a Microsoft site and signed by Microsoft.

Fix 4: Verify the game files

If the runtime is installed and repaired but the error persists, the game may be loading a broken copy from its own folder:

• Steam: right-click the game → Properties → Installed Files → Verify integrity of game files
• Epic Games Launcher: the three dots on the game → Manage → Verify
• EA app / Battle.net / Ubisoft Connect: use the launcher’s Repair or Scan and Repair

Remove mods first. A mod that ships its own msvcp140.dll can shadow the system copy.

Fix 5: Undo DLLs copied in by hand, then repair Windows

If you (or an old guide) dropped a downloaded vcruntime140.dll or msvcp140.dll into the game folder, System32 or SysWOW64:

1. Delete only the file you added yourself. Don’t touch system DLLs you didn’t put there.
2. Run Fix 1 again so the official installer puts the right file in the right place.
3. Open an elevated Command Prompt and run sfc /scannow to repair any overwritten system file. The full DISM + SFC sequence is in Fixing DLL Errors with DISM, SFC, and Similar Methods.

A wrong-architecture copy is exactly what produces “The application was unable to start correctly (0xc000007b)” — if that’s the error you now see, follow Fix 0xc000007b.

Missing DLL vs other launch errors

Error you see	What it means	Guide
VCRUNTIME140.dll was not found / MSVCP140.dll is missing	Visual C++ runtime not installed or damaged	This page
unable to start correctly (0xc000007b)	A DLL of the wrong architecture (32-bit vs 64-bit)	0xc000007b fix
Crash with 0xc0000005 after the game loads	Access violation — mods, overlays, drivers, unstable RAM	0xc0000005 fix
Xbox app / Game Pass game won’t launch	Gaming Services broken	Fix Gaming Services
DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_HUNG mid-game	GPU driver timeout	DXGI device hung fix

The short version

• The error names a Microsoft runtime file, not a game file.
• Install the Visual C++ v14 Redistributable, x64 and x86, choose Repair if offered, restart.
• For …120.dll / …110.dll / …100.dll, install that year’s runtime or run the game’s _CommonRedist installers.
• Never download a lone DLL from a DLL site.

Once the game launches, the next problem is usually stutter rather than crashes — Tier1Suite checks the common Windows causes of stutter and input lag in one pass.

Related guides

• Fix 0xc000007b: Application Was Unable to Start Correctly
• Fixing DLL Errors with DISM, SFC, and Similar Methods
• 0xc0000005 Access Violation Crash Fix
• Out of Video Memory Error Fix
• How to Clean Install GPU Drivers with DDU