“The program can’t start because api-ms-win-core-psm-info-l1-1-0.dll is missing from your computer.” The api-ms-win-core-psm-info-l1-1-0.dll error usually points to a damaged Windows component, an incompatible older application, or an incomplete program installation.
Do not begin by downloading a replacement DLL. This filename is a genuine Microsoft Windows API-set stub, not a normal application runtime such as Visual C++ or DirectX. Repair Windows first, then repair the program that displays the message.
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Which fix applies to you
Use the path that matches what you see:
- Several programs fail: repair Windows with Windows Update, DISM, and System File Checker.
- Only one older program fails: update or reinstall that program, then check compatibility.
- The problem began after antivirus activity: inspect quarantine and run a security scan.
- The error appeared after an interrupted update or system crash: repair Windows and check the drive.
- The message says “module could not be found”: the named DLL may be present while one of its dependencies is missing.
- The program is 32-bit: confirm that its installation and dependencies match its architecture. A random 64-bit DLL will not solve a 32-bit loader problem.
What api-ms-win-core-psm-info-l1-1-0.dll actually is
Microsoft uses API-set names beginning with api- as loader contracts. They allow Windows programs to request an API without directly depending on one fixed implementation file. Windows resolves the contract to the implementation appropriate for the installed system.
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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteThe file is identified in historical public inventories as an ApiSet Stub DLL published by Microsoft. Those inventories list 32-bit Windows 8 and Windows 8.1-era records, including versions associated with Windows 8 and Windows 8.1. That historical metadata is not a complete compatibility table for every later Windows build, and it does not establish one universal file path for all installations.
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This is a Windows component, not evidence of a particular game, Adobe product, driver package, Visual C++ Redistributable, or DirectX installation. No specific mainstream application has been reliably identified as the unique cause of this exact message.
Fix 1: Install Windows updates
Start with servicing Windows because missing or damaged API-set components are normally restored through Windows repair rather than by copying individual files.
- Press Windows + I.
- Select Windows Update.
- Select Check for updates.
- Install every available update.
- Restart the computer, even if Windows does not immediately require it.
- Start the affected application again.
If the error disappears, the problem was likely an incomplete or damaged Windows component. If the error remains, continue with DISM and SFC.
Fix 2: Repair Windows with DISM and SFC
Microsoft recommends running Deployment Image Servicing and Management before System File Checker. DISM repairs the Windows component store, while SFC checks protected system files against that repaired store.
Run DISM
- Open Start.
- Type
Command Prompt. - Right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.
- Select Yes at the User Account Control prompt.
- Enter this command:
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
- Press Enter.
- Wait for the operation to complete. Do not close the window if progress appears to pause.
- Restart Windows if DISM reports that the operation completed successfully.
DISM normally uses Windows Update as its repair source. If Windows Update cannot provide the required files, Microsoft also documents using a matching installation source:
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:C:RepairSourceWindows /LimitAccess
Replace C:RepairSourceWindows with the actual path to a Windows installation source matching your installed edition and build. Do not guess at this path.
Run System File Checker
After DISM completes:
- Open Command Prompt as administrator again.
- Run:
sfc /scannow
- Wait until verification reaches 100 percent.
- Restart Windows.
- Test the affected program.
A message stating that SFC found corrupt files and successfully repaired them is a positive result. If SFC reports that it could not repair some files, confirm that DISM completed successfully and run SFC once more. Persistent failures may require a matching installation source or an in-place Windows repair installation.
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Repeating SFC and DISM without knowing what changed can make troubleshooting difficult. Outbyte PC Repair can scan for the problem and show what needs attention; its free scan identifies issues, while repair features are handled by the full version. It is optional, and it does not replace repairing the affected application when that application is the real cause.
Fix 3: Repair or reinstall the affected application
If every other program opens normally, focus on the program that displays the error. It may have an incomplete update, a missing dependency, or an executable built for a different Windows environment.
Use the built-in repair option
- Open Start → Settings → Apps → Installed apps.
- Find the affected program.
- Select the three-dot menu beside it.
- Choose Advanced options if available.
- Select Repair.
- Restart the program and test it.
Some desktop programs use a separate entry in Control Panel:
- Press Windows + R.
- Type
appwiz.cpl. - Press Enter.
- Select the affected application.
- Choose Repair or Change if offered.
- Follow the installer prompts.
For a game, open its official launcher and use its Verify, Repair, or equivalent file-checking command. If no repair option exists, uninstall the program, restart Windows, and install the current release using the developer’s official installer or launcher.
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Fix 4: Check compatibility for an older program
An old application may request an API-set contract that is unavailable or behaves differently on the installed Windows release.
- Right-click the program’s shortcut or executable.
- Select Properties.
- Open the Compatibility tab.
- Select Run this program in compatibility mode for.
- Choose the Windows version recommended by the application developer.
- Select Apply, then OK.
- Start the program again.
You can also run the built-in troubleshooter:
- Right-click the program.
- Select Properties → Compatibility.
- Select Run compatibility troubleshooter.
- Apply a recommended setting.
- Test the application.
If the program still fails, look for a newer release from its developer. Reinstalling a redistributable cannot make an unsupported application compatible with every Windows version.
Fix 5: Check antivirus quarantine
Windows Security or another antivirus product may have quarantined a system component. Malware or a cleanup utility may also have damaged protected files.
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- Open Start and search for Windows Security.
- Select Virus & threat protection.
- Choose Protection history.
- Look for an event involving the affected program or a Microsoft system file.
- Restore a file only when the security product identifies it as a genuine Microsoft-signed component and you understand why it was quarantined.
- Run Scan options → Full scan.
- After the scan, run DISM and SFC again.
Do not disable antivirus protection just to install a DLL downloaded from the internet. If a file was genuinely removed, Windows servicing is safer than replacing it with an unknown copy.
Fix 6: Check architecture and dependency errors
A 32-bit application on 64-bit Windows uses the 32-bit system environment. The historical records commonly indexed for this filename list 32-bit copies, but they do not establish that a 64-bit copy is universally available or required on every Windows release.
To check your Windows architecture:
- Open Start → Settings → System → About.
- Read System type under Device specifications.
- Note whether Windows is 32-bit or 64-bit.
- Confirm that the affected application supports that environment.
A message saying “The specified module could not be found” does not always mean the named DLL itself is absent. Windows may locate it but fail to load another dependency required by the application. This is another reason copying a DLL beside the executable is unreliable.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Fix 7: Update a relevant driver only when evidence points there
A driver update is reasonable if the failure began immediately after a graphics, chipset, storage, or device change, or if Device Manager shows a warning.
- Right-click Start.
- Select Device Manager.
- Expand the relevant category.
- Right-click the device.
- Select Update driver.
- Choose Search automatically for drivers.
- Restart Windows if a driver is installed.
Use the device manufacturer’s official support page when Windows cannot find a suitable driver. Do not install a driver merely because the DLL name appears in a generic search result.
Outbyte Driver Updater can scan the system and identify outdated drivers instead of making you hunt through many hardware versions; its free scan shows the findings, while driver installation through the full version handles the update. Use it only as an optional aid, not as a substitute for the application’s official repair.
Do not copy the DLL or use regsvr32
Avoid downloading api-ms-win-core-psm-info-l1-1-0.dll from random DLL sites. The file may be malicious, mismatched to your Windows build, the wrong architecture, or unrelated to the dependency that is actually failing. Manual replacement can also hide broader corruption.
Do not copy the file into System32, SysWOW64, or the application folder unless Microsoft or the application developer gives a precise, build-matched instruction. API-set components are operating-system contracts, not ordinary application plug-ins.
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Do not run:
regsvr32 api-ms-win-core-psm-info-l1-1-0.dll
regsvr32 is for DLLs that provide registration entry points such as DllRegisterServer. It is not a general repair command for every DLL. An API-set stub normally should not be registered, and the command may produce an entry-point error.
If the error still remains
Escalate based on the scope of the failure:
- Only one old program fails: replace or update that program, or contact its developer.
- Several programs fail: investigate Windows corruption, malware, or storage problems.
- SFC cannot repair files: review the CBS log, confirm DISM completed, retry with a matching installation source, and consider an in-place repair installation.
- The issue began after an update or driver installation: use System Restore with a restore point from before the failure.
- The computer crashes or repeatedly loses files: back up important data and investigate drive health before performing repeated repairs.
When requesting support, include the Windows version from winver, whether Windows is 32-bit or 64-bit, the complete error text, the affected application, when the problem began, recent updates, antivirus quarantine events, and whether other programs fail.
FAQ
Is api-ms-win-core-psm-info-l1-1-0.dll a real file?
Yes. It is a Microsoft Windows API-set contract or stub, not a randomly generated filename.
Is it part of Visual C++ Redistributable?
There is no reliable evidence that it belongs to Visual C++ Redistributable. It is a Windows API-set component.
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Which Windows versions contain it?
Public historical inventories document 32-bit Windows 8 and Windows 8.1-era records. Those records are not a complete Microsoft compatibility list for every later Windows build.
Should I download a replacement copy?
No. Use Windows Update, DISM, SFC, and the affected program’s official repair or installer.
Why does only one program fail?
That usually points to an incomplete installation, an incompatible executable, or a dependency problem inside that application rather than a system-wide missing file.
Does a “module could not be found” message prove this DLL is missing?
No. Windows may be unable to load a dependency of the named file or the application itself. Repairing the complete installation is safer than replacing one DLL.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsQuick Recap
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