“fxsmon.dll was not found”: which fix applies to you
You may see one of these messages:
- “The code execution cannot proceed because fxsmon.dll was not found.”
- “The program can’t start because fxsmon.dll is missing from your computer.”
- “fxsmon.dll could not be loaded.”
- “The specified module could not be found.”
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsfxsmon.dll is the Microsoft Fax Print Monitor, a genuine Windows component used by the print spooler and fax infrastructure. It is normally located at:
C:WindowsSystem32fxsmon.dll
Use this decision list to start with the situation that matches your computer:
- The file is missing, Windows features are malfunctioning, or the error appeared after an update or cleanup: run DISM and SFC first.
- Windows Fax and Scan is absent or was recently removed: reinstall the Windows Print Fax Scan capability.
- Windows Security quarantined the file: review Protection history before restoring anything.
- The file exists, but printing, faxing, or the Print Spooler fails: restart the spooler and repair the printer or fax installation.
- The error began after installing a printer driver: reinstall or roll back that driver.
- SFC and DISM report no problems: identify the process generating the message and investigate dependencies or a specific legacy application.
- The file is outside the Windows directory or is unsigned: scan for malware instead of replacing it from a download site.
Do not download fxsmon.dll from a random DLL website. A downloaded copy can have the wrong Windows build, architecture, language resources, or malicious modifications. It also bypasses Windows component servicing and often fails to repair the real cause.
What fxsmon.dll does
fxsmon.dll is described as Microsoft Fax Print Monitor and is published by Microsoft Corporation. It is a user-mode print-monitor DLL involved in communication between the Windows print spooler and fax or printer-related ports.
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Although some file listings associate it with Microsoft Fax Server, it should not be treated as a separately downloaded program component. On modern Windows systems, it is part of the Windows printing and fax infrastructure. It is not a Visual C++ runtime, DirectX file, .NET component, game file, or general-purpose application DLL.
Microsoft describes print monitors as components installed with printer and fax infrastructure. The spooler loads them through print-monitor configuration rather than treating them like ordinary application libraries.
On a 64-bit Windows installation, System32 normally contains native 64-bit Windows system files. The name does not mean that every file in that folder is 32-bit. Do not copy the same file into both System32 and SysWOW64. Windows build and architecture must match, and supported servicing is safer than manual copying.
Fix 1: Repair Windows automatically with DISM and SFC
This is the best first repair when fxsmon.dll is missing, damaged, or no longer usable.
DISM repairs the Windows component store. SFC then uses that repaired store to check and restore protected system files.
Run DISM and SFC
- Press the Windows key.
- Type Command Prompt.
- Right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.
- Select Yes if User Account Control appears.
- Run this command:
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
- Wait for it to finish. Do not close the window if progress appears to pause.
- Run:
sfc /scannow
- Wait until verification reaches 100 percent.
- Restart Windows.
Microsoft recommends running DISM before SFC. DISM may use Windows Update as a repair source, so keep the computer connected to the internet if possible.
How to interpret the result
SFC may report that:
- Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations: protected system files appear intact.
- Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them: restart and test the affected program, printing, or fax feature.
- Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them: run DISM again, restart, and run SFC once more.
- DISM cannot find source files or fails to repair the component store: install pending Windows updates, then consider using matching Windows installation media or an in-place repair installation.
The exact error may still appear after a successful scan if another DLL is missing, a printer monitor is damaged, or a specific application is requesting the file incorrectly.
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Fix 2: Reinstall Windows Fax and Scan or Print Fax Scan
Windows Fax and Scan is an optional Windows component. If it was removed, the related print and fax infrastructure may be unavailable.
On Windows 11 version 22H2 and later, Windows Fax and Scan is not preinstalled. Availability can still depend on the Windows edition, build, policy, and servicing source.
Install it through Settings
- Press Windows + I to open Settings.
- Select System.
- Select Optional features.
- Select View features beside Add an optional feature.
- Search for Windows Fax and Scan.
- Select the feature.
- Select Next, then Add.
- Wait for installation to finish.
- Restart Windows.
The feature may be listed under the Print Fax Scan capability. If it is not offered, your edition or organization policy may not provide it through the current servicing source.
Install the capability from an elevated Command Prompt
- Open Command Prompt as administrator.
- Run:
DISM /Online /Add-Capability /CapabilityName:Print.Fax.Scan~~~~0.0.1.0
- Restart Windows after the command completes.
- Open the Start menu and search for Windows Fax and Scan.
If DISM reports that the capability source is unavailable, check Windows Update, connect to your organization’s approved servicing source, or ask your administrator whether optional-feature installation is restricted.
Installing Windows Fax and Scan is appropriate when the feature is absent. It is not necessary to install it merely because a third-party program displays a DLL message. First determine which process is requesting fxsmon.dll.
Fix 3: Check Windows Security quarantine
Antivirus software can quarantine a system file after a detection or false positive. Do not immediately disable antivirus protection or download a replacement.
Review Protection history
- Open the Start menu.
- Search for Windows Security and open it.
- Select Virus & threat protection.
- Select Protection history.
- Review recent actions involving
fxsmon.dll. - Open the detection details and check:
- The file path.
- The detection name.
- Whether the file was actually in the Windows directory.
- Whether Microsoft is identified as the publisher.
- Run a Windows Security scan before restoring anything.
Only restore a quarantined file if you have verified that the detection is incorrect and the file path and signature are trustworthy. Microsoft warns that restoring a quarantined file can cause Defender to detect it again unless it is deliberately allowed.
If the file was found outside the Windows directory, treat that as suspicious. Run a full scan and investigate the program that placed it there.
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Fix 4: Verify the file and its digital signature
If fxsmon.dll exists, confirm that it is in the expected location.
- Open File Explorer.
- Browse to:
C:WindowsSystem32
- Search for
fxsmon.dll. - Right-click the file and select Properties.
- Open the Digital Signatures tab.
- Inspect the signer and signature status.
- Open the Details tab and review the description and company information.
A normal file should identify Microsoft and the Microsoft Fax Print Monitor. The file’s version is not universal across Windows releases. Public inventories show different versions for different Windows builds, so do not use an old inventory as a replacement target.
If the signature is missing, invalid, or the file is in a temporary, user-profile, downloads, or unrelated application folder, do not overwrite it manually. Run Microsoft Defender and then use DISM and SFC.
Fix 5: Restart the Print Spooler
A valid fxsmon.dll can still fail to load when the Print Spooler service or its configuration is damaged.
Restart the service
- Press Windows + R.
- Type:
services.msc
- Press Enter.
- Find Print Spooler.
- Right-click it and select Restart.
- If it is stopped, select Start.
- Try printing or opening Windows Fax and Scan again.
If the spooler repeatedly stops:
- Right-click Print Spooler and select Properties.
- Set Startup type to Automatic.
- Open the Dependencies tab and confirm required services are running.
- Check Event Viewer for the failure details.
Do not delete spooler files or registry entries as a first step. Removing queues and drivers through Windows settings is safer.
Fix 6: Repair or reinstall the printer or fax driver
A printer driver can load several monitor DLLs. An error mentioning fxsmon.dll may occur alongside a damaged vendor print monitor or an incompatible driver.
Remove and reinstall the affected printer
- Open Settings.
- Select Bluetooth & devices.
- Select Printers & scanners.
- Select the affected printer.
- Select Remove.
- Restart Windows.
- Return to Printers & scanners.
- Select Add device.
- Install the printer using Windows or the printer manufacturer’s official driver package.
For a fax device, remove the related fax printer or software and reinstall it from the vendor’s official source.
Check the driver in Device Manager
- Right-click the Start button.
- Select Device Manager.
- Expand Printers, Print queues, or Imaging devices.
- Right-click the affected device.
- Select Properties.
- Open the Driver tab.
- Review the provider, date, and version.
- Select Update Driver if an approved update is available.
- If the problem began immediately after an update, select Roll Back Driver when available.
Do not replace a Windows print monitor with a random DLL. The driver package, printer queue, monitor configuration, and Windows architecture must work together.
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Fix 7: Check for another missing dependency
“The specified module could not be found” does not always mean that fxsmon.dll itself is missing. Windows may have found the named DLL but failed to load one of its dependencies.
If SFC and DISM succeed and the file is present:
- Note which application or service displays the error.
- Open Task Manager and identify the related process.
- Open Event Viewer by pressing Windows + R, entering
eventvwr.msc, and pressing Enter. - Check Windows Logs → Application.
- Check Applications and Services Logs → Microsoft → Windows → PrintService.
- Look for events at the time of the failure.
- Record the application name, printer or fax device, and any other DLL named in the event.
If only one old fax application fails, repair or reinstall that application from its official source. If printing fails only for one printer, focus on that printer’s driver and queue rather than replacing the Windows system file.
Do not use regsvr32 for this file
regsvr32 is not the normal repair method for a print-monitor DLL.
Print monitors are loaded by the Print Spooler through print-monitor configuration. They are not automatically ordinary COM or ActiveX libraries that expose a DllRegisterServer entry point.
If you run:
regsvr32 C:WindowsSystem32fxsmon.dll
and Windows reports that DllRegisterServer is missing, that generally means registration does not apply. It does not mean that you need a different download.
Use regsvr32 only when the software vendor or Microsoft documentation specifically says that a particular DLL is designed for registration.
Check Windows updates and servicing health
A failed update, interrupted feature removal, disk problem, or damaged component store can leave Windows files incomplete.
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- Open Settings.
- Select Windows Update.
- Select Check for updates.
- Install available updates.
- Restart Windows.
- Run DISM and SFC again.
- Test the affected printing or fax operation.
If DISM repeatedly fails, use a matching Windows installation source with the appropriate DISM /Source option. The source must match the installed Windows edition, language, and architecture closely enough for servicing.
If supported repair commands cannot restore the component, use System Restore if a restore point predates the problem:
- Search for Create a restore point.
- Open it.
- Select System Restore.
- Choose a restore point from before the failure.
- Review affected programs before confirming.
System Restore is not a replacement for component repair, and it may not be available.
When to use an in-place Windows repair
Use an in-place repair installation when:
- DISM cannot repair the component store.
- SFC continues reporting unrepaired files.
- Windows features and printing remain damaged.
- The file is missing despite supported servicing.
- System Restore does not resolve the issue.
Back up important files first. Use installation media matching the same Windows edition and language, start setup.exe while signed in to Windows, and choose the option to keep personal files and applications when offered. Do not perform a clean installation unless you have a separate backup and deliberately want to remove the current Windows installation.
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- Keep Windows updated and restart after feature or driver servicing.
- Install printer and fax drivers from Windows Update or the device manufacturer.
- Avoid registry cleaners and “DLL fixer” utilities.
- Do not copy system DLLs between computers.
- Do not disable antivirus protection to restore an unverified file.
- Keep enough free disk space for Windows updates and component servicing.
- Remove obsolete printer queues and drivers through Windows rather than deleting random files.
- Record the application or service that displays the error before attempting repairs.
FAQ
Is fxsmon.dll legitimate?
Yes. A genuine copy is Microsoft’s Fax Print Monitor and is associated with Windows printing and fax infrastructure. Location, digital signature, and the process requesting it all matter. A file with the same name in an unrelated folder may not be legitimate.
Is it part of Microsoft Fax Server or Windows Fax and Scan?
It is a Windows fax and print component used by the spooler. It is related to Windows Fax and Scan and fax infrastructure, but it should not be treated as a universal file from a separately downloaded Microsoft Fax Server package.
Should fxsmon.dll be in System32, SysWOW64, or both?
The normal public Windows path is:
C:WindowsSystem32fxsmon.dll
Do not copy the same file into both folders. System32 normally contains native 64-bit files on 64-bit Windows, while 32-bit compatibility uses Windows redirection and component servicing.
Which Windows versions contain it?
Public inventories include Windows 8 and Windows 10-era builds, but the exact file version depends on the Windows release and build. There is no single universal replacement version.
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It is possible. Check Windows Security Protection history. Verify the path, signature, and detection before restoring anything.
Are Visual C++, DirectX, or .NET redistributables relevant?
Usually not. fxsmon.dll is a Windows fax print-monitor component, not a Visual C++, DirectX, or .NET runtime file.
Can I download a replacement DLL?
Do not use random DLL download sites. The safe sources are Windows component repair, the Print Fax Scan optional capability, Windows installation media, or a supported printer and fax installation.
What if SFC and DISM find no problem?
Check whether the file exists and is signed, identify the process showing the message, inspect PrintService and Application logs, and repair the related printer, fax driver, or legacy application. The error may refer to another dependency.
Does this error mean Windows is infected?
Not by itself. A missing system file can result from servicing damage, quarantine, cleanup, or a failed feature removal. An unsigned copy outside the Windows directory is a reason to run a full security scan.
When should I contact an administrator?
Contact your IT administrator if optional features are blocked, the computer uses organization-managed print servers, DISM requires a corporate source, or the spooler repeatedly crashes across multiple printers.
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