2025 guide to fix vcruntime140_app.dll missing error in Windows 10 and 11

Summary

That dreaded error message stopping your favourite applications from loading? If you’re seeing a vcruntime140_app.dll missing notification on your Windows 10 or 11 PC, you’ve come to the right place. This frustrating issue is often simpler to resolve than it seems. Our definitive 2025 guide provides clear, step-by-step instructions—from a quick reinstallation to running an SFC scannow fix DLL error—to get your software running smoothly again. Let’s dive in and solve this for good.

Method 5: Perform a Clean Boot to Isolate Conflicts

When the standard fixes—reinstalling apps, updating redistributables, and running system scans—fail to resolve the vcruntime140_app.dll missing error, the culprit is often a silent conflict running in the background. Third-party services or startup applications can interfere with how software loads its required libraries, creating a scenario where the DLL is present but inaccessible. Performing a clean boot is a diagnostic strategy designed to eliminate this noise. It starts Windows with a minimal set of drivers and startup programs, allowing you to determine if background software is causing the conflict.

This process doesn’t delete any of your files or programs; it simply prevents non-Microsoft services from starting automatically. If the application launches successfully in this clean boot state, you can be confident that a background item is the root cause. The task then shifts from fixing a “missing” file to identifying the conflicting software.

Here is how to perform a clean boot in Windows 10 and 11:

1. Type msconfig in the Windows search bar and select System Configuration.
2. Go to the Services tab. Check the box for Hide all Microsoft services (this is crucial to avoid disabling essential OS functions). Then, click Disable all.
3. Next, navigate to the Startup tab and click Open Task Manager. In Task Manager, disable each enabled startup item by right-clicking on it and selecting Disable.
4. Close Task Manager, click OK in the System Configuration window, and restart your computer when prompted.

Diagnostic Power: A successful application launch in a clean boot environment confirms a software conflict. The error isn’t about a missing file, but about something blocking its use.

After the restart, try running the problematic application. If it works, the conflict is confirmed. The systematic solution is to return to the System Configuration window and re-enable services and startup items in small groups, restarting each time, until the error reappears. This pinpoints the exact offender, which you can then update, configure, or uninstall. This method transforms a vague error into a targeted software management task.

Successfully isolating the conflict through a clean boot often represents the final frontier for most common software-related DLL errors. However, for the rare cases where the problem persists even in this stripped-down environment, a deeper level of advanced troubleshooting is required.

Advanced Troubleshooting for Persistent DLL Errors

If your PC is still refusing to cooperate after a clean boot, you’ve officially entered the realm of persistent system gremlins. This doesn’t mean the situation is hopeless—far from it. It simply indicates that the root cause of the vcruntime140_app.dll error is more deeply embedded, requiring tools and techniques that go beyond standard user-facing fixes. At this stage, the problem likely involves core system components, disk integrity, or registry conflicts that the previous methods couldn’t touch.

Your next line of defense involves two powerful, built-in Windows utilities: Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) and the Check Disk (CHKDSK) tool. While the SFC scan repairs system files using a local cache, DISM is used to repair the Windows component store—the very source that SFC relies on for its repairs. If SFC reported that it was unable to fix corrupt files, running DISM first is your logical next step.

1. Repair the Component Store with DISM: Open an elevated Command Prompt (as administrator) and run the following command:
   DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
   This process connects to Windows Update to download replacement files for any corrupted components. It can take a significant amount of time and requires a stable internet connection.

2. Check for Disk Errors with CHKDSK: Physical corruption on your hard drive or SSD can prevent system files from being read correctly. To scan and repair your main drive, run:
   chkdsk C: /f /r
   You will be prompted to schedule the scan for the next system restart. Agree, restart your computer, and allow the scan to complete—this can take several hours.

The DISM-SFC Tango: For the most comprehensive repair, always run sfc /scannow after a successful DISM restoration. DISM fixes the source, allowing SFC to then effectively repair the live system files.

If these advanced system repairs still don’t resolve the issue, the final, most definitive step is to consider a Windows Repair Install (also known as an in-place upgrade). This process reinstalls Windows while keeping your personal files, applications, and most settings intact. It replaces all system files with fresh copies from a current Windows ISO, effectively eliminating any system-wide corruption as a possible cause. This is the nuclear option for software issues, but it preserves your data environment.

Having exhausted these advanced avenues, the focus rightly shifts from reactive fixing to proactive protection, ensuring this frustrating error doesn’t make an unwelcome return.

Preventing Future vcruntime140_app.dll Issues

Resolving the vcruntime140_app.dll error is a victory, but the real win is ensuring it never disrupts your workflow again. The key to long-term stability lies in shifting from a reactive troubleshooting mindset to one of proactive system stewardship. The very nature of this error—a missing dependency often triggered by software changes or system updates—reveals the preventative measures you can take. By adopting a few simple habits, you can build a resilient computing environment that significantly reduces the risk of encountering this and similar DLL-related issues in the future.

The cornerstone of prevention is maintaining a clean and orderly software ecosystem. Be deliberate about what you install and, just as importantly, how you uninstall programs. Always use the official Windows Settings > Apps > Apps & features menu to remove software, as this ensures all components and registry entries are cleaned up properly, preventing the “orphaned file” conflicts that can lead to a vcruntime140_app.dll not found error later. Furthermore, when installing new applications, especially those from smaller developers, pay attention to any prompts to install prerequisites like the Visual C++ Redistributable; allowing these installations ensures all necessary foundations are laid correctly.

Prevention Checklist:
* Regularly Update Windows: Enable automatic updates to receive critical system and security patches that fix known compatibility issues.
* Install Software from Trusted Sources: Avoid unofficial download portals to minimize the risk of bundled malware or corrupted installers.
* Use a Reputable Antivirus: A good security suite will protect your system files from actual threats without mistakenly quarantining essential DLLs.
* Create Periodic System Restore Points: Before making significant changes like installing major new software or drivers, manually create a restore point for a quick recovery path.

Finally, consider the health of your storage drive. A failing hard drive can corrupt files, including critical system libraries. Running the chkdsk utility periodically, as discussed in the advanced troubleshooting section, can help identify and resolve physical disk errors before they cause widespread software failures. By integrating these practices into your routine, you transform your PC from a reactive problem-solver into a stable, reliable platform.

With these strategies in place, you are well-equipped to keep your system running smoothly, making errors like the one we’ve just resolved a distant memory.

Conclusion

By following this 2025 guide, you have a clear, step-by-step path to resolve the vcruntime140_app.dll missing error, from a simple application reinstall to advanced system checks. To ensure long-term stability, remember to keep your Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable updated and consider performing regular Windows updates as a proactive measure to prevent this issue from recurring.