avdevice-57.dll is an FFmpeg library used by some older Windows games, video tools, converters, and media applications. If Windows says avdevice-57.dll is missing, not found, or could not be loaded, repair the application that installed it instead of downloading a loose DLL.
The file is not part of Windows and does not normally belong in C:WindowsSystem32 or C:WindowsSysWOW64. It is usually stored beside the application’s executable, where the program loads it with the rest of its FFmpeg bundle.
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What avdevice-57.dll does
avdevice-57.dll is the Windows build of FFmpeg’s libavdevice library. That library handles special audio and video device input and output, including device capture and playback functions.
The number 57 identifies an older FFmpeg application binary interface, or ABI. It is associated broadly with FFmpeg 3.x-era software. It does not identify one universal DLL. Different builds can use different architectures, compiler settings, enabled features, dependencies, and patches.
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That is why a newer FFmpeg DLL is not automatically a replacement. The application may require the other libraries from the same package, including files such as:
avcodec-57.dllavformat-57.dllavutil-55.dll- Other FFmpeg and application-specific dependencies
Do not mix these files from unrelated programs.
Fix 1: Identify the application requesting the DLL
Time needed: 5 to 10 minutes
The filename alone cannot tell you which program owns it. Start with the error message and locate the executable that triggered it.
- Note the program name shown in the error window.
- Right-click the program’s shortcut and select Properties.
- Open the Shortcut tab.
- Read the Target field. The executable path usually reveals the installation folder and application name.
- Open that folder in File Explorer.
- Look for the program’s other DLLs, configuration files, launcher files, or an uninstaller.
If the error appeared while starting a game, check its launcher first. For a Steam game:
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- Open Steam.
- Select Library.
- Right-click the game and choose Properties.
- Select Installed Files.
- Choose Verify integrity of game files.
For a desktop program, check the Start menu shortcut, the application’s installation directory, or Settings → Apps → Installed apps. Select the program and look for available repair, modify, or uninstall options.
You can also use Event Viewer if the error closes too quickly:
- Press Windows + R.
- Type
eventvwr.mscand press Enter. - Open Windows Logs → Application.
- Look for an error at the time the program failed.
- Check the executable name and faulting application path.
If you identify the executable, you have identified the correct repair target. If you cannot identify it, do not replace files globally. Find the application before continuing.
Fix 2: Repair or reinstall the affected application
Time needed: 10 to 30 minutes
This is the most likely solution because avdevice-57.dll is normally an application-bundled file.
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Use the application’s own repair option when available:
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- Open Settings.
- Select Apps → Installed apps.
- Find the affected application.
- Select the three-dot menu.
- Choose Advanced options if available.
- Select Repair.
- Start the application again.
If no repair option exists, download the installer from the application’s original vendor or use the official launcher. Do not use a random DLL download page as the source of the missing file.
For a complete reinstall:
- Uninstall the affected application.
- Restart Windows.
- Install the same application again from its official installer or launcher.
- Start it before adding third-party plugins or modified files.
- Confirm that the error has disappeared.
A successful repair restores the program’s complete FFmpeg set in its own installation folder. If the error changes from “missing” to “entry point not found,” stop replacing individual files. That usually means the FFmpeg DLLs are from mismatched builds, so reinstall the entire application package again.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteIf reinstalling does not restore the file, check whether security software removed it before attempting another installation.
Fix 3: Verify antivirus quarantine and protection history
Time needed: 5 to 15 minutes
Antivirus software may quarantine a bundled DLL during installation or after an update. A detection does not automatically prove the file is safe, so validate its origin before restoring anything.
In Windows Security:
- Open Start and search for Windows Security.
- Select Virus & threat protection.
- Choose Protection history.
- Review entries from the time the application stopped working.
- Expand any entry referring to the application’s installation folder.
- Note the detected path and file name.
Only restore or allow the file when all of these are true:
- It came from the application’s official installer or trusted launcher.
- The application itself is legitimate and expected.
- The file path is inside that application’s folder.
- A fresh reinstall from the official source produces the same file.
If you are unsure, do not restore it. Remove the application, run a full security scan, and reinstall from the vendor’s official source. If every reinstall loses the same DLL, investigate Controlled folder access, antivirus exclusions, disk errors, and malware rather than repeatedly downloading replacement files.
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Fix 4: Check 32-bit and 64-bit compatibility
Time needed: 5 to 15 minutes
A 32-bit application needs a 32-bit avdevice-57.dll. A 64-bit application needs a 64-bit build. The operating system being 64-bit does not make a 32-bit DLL interchangeable with a 64-bit one.
To check the executable architecture, inspect the application’s documentation or installation package. Many older programs identify their architecture in the installer name or About screen. If the vendor supplies separate x86 and x64 packages, install the one matching the application, not merely the operating system.
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Do not copy a 32-bit DLL into System32, and do not copy a 64-bit DLL into SysWOW64. Those folders are not general-purpose storage locations for application libraries, and copying files there can create additional conflicts.
The correct result is a complete, architecture-matching application installation. If Windows reports “not designed to run on Windows” or the program immediately closes, reinstall the correct x86 or x64 application package.
Fix 5: Restore the complete FFmpeg dependency set
Time needed: 10 to 20 minutes
If avdevice-57.dll is present but the program still reports that a module could not be found, the missing item may be a dependency rather than the named file.
In the application’s folder, look for the other FFmpeg libraries that shipped with it. Files such as avcodec-57.dll, avformat-57.dll, and avutil-55.dll should come from the same application build. Do not copy only avdevice-57.dll from another program.
Use the application’s repair function or reinstall it to restore the entire set. This also repairs files that are present but corrupted or incompatible.
Different messages provide useful clues:
| Message | Likely meaning |
|---|---|
| “The program cannot start because avdevice-57.dll is missing” | The file is absent or was removed |
| “The specified module could not be found” | The DLL or one of its dependencies is missing |
| “The procedure entry point could not be located” | FFmpeg libraries are likely mismatched |
| “Not designed to run on Windows” | Wrong architecture, corruption, or an invalid binary |
If the application uses capture hardware, the dependency chain may also include a device-specific component. Continue with the application’s documentation rather than adding unrelated DLLs.
Fix 6: Repair the Microsoft Visual C++ runtime when indicated
Time needed: 10 to 20 minutes
Some FFmpeg builds or host applications depend on Microsoft Visual C++ runtime files. Visual C++ does not provide avdevice-57.dll; it can only repair a separate dependency that prevents the FFmpeg library from loading.
Install or repair the package that matches the application:
vc_redist.x86.exefor 32-bit applicationsvc_redist.x64.exefor 64-bit applications- ARM64 for native ARM64 applications
Use Microsoft’s official Visual C++ Redistributable documentation and follow the version requested by the application’s vendor. Older software may require an older side-by-side package rather than only the current supported package.
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After installation:
- Restart Windows.
- Start the affected application.
- Check whether the same error remains.
If the error is unchanged, reinstall the application itself. Installing every Visual C++ package indiscriminately will not recreate an application-specific FFmpeg DLL.
Fix 7: Update or repair a device driver only when the app needs one
Time needed: 10 to 30 minutes
libavdevice can interact with audio, video, capture, and playback devices. A device failure can therefore appear alongside an FFmpeg load problem, but updating a driver will not restore a missing avdevice-57.dll.
Check Device Manager only when the application uses hardware such as a webcam, capture card, sound device, or specialized video input:
- Right-click Start.
- Select Device Manager.
- Expand Cameras, Sound, video and game controllers, or the relevant hardware category.
- Right-click the device.
- Choose Update driver.
- Select Search automatically for drivers.
- Restart Windows if a driver is installed.
For a failed device, use the hardware manufacturer’s official driver package. Do not remove a working driver merely because the application reports avdevice-57.dll.
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When manually hunting through several hardware vendors and driver versions becomes the problem, Outbyte Driver Updater can scan for outdated drivers; its free scan shows what it finds, while driver installation is handled by the full version. Reinstalling the affected application remains the definitive fix when its FFmpeg file is missing.
If Device Manager shows no warning and the application still reports the DLL error, return to application repair.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Fix 8: Repair Windows components with DISM and SFC
Time needed: 15 to 30 minutes
Use Windows repair commands when other Windows files are also failing, applications crash broadly, or system corruption began around the same time. These commands generally do not restore a third-party FFmpeg DLL.
- Open Start.
- Search for Command Prompt.
- Right-click it and choose Run as administrator.
- Run:
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
- Wait for it to finish.
- Then run:
sfc /scannow
- Restart Windows.
- Test the affected application again.
DISM repairs the Windows component store. SFC checks protected Windows files. If both commands complete successfully but avdevice-57.dll is still missing, reinstall the application because the file is not normally a protected Windows component.
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Fix 9: Use updates or System Restore only for a clear recent change
Time needed: 15 minutes to several hours
Install pending Windows updates, restart, and test the program. Also check whether the application itself was recently updated or partially removed.
Use System Restore only when the failure clearly began after a driver, application, or configuration change and a suitable restore point exists:
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- Press Windows + R.
- Type
rstrui.exeand press Enter. - Select a restore point dated before the failure.
- Review affected programs.
- Start the restore process.
System Restore does not replace a proper application installer and may not recover a missing application-local DLL. If the program is obsolete and its original installer is unavailable, look for an official supported update or the application’s original installation media. Do not assemble its files from other programs.
Do not register this DLL with regsvr32
regsvr32 is for self-registering COM or ActiveX DLLs that provide a DllRegisterServer entry point. FFmpeg runtime libraries are normally ordinary linked libraries, not COM servers.
Running:
regsvr32 avdevice-57.dll
will not repair a missing dependency, wrong architecture, damaged FFmpeg bundle, or absent application file. It can produce another error and distract from the actual repair. Use the application’s installer instead.
Why this error happens
The usual causes are:
- An incomplete application installation or update.
- A launcher file becoming corrupted.
- Antivirus quarantine.
- Mixed or incomplete FFmpeg DLLs.
- An x86 and x64 architecture mismatch.
- A missing Visual C++ dependency.
- Storage corruption or malware.
- Broader Windows corruption, which is less likely for this application-local file.
The exact version, file size, checksum, publisher metadata, and owning application cannot be determined from the filename alone.
FAQ
Is avdevice-57.dll a Windows file?
No. It is an FFmpeg libavdevice library normally shipped with the application that needs it.
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Can I download a newer FFmpeg DLL?
Not safely as a drop-in replacement. A newer ABI may not match the older program, and the application needs its complete matching library set.
Should I copy it to System32?
No. Keep it in the application’s own installation folder and repair the application that owns it.
Does Visual C++ install this DLL?
No. Visual C++ may repair a dependency, but it does not create avdevice-57.dll.
Can SFC restore it?
Normally no. SFC repairs protected Windows files, while this DLL is usually bundled with a third-party application.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →What if reinstalling keeps removing the file?
Check Windows Security Protection history, run a full scan, inspect Controlled folder access, and investigate disk health. Do not repeatedly restore a file without confirming its source.
What if the application is no longer supported?
Use the original installer or an official supported update if available. Avoid combining DLLs from unrelated applications, and consider replacing obsolete software if it cannot be installed safely.
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