Start with this quick diagnosis
Before replacing anything, note:
- Which program reports the error: Internet Explorer, another legacy application, or a startup process.
- When it appears: during Windows startup, when Internet Explorer opens, or when a particular program launches.
- Where the file is located: a historical MSN Toolbar folder is plausible;
C:WindowsSystem32is not. - Whether the PC is using 32-bit Internet Explorer components: historical
msntb.dllinstallations were associated mainly with 32-bit toolbar software, often underProgram FilesorProgram Files (x86). - Whether security software recently quarantined it.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →The safest repair is usually to remove the obsolete toolbar and its stale Internet Explorer registration. If an old application still requires it, repair or reinstall the complete toolbar package rather than downloading an isolated DLL.
What msntb.dll is
msntb.dll is the MSN Toolbar extension, a Microsoft component associated with MSN Toolbar and its later MSN Search Toolbar, Windows Live Toolbar, and Bing Bar lineage. It was used as an Internet Explorer Browser Helper Object and toolbar component.
It is not a normal Windows system DLL. There is no evidence that current Windows 10 or Windows 11 installations ship it as part of Windows, and it is not a Visual C++, DirectX, .NET, game-runtime, or device-driver file.
Historical installations used application folders resembling:
#1 Best Overall
- Less chaos, more calm. The refreshed design of Windows 11 enables you to do what you want effortlessly.
- Biometric logins. Encrypted authentication. And, of course, advanced antivirus defenses. Everything you need, plus more, to protect you against the latest cyberthreats.
- Make the most of your screen space with snap layouts, desktops, and seamless redocking.
- Widgets makes staying up-to-date with the content you love and the news you care about, simple.
- Stay in touch with friends and family with Microsoft Teams, which can be seamlessly integrated into your taskbar. (1)
C:Program FilesMSN AppsMSN Toolbar 1.02.3000.1001en-usmsntb.dll
The exact folder and language subdirectory varied by toolbar release. A copy found in an MSN, Windows Live Toolbar, or Bing Bar directory may be legitimate, especially if its digital signature identifies Microsoft. A copy sitting in System32, a temporary folder, or an unrelated application directory deserves closer inspection.
Microsoft later renamed MSN Toolbar to Bing Bar. Its historical documentation describes Bing Bar as an Internet Explorer toolbar with a Search Helper and Browser Helper Object. Microsoft’s Bing Bar documentation also identifies MSN Toolbar versions as earlier upgrade sources.
Fix 1: Uninstall the obsolete toolbar
This is the first fix when the error appears during startup or Internet Explorer launch.
Windows 11 and Windows 10 Settings
- Press Windows + I.
- Select Apps.
- Open Installed apps on Windows 11, or Apps & features on some Windows 10 builds.
- Search for each of these names:
- Bing Bar
- MSN Toolbar
- MSN Search Toolbar
- Windows Live Toolbar
- Another clearly identified MSN toolbar component
- Select the entry and choose Uninstall.
- Follow the removal wizard.
- Restart Windows.
Control Panel method
If the program is not listed in Settings:
- Press Windows + R.
- Type
appwiz.cpl. - Press Enter.
- Select Bing Bar, MSN Toolbar, or the matching Windows Live component.
- Choose Uninstall or Change.
- Restart the computer when prompted.
After restarting, open the program that produced the message. If the error no longer appears, the missing DLL was a leftover reference rather than a Windows component that needed replacement.
Microsoft historically documented removing Bing Bar through Control Panel. Older download and update paths may no longer provide a supported installer for modern Windows.
Disable a remaining Internet Explorer add-on
Uninstalling the parent product should remove its Browser Helper Object. If Internet Explorer still shows the toolbar:
- Open Internet Explorer.
- Select Tools.
- Choose Manage add-ons.
- Select Toolbars and Extensions.
- Look for an MSN, Windows Live, or Bing entry.
- Select it and choose Disable.
- Close Internet Explorer and restart Windows.
If the add-on remains listed but its file is gone, do not delete random registry values. The registration may belong to an incomplete uninstall, a corporate software image, or another toolbar version. Use the original product uninstaller or an appropriate managed cleanup process.
Internet Explorer 11 support ended on June 15, 2022 for relevant Windows 10 channels. Microsoft recommends Microsoft Edge with IE mode for supported legacy websites. Reinstalling an obsolete toolbar is not a modern browsing-security recommendation. See Microsoft’s Internet Explorer lifecycle information.
Fix 2: Repair or reinstall the complete legacy package
Use this path only if a specific legacy application or internal website still requires the toolbar.
Do not copy a replacement msntb.dll from another computer. The toolbar depended on registrations, companion files, language resources, and version-matched components. A DLL copied from a different release or language directory may produce another error or leave the Browser Helper Object incorrectly registered.
- Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps, or Control Panel > Programs and Features.
- Select the MSN, Windows Live, or Bing toolbar entry.
- Choose Modify, Change, or Repair if the option exists.
- If repair is unavailable, uninstall the product.
- Restart Windows.
- Reinstall only from:
- An authenticated Microsoft package already supplied by your organization.
- Original application media that you trust.
- A verified Microsoft Update Catalog package appropriate for the old operating system.
- Restart again.
- Open Internet Explorer’s Tools > Manage add-ons and confirm that the required add-on is enabled.
There is no verified current Microsoft standalone download for msntb.dll. Microsoft’s historical Bing Bar availability page describes old supported platforms and installation methods, not a current Windows 11 component.
If the old application no longer has a supported installer, removing the toolbar and moving the workflow to a supported browser is safer than rebuilding the DLL manually.
Recommended Free Tools
Rank #2
- MICROSOFT WINDOWS 11 PRO (INGLES) FPP 64-BIT ENG INTL USB FLASH DRIVE
Fix 3: Check Windows Security quarantine
Antivirus software can remove or quarantine an old toolbar file. That does not prove the file was malicious, and a filename alone does not prove it was safe.
- Open Windows Security from the Start menu.
- Select Virus & threat protection.
- Choose Protection history.
- Open the relevant detection.
- Check:
- The original path.
- The detection name.
- The publisher or signature information.
- The date and application associated with the file.
- If the file was under an MSN Toolbar or Bing Bar directory and the legacy product is still required, reinstall the complete product instead of restoring only the DLL.
- If the detection points to
System32, a temporary folder, or an unrelated program, leave it quarantined and run a full scan.
Do not repeatedly restore a file that Defender keeps quarantining. Microsoft explains that restored files can be detected again unless explicitly allowed, and allowing a genuinely malicious file can expose the device. Review Microsoft’s Protection History guidance.
If you need to verify a surviving copy:
- Right-click the file.
- Select Properties.
- Open Digital Signatures.
- Inspect the signer and signature status.
- Confirm that the file remains in the expected toolbar directory.
- Run a scan with Windows Security.
A valid signature improves confidence but does not make an obsolete toolbar desirable to keep installed.
Fix 4: Repair Windows components only when Windows itself is damaged
msntb.dll is an application component, so System File Checker normally will not recreate it. DISM and SFC are still useful if Windows has broader corruption, servicing failures, or other protected system-file errors.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems- Open Start.
- Type
Command Prompt. - Right-click Command Prompt.
- Select Run as administrator.
- Run:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
- Wait for DISM to finish.
- Then run:
sfc /scannow
- Restart Windows.
- Test the affected program again.
Microsoft recommends running DISM before SFC. The commands repair the Windows component store and protected Windows files; they do not normally restore a missing DLL under an old MSN Toolbar directory. See Microsoft’s System File Checker instructions.
When manually tracking DISM and SFC results becomes repetitive, Outbyte PC Repair can scan for reported Windows problems and show what it identifies; its free scan shows the findings, while repair is performed by the full version. It is optional, and reinstalling the legacy toolbar remains the definitive fix when that application is the actual source.
If DISM or SFC reports that it could not repair files, restart and run the commands again only after recording the result. Do not interpret a successful SFC scan as proof that msntb.dll has been restored.
Fix 5: Use System Restore after a recent removal or cleanup
System Restore is appropriate when the error began immediately after a toolbar update, cleanup program, software installation, or other system change.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
- Press Windows + R.
- Type:
rstrui.exe
- Press Enter.
- Select Choose a different restore point if that option appears.
- Pick a restore point from before the error began.
- Select Scan for affected programs.
- Review the programs and drivers that will be changed.
- Select Next, then Finish.
- Allow Windows to restart.
System Restore normally changes system files, registry settings, and installed programs without removing personal documents. It may restore an old toolbar registration as well as the file, so use it to diagnose a recent change, not as a reason to keep an obsolete toolbar indefinitely. Microsoft provides the System Restore procedure.
Fix 6: Check for a separate driver or dependency error
Do not install a graphics driver, Visual C++ package, DirectX runtime, or .NET repair just because msntb.dll is missing. There is no evidence that this file belongs to those technologies.
Device Manager is relevant only if the same event also names a hardware or driver problem:
- Right-click Start.
- Select Device Manager.
- Expand the category for the affected device.
- Right-click the device.
- Select Update driver.
- Choose Search automatically for drivers.
- Restart if Windows installs an update.
If a driver update caused the broader failure:
- Open Device Manager.
- Right-click the affected device.
- Select Properties > Driver.
- Choose Roll Back Driver if available.
- Restart Windows.
If another device driver is separately missing, Outbyte Driver Updater can scan the system and identify driver versions, reducing the need to hunt through many vendor pages; its free scan shows the findings, while driver installation is performed by the full version. It is not a substitute for repairing or removing the MSN Toolbar that owns msntb.dll.
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchPC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Why copying msntb.dll is the wrong fix
Avoid DLL download repositories and random file mirrors for several reasons:
- The file may contain malware or be tampered with.
- A historical toolbar build may not match your installed components.
- A 32-bit Browser Helper Object cannot be repaired with a guessed 64-bit replacement.
- Different language directories may contain incompatible companion resources.
- Copying into
System32orSysWOW64places an application DLL in the wrong location. - The missing file may only be a symptom of a stale registration.
- A copied file does not recreate COM registration, toolbar settings, or dependent files.
msntb.dll was historically an application-directory file, not a Windows system file. Do not use regsvr32 as a generic repair command. regsvr32 can register DLLs that expose the required registration entry points, but there is no authoritative basis for manually registering every historical msntb.dll build.
Rank #3
- STREAMLINED & INTUITIVE UI, DVD FORMAT | Intelligent desktop | Personalize your experience for simpler efficiency | Powerful security built-in and enabled.
- OEM IS TO BE INSTALLED ON A NEW PC with no prior version of Windows installed and cannot be transferred to another machine.
- OEM DOES NOT PROVIDE SUPPORT | To acquire product with Microsoft support, obtain the full packaged “Retail” version.
- PRODUCT SHIPS IN PLAIN ENVELOPE | Activation key is located under scratch-off area on label.
- GENUINE WINDOWS SOFTWARE IS BRANDED BY MIRCOSOFT ONLY.
Use regsvr32 only when the original installer or precise Microsoft documentation explicitly instructs you to do so. If a legacy installer fails while registering its components, reinstall the complete package with the correct architecture rather than registering a copied DLL.
If the error continues after removal
A persistent message does not necessarily mean the file still needs to be restored. Check what is actually launching it.
- Record the exact executable or program named in the error.
- Open Task Manager with Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
- Select Startup apps.
- Disable an obsolete MSN, Bing, or Windows Live entry if it remains.
- Check Settings > Apps > Startup for the same entry.
- Open Internet Explorer’s Manage add-ons list and disable leftover toolbar entries.
- Search the Start menu for the application named in the error and uninstall it if it is no longer needed.
- Restart Windows.
If the message appears only after a scheduled task or custom startup script runs, inspect that task or script before deleting anything. If it names another program, repair or uninstall that program instead.
A file in System32 with this name is especially suspicious or misplaced. Do not replace it automatically. Check its path, digital signature, provenance, and Windows Security status first.
FAQ
Is msntb.dll legitimate?
It can be legitimate when it is part of an MSN Toolbar, Windows Live Toolbar, or Bing Bar installation and is confirmed as Microsoft-originated. The filename alone is not enough to establish safety.
Is msntb.dll part of Windows 10 or Windows 11?
No current Windows installation is expected to include it as a normal Windows system file. It belonged to legacy Internet Explorer toolbar software.
Why does the error appear at startup?
A leftover Browser Helper Object, toolbar registration, startup entry, or scheduled task may still refer to a file removed during an incomplete uninstall, antivirus quarantine, failed update, or manual cleanup.
Should I download msntb.dll?
No. Restore the parent toolbar from a trusted, authenticated source only if the legacy software is still required. Otherwise uninstall the toolbar and remove its stale add-on entry.
Will SFC restore the file?
Normally no. SFC repairs protected Windows files, while msntb.dll was a third-party application component. DISM and SFC are secondary checks for broader Windows corruption.
Is it a 32-bit or 64-bit DLL?
Historical records mainly associate it with 32-bit Internet Explorer toolbar installations and application directories. Do not assume that a modern 64-bit replacement exists or that copying one from another system is compatible.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Can I fix it with regsvr32 msntb.dll?
Not as a general solution. Registration should normally be handled by the original toolbar installer. Manually registering a copied file can create incorrect registry entries and still leave the rest of the toolbar damaged.
What is the best fix if I no longer use Internet Explorer?
Uninstall Bing Bar, MSN Toolbar, or Windows Live Toolbar, disable any remaining add-on, and restart Windows. For legacy websites that still require Internet Explorer behavior, use Microsoft Edge IE mode where supported rather than reinstalling an obsolete toolbar.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
