How to Find and Restore Missing DLL Files in Windows 10?

“Missing dll files - I NEED HELP!”

What is DLL Files in Windows 10?

DLL files, short for "Dynamic Link Library", are essential components in Windows 10 that allow multiple programs to share the same code and resources. Instead of including every function directly within each program, Windows and software developers use DLL files to keep applications lightweight and efficient. These files often contain crucial instructions, drivers, or features that programs need to run properly.

However, when DLL files are missing or corrupted in Windows 10, you may encounter error messages, software crashes, or even system instability. Common issues include messages like "DLL file missing" or "The program can’t start because a DLL file is missing from your computer." Understanding what DLL files are and knowing how to restore missing DLL files areimportant for keeping your Windows 10 system running smoothly.

Why DLL Files Go Missing?

Missing DLL files in Windows 10 can happen for several common reasons, often leading to software errors or system crashes. Here are the most frequent causes:

1. Accidental Deletion: A DLL file may be mistakenly deleted by the user or removed during a software uninstall process.

2. Corrupted System Files: System crashes, power failures, or malware attacks can corrupt DLL files, making them unreadable or unusable.

3. Faulty Software Installation or Updates: Improper installation or interrupted updates can result in missing or incomplete DLL file dependencies.

4. Malware or Virus Infection: Malicious programs often target DLL files to disable or hijack legitimate applications.

5. Conflicts Between Programs: Two programs may overwrite shared DLL files with different versions, leading to compatibility issues.

6. Registry Issues: Incorrect registry entries or broken links to DLL files can cause Windows to fail to locate them.

Understanding these causes can help you find and restore missing DLL files in Windows 10 quickly and prevent the issue from recurring.

How to Restore Missing DLL Files in Windows 10?

When you encounter missing DLL file errors, there are several proven methods to restore or repair them. Follow these steps to fix the problem effectively:

Method 1: Restart Your PC

A simple restart can sometimes reload the required DLL files if the issue was caused by a temporary system glitch.When you reboot, the system reloads all essential files and services, which may restore the connection to the missing DLL without any further action.

Method 2: Restore from Recycle Bin

If a DLL file was accidentally deleted, the quickest way to get it back is by checking the Recycle Bin. Simply open the Recycle Bin, locate the missing DLL file, and restore it to its original location, just like restoring any other recently deleted file from Recycle Bin.

Method 3. Restore from Backup(If Available)

If it’s not in the Recycle Bin, use your system backup or File History feature (if enabled) to recover the deleted file. This is often the fastest and safest method to restore missing DLL files in Windows 10 without installing additional tools. Here, we will take "System Restore" as an example to show how to recover missing DLL files. It allows you to roll back your computer to a previous state when all files, including DLLs, were intact.

Note:✎...

If you have enabled File History backup feature, you can also use recover lost (DLL) files from File History.

1. Press "Win + S", type "Create a restore point", and press Enter to open the System Properties window.

2. Click the "System Restore" button.

3. In the System Restore wizard, click "Next" to see a list of available restore points.

4. Choose a restore point dated before the DLL file went missing, then click "Next".

5. Confirm your selection and click "Finish" to start the restoration process.

Your computer will restart, and Windows will restore system files and settings to the chosen date.This method can effectively restore missing DLL files by reverting system changes without affecting your personal data.

Method 4: Use System File Checker (SFC) Scan

The System File Checker (SFC) is a powerful built-in Windows tool that scans and repairs corrupted or missing DLL files and other system files. Running an SFC scan is one of the most effective ways to fix DLL-related errors without third-party software.

1. Press "Win + S", type "cmd", and choose "Run as Administrator".

2. Enter the command: sfc /scannow

3. Press "Enter" and wait for the scan to repair corrupted or missing system DLL files.

After the scan completes, you’ll receive a message indicating whether any issues were found and repaired. Running SFC regularly can help maintain system stability and prevent DLL errors in Windows 10.

Method 5: Run DISM Tool

When the System File Checker (SFC) tool fails to fix missing or corrupted DLL files, running the DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) command can help.

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

This command will check the health of the Windows image and repairing it by downloading necessary files, including clean DLLs, directly from Windows Update servers.

Method 6: Download Official DLL or Reinstall the App

If a specific program triggers a missing DLL error, reinstalling the application usually restores the necessary DLL files. Alternatively, you can download the missing DLL directly—but be sure to obtain it only from official or trusted sources to avoid malware or corrupted files.

Method 7: Update Windows 10

Keeping your Windows 10 system up to date ensures you have the latest fixes and updates, which often include important DLL files. To update, go to "Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update", then click "Check for updates" and install any available updates.

Method 8: Scan the Malware

Malware infections can corrupt or delete DLL files, causing errors. Use a trusted antivirus or antimalware program to perform a full system scan. Remove any detected threats to restore your system’s integrity. If you’re using Windows 10’s built-in protection, here’s how to scan your system with Windows Defender:

1. Click the "Start" menu and select "Settings"(the gear icon).

2. Go to "Update & Security"> "Windows Security".

3. Click the "Open Windows Security" button. In Windows Security, select "Virus & threat protection" from the left menu.

4. Click the "Quick scan" button to start scanning your system. For a more thorough check, click "Scan options", choose "Full scan" or "Custom scan", then click "Scan now".

After the scan completes, review the results and follow the prompts to remove or quarantine any detected threats.

Method 9: Manually Fix DLL Issues in the Registry

DLL errors can sometimes be caused by incorrect or broken registry entries that point to missing or wrong DLL file locations. Manually fixing these registry issues can help Windows locate the DLL files properly and resolve related errors. To do this safely, first back up your registry, then locate and correct any invalid DLL entries:

1. Backup the Registry: Press "Win + R", type "regedit", and press "Enter" to open the Registry Editor. Click "File"> "Export" to save a full backup of your registry to a safe location.

2. Navigate to problematic DLL registry keys such as:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SharedDLLs

Or use the "Find" feature ("Edit"> "Find") to search for the specific DLL name.

3. Check if the DLL file paths are accurate. Edit any incorrect paths or delete entries for DLLs that no longer exist or are unnecessary.

After editing or deleting, close the Registry Editor and restart your computer to apply the changes and see if the DLL issue is resolved. 

Method 10: Use a Data Recovery Tool

If the DLL files were deleted, no backups are availableand the above methods won’t work at all, it’s time to turn to some professionaldata recovery software like MyRecover. Itcan help you scan your disk, find and recover all missing DLL files efficiently.

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Recovery of over 1,000 file types, including documents, photos, videos, emails, and more.

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First, download and install the MyRecover software. After opening the program, select the disk or partition where you want to recover files, then click the "Scan" button.

Then, the software will perform a "quick scan" or a "deep scan" automatically to find lost files. When the scan finishes, you can browse the results by file type or location to locate the DLL files you need to restore. Select the target files and click the "Recover" button.

Finally,choose a safe location to save the recovered files.

After recovery, you will see a summary window, indicating how many files are recovered successfully and where they are stored now. You can click the "Browse" button to check if the files are intact and usable.

Conclusion

Missing DLL files can disrupt your workflow, prevent software from running, and even cause system instability. Fortunately, with the right steps, you can restore or repair missing DLL files in Windows 10 efficiently. When you’re not sure why your DLL files are missing, you can directly use MyRecover to quickly scan and recover them without hassle.

If your Windows cannot boot up normally due to missing DLL files, MyRecover can also help. You can first run MyRecover and create a bootable media on another working computer, then boot the affected computer from it, and recover DLL files in WinRE mode.