Install Microsoft Visual C++ 2013 Redistributable (VC++ 12.0), not a loose DLL file. Choose the x86 package for a 32-bit application and the x64 package for a 64-bit application. On 64-bit Windows, installing both is appropriate when different programs require different architectures. Microsoft lists version 12.0.40664.0 for both packages.
What msvcr120.dll is and why Windows cannot find it
msvcr120.dll is part of the Microsoft Visual C++ 2013 runtime, also called VC++ 12.0. Programs compiled with Visual Studio 2013 can require this shared library for ordinary C-runtime functions. The DLL is installed by the Visual C++ 2013 Redistributable package; it is not intended to be downloaded and copied as an isolated file.
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An error such as “The program can’t start because msvcr120.dll is missing from your computer” usually means the required VC++ 2013 runtime is not installed, the installed package has the wrong architecture for the program, or the runtime installation is damaged. A newly installed game or utility can expose the problem even when other applications continue to work, because each application may target a different Visual C++ generation or architecture.
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Choose the right Visual C++ 2013 package
The application’s architecture, rather than Windows’ architecture alone, determines which redistributable it needs. A 32-bit application needs the x86 runtime. A 64-bit application needs the x64 runtime.
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| Package | Application it serves | Microsoft-listed msvcr120.dll version | File size listed by Microsoft Support |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visual C++ 2013 Redistributable x86 | 32-bit applications, including 32-bit programs running on 64-bit Windows | 12.0.40664.0 | 949 KB |
| Visual C++ 2013 Redistributable x64 | 64-bit applications on 64-bit Windows | 12.0.40664.0 | 941 KB |
The sizes above are the values Microsoft Support records for the Visual C++ 2013 Update 5 packages. They are useful for identifying the package family, but your downloaded installer’s size can vary because the installer itself is not the DLL.
When to install both x86 and x64
Windows 11 and Windows 10 computers are commonly 64-bit, yet many games and launchers remain 32-bit. If you use both 32-bit and 64-bit software, install both Visual C++ 2013 packages. They are separate runtimes and do not replace one another. Installing x64 alone will not satisfy a 32-bit program, and installing x86 alone will not satisfy a 64-bit program.
Why a newer Visual C++ package may not be enough
Visual C++ 2013 and earlier redistributables remain installed side by side with newer runtimes. A current v14 package may be required by a newer application, but installing it alone is not a guaranteed replacement for VC++ 2013. If the program specifically reports msvcr120.dll, install the VC++ 2013 package that matches the program’s architecture.
Download and install msvcr120.dll safely
- Identify the Windows architecture. In Windows 11 or Windows 10, open Settings > System > About and read System type. In Windows 8 or Windows 7, open Control Panel > System and check the system type. This tells you whether x64 software can run, but you still need to identify the application’s own architecture when possible.
- Use Microsoft’s official Visual C++ 2013 download page. Microsoft Learn provides the latest available en-US Visual C++ Redistributable packages for Visual Studio 2013. Select the x86 or x64 installer rather than a download that contains only a DLL.
- Download the package that matches the application. If the affected program is 32-bit, choose x86. If it is 64-bit, choose x64. On a 64-bit Windows computer with mixed software, download both installers. The package generation must be VC++ 2013, also identified as VC++ 12.0.
- Run the installer. Open the downloaded installer, accept the Microsoft software license terms, and allow the setup program to make changes when Windows requests permission. Let setup complete before starting the affected application.
- Restart the program and Windows. Close every instance of the application and its launcher, then start it again. If the same message appears, restart Windows so that any process holding an older runtime state is closed.
Repair or reinstall the redistributable
If the correct package is already listed but the DLL error continues, the installation may be incomplete or damaged. Windows provides a repair option for installed redistributables.
Windows 11 and Windows 10
- Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps (Windows 11) or Settings > Apps > Apps & features (Windows 10).
- Search for Microsoft Visual C++ 2013 Redistributable. There may be separate x86 and x64 entries.
- Select the entry matching the application. Open its advanced options or choose Modify, depending on the Windows build, and select Repair when offered.
- Repeat for the other architecture if you installed both packages, then restart Windows.
Windows 8 and Windows 7
- Open Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features.
- Locate the Microsoft Visual C++ 2013 Redistributable entry. Check whether it is marked x86 or x64.
- Select it, choose Change, and select Repair in the Microsoft setup dialog.
- Restart Windows and test the application again.
When repair does not work
Use the same Programs and Features or Installed apps screen to uninstall the affected VC++ 2013 entry, restart Windows, and run the official installer again. Reinstall the architecture required by the program; on 64-bit Windows, reinstall both x86 and x64 if you use software of both types. Do not remove unrelated Visual C++ generations simply because their names look similar. Older and newer redistributables are designed to coexist.
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Reinstall the application that reports the error
If the redistributable installs successfully but one program still cannot start, reinstall that application using its current installer. An application installer can register additional files or prerequisites that the standalone runtime cannot provide. Make a note of the exact program name, version, Windows edition, and whether it is 32-bit or 64-bit before contacting the publisher. Microsoft’s guidance for application-specific failures is to follow the application vendor’s support instructions.
For a game, this usually means closing the game launcher before reinstalling, then launching the game only after the VC++ 2013 runtime and Windows restart are complete. If the problem affects several unrelated programs, check that both VC++ 2013 architectures are installed on 64-bit Windows rather than assuming each application has its own damaged copy.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsDo not download a loose DLL from an unknown mirror
A search for “download msvcr120.dll” can return individual DLL files. Copying one into a program folder or a Windows system folder is not the supported fix. A loose file may have the wrong architecture, an incompatible version, or no trustworthy package provenance. It also leaves the redistributable registration and servicing relationship incomplete.
Use Microsoft’s redistributable installer instead. Microsoft’s package supplies the runtime files together and preserves the relationship between the application architecture and its libraries. If a website asks you to replace several system DLLs, disable security software, or pay for a single file, close it and return to the official Microsoft package.
Quick Recap
Use the error message to diagnose the remaining problem
| What you see | Most likely explanation | Next manual action |
|---|---|---|
| The message appears immediately after installing a game or utility. | The application expects VC++ 2013, which is not present. | Install the official VC++ 2013 package matching the application architecture, then restart the application. |
| The program is 32-bit on 64-bit Windows and x64 is already installed. | The x86 runtime is missing; x64 does not satisfy a 32-bit program. | Install or repair the x86 VC++ 2013 Redistributable. |
| A 64-bit application reports the DLL error while x86 is installed. | The x64 runtime is missing or damaged. | Install or repair the x64 VC++ 2013 Redistributable. |
| The correct package is listed, but the same error returns after reboot. | The runtime installation may be damaged, or the application itself may be incomplete. | Repair or reinstall VC++ 2013, then reinstall the affected application if necessary. |
| Several programs with different architectures fail. | One architecture is installed but the other is not. | Install both x86 and x64 VC++ 2013 packages on 64-bit Windows. |
| The program still fails after both packages and a reinstall. | The failure may depend on the application’s own files or prerequisites. | Use the application vendor’s support instructions and provide the exact error text. |
Important distinctions about this fix
- It is a runtime repair, not a game save or configuration repair. Installing VC++ 2013 supplies the shared library; it does not restore a deleted save, repair every application file, or replace a different prerequisite.
- Architecture and generation are separate decisions. x86 versus x64 describes the application and operating environment. VC++ 2013 versus a newer v14 runtime describes the compiler runtime generation. The correct fix must satisfy both.
- Side-by-side installation is expected. Do not uninstall a newer Visual C++ runtime merely to make room for VC++ 2013. Applications can require different generations at the same time.
- The Microsoft download is the supported remedy. The installer is free, and it is preferable to an unverified DLL mirror because it delivers the runtime as a complete, architecture-specific package.
Final checklist
- Read the complete error and confirm it names
msvcr120.dll. - Determine whether the affected application is 32-bit or 64-bit.
- Download Microsoft Visual C++ 2013 Redistributable, not a standalone DLL.
- Install x86 for 32-bit software and x64 for 64-bit software; install both on 64-bit Windows when you use both types.
- Restart the application and Windows.
- Repair or reinstall the matching VC++ 2013 entry if the message remains.
- Reinstall the affected application and contact its vendor if the runtime repair does not resolve the launch failure.
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