msvcr120.dll Not Found: A Safe Fix Path for Windows 10 and 11

The exact message is usually: “The program can’t start because MSVCR120.dll is missing from your computer. Try reinstalling the program to fix this problem.”

msvcr120.dll is the Microsoft Visual C++ 2013 runtime library required by some older Windows applications and games. The safest fix is to install or repair the official Visual C++ 2013 Redistributable, using the package architecture required by the application.

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Which fix applies to you

Use the branch that best matches what you are seeing.

1. One program or game fails, but other applications work: Install or repair the Visual C++ 2013 runtime, then repair or reinstall that specific program.

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2. A 32-bit application fails on 64-bit Windows: Install the x86 Visual C++ 2013 package. Installing only x64 does not provide the runtime needed by a 32-bit application.

3. Several older applications fail: Install both the x86 and x64 Visual C++ 2013 packages on 64-bit Windows, then install pending Windows updates and run DISM followed by SFC.

4. The message says “not designed to run on Windows,” “bad image,” or shows 0xc000007b: Treat it as a loading, corruption, dependency, or architecture problem. Installing the matching runtime is still appropriate, but inspect the application installation and any application-local DLLs as well.

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5. The problem started after antivirus activity: Check Windows Security Protection history before restoring anything. Reinstall the runtime from Microsoft rather than restoring an unknown DLL.

6. The redistributable installer fails: Restart Windows, install pending updates, run the installer as administrator, and investigate endpoint-security interference or installer logs.

7. A hardware utility fails after a driver update: Repair or reinstall that exact utility and its vendor package. A general graphics or chipset driver update is not normally a fix for msvcr120.dll.

What msvcr120.dll is

msvcr120.dll is part of the Microsoft Visual C++ 2013 C runtime. The 120 in the filename identifies the Visual Studio 2013 toolset, also known as VC12 or v120. Microsoft describes this pre-2015 runtime separately from the older Windows CRT named msvcrt.dll. See Microsoft’s C Runtime documentation.

It is not a core Windows component that every installation necessarily includes. It is normally installed by the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable Packages for Visual Studio 2013, or placed beside an application by an application installer using an app-local deployment.

The package includes more than this one file. An application may also require related VC12 files such as:

• msvcp120.dll, the Visual C++ 2013 Standard C++ library
• vccorlib120.dll
• MFC, OpenMP, or C++ AMP libraries

The filename tells you the runtime family, but it does not identify which application needs it or why the file became unavailable. The parent program, application version, and trigger must be determined from the error and recent system changes.

Microsoft’s latest listed Visual C++ 2013 redistributable build is 12.0.40664.0. Visual Studio 2013 itself is out of support, but its legacy runtime remains available for compatibility with older software. The Visual C++ 2013 runtime installs side by side with newer runtime families. Microsoft documents the legacy packages and architecture guidance in its supported Visual C++ Redistributable download table.

Fix 1: Install or repair Visual C++ 2013

This is the most likely fix for a missing or damaged msvcr120.dll.

Choose the correct package

The package must match the application, not simply the operating system.

Windows and application	Package to install
32-bit Windows, 32-bit application	vcredist_x86.exe
64-bit Windows, 32-bit application	vcredist_x86.exe
64-bit Windows, 64-bit application	vcredist_x64.exe
64-bit Windows with unknown application architecture	Install both x86 and x64

A 64-bit Windows computer can run both 64-bit and 32-bit software. A 32-bit program needs the x86 runtime even when Windows itself is 64-bit. Installing only vcredist_x64.exe will not satisfy that program.

To check the operating system architecture:

1. Open Settings.
2. Select System.
3. Select About.
4. Look at System type.

You can also open PowerShell and run:

[System.Environment]::Is64BitOperatingSystem

True means Windows is 64-bit. False means Windows is 32-bit.

If you do not know whether the failing application is 32-bit or 64-bit, installing both official Visual C++ 2013 packages on 64-bit Windows is the practical approach.

Download the official installers

1. Open Microsoft’s Visual C++ Redistributable Packages for Visual Studio 2013 download page.
2. Select Download.
3. Choose vcredist_x86.exe.
4. If Windows is 64-bit, select vcredist_x64.exe as well.
5. Save the installers rather than opening an unknown copy supplied by a third-party download page.

Microsoft also lists the current legacy package versions in its Visual C++ Redistributable guidance.

Install or repair the packages

Run the two installers separately.

1. Open File Explorer and go to your Downloads folder.
2. Double-click vcredist_x86.exe.
3. Approve the User Account Control prompt.
4. Accept the license terms.
5. Select Install if the runtime is not present.
6. Select Repair if the installer reports that it is already installed.
7. Wait for the operation to complete.
8. Close the installer.
9. Run vcredist_x64.exe as well if Windows is 64-bit.
10. Restart Windows.
11. Start the affected program again.

Do not uninstall every Visual C++ package before doing this. Different Visual C++ generations and architectures can be required by different programs, and Microsoft supports installing them side by side.

Check whether the files are present

On 64-bit Windows, the usual locations are:

• x64 msvcr120.dll: %WinDir%\System32
• x86 msvcr120.dll: %WinDir%\SysWOW64

On 32-bit Windows, the x86 copy is normally in %WinDir%\System32.

The names can look backwards because System32 is the native system directory on 64-bit Windows, while SysWOW64 contains many 32-bit system components. Do not move files between these directories.

You can inspect the expected locations with PowerShell:

Get-Item "$env:windir\System32\msvcr120.dll","$env:windir\SysWOW64\msvcr120.dll" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue |
  Select-Object FullName,Length,@{Name="Version";Expression={$_.VersionInfo.FileVersion}}

A 64-bit system may show one or both paths. The relevant copy depends on the application architecture. The Microsoft Visual C++ 2013 update documentation lists the expected file locations and version information in its file information article.

How to tell whether this fix worked

The fix worked if the program starts without the msvcr120.dll message. It may still display a different missing-file message if another VC12 dependency is absent, such as msvcp120.dll. That is useful information because it confirms that the original runtime problem may have been only one part of the application’s dependency problem.

If the program still reports the same error, continue with the application repair steps below. Do not download a replacement DLL from a random file repository.

Fix 2: Repair the affected application or game

If only one program fails while other Visual C++ 2013 applications work, the application’s own installation is a leading possibility. It may have a damaged app-local copy of the runtime, missing files, or an incomplete prerequisite installation.

Repair a Windows application

On Windows 11:

1. Open Start.
2. Select Settings.
3. Select Apps.
4. Select Installed apps.
5. Find the affected program.
6. Select the three-dot menu beside it.
7. Select Advanced options.
8. Select Repair.
9. Start the program again.

If Repair is unavailable or does not help, use Reset only if you understand that the application may lose local settings or stored data. The available options vary by application.

For a traditional desktop program:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Control Panel.
3. Open Programs.
4. Select Programs and Features.
5. Select the affected program.
6. Choose Change, Repair, or the equivalent option supplied by the installer.
7. Complete the wizard.
8. Restart Windows if requested.

If there is no repair option, download the application installer from the software vendor’s official source and reinstall the program. The application installer may include the correct Visual C++ prerequisite or an app-local copy that the generic redistributable does not replace.

Repair a game

Use the game launcher’s file-repair or file-verification feature.

A typical process is:

1. Open the launcher.
2. Open your library.
3. Select the affected game.
4. Open its settings or three-dot menu.
5. Choose Verify, Verify integrity, Repair, or the equivalent option.
6. Wait for the scan and replacement of damaged files.
7. Restart the launcher.
8. Start the game again.

This is especially important when an antivirus product quarantined a game file or when an interrupted update left the installation incomplete. Verification repairs the game’s own files; it does not replace the official Visual C++ installation if the system runtime is missing.

Inspect the application directory carefully

Some programs ship runtime files beside their executable. Windows can load an application-directory DLL before it searches the normal system locations. A stale or damaged app-local msvcr120.dll can therefore continue causing an error even after the system redistributable has been repaired. Microsoft explains this behavior in its documentation about DLL search order.

Do not randomly delete DLLs from the application folder. Use the program’s repair or reinstall process, or follow a specific instruction from the application vendor. Removing a file may cause a different dependency failure or prevent the application from starting at all.

Fix 3: Check antivirus quarantine

Security software can quarantine or delete a runtime file or an application-local copy. This is a possible cause when the program worked previously and stopped after a security scan, game update, or application update.

To inspect Windows Security:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Windows Security.
3. Open it.
4. Select Virus & threat protection.
5. Select Protection history.
6. Review recent events related to the affected application or msvcr120.dll.

Do not restore a file blindly. First confirm that:

• It came from the official Microsoft redistributable or the legitimate application installer.
• The application was obtained from its official source.
• The system has been scanned for threats.
• The detection is not associated with a modified or unofficial executable.

If a legitimate runtime was quarantined, the safer recovery path is usually:

1. Record the detection details.
2. Scan the computer.
3. Reinstall the official Visual C++ 2013 package.
4. Repair or reinstall the affected application.
5. Restart Windows.
6. Test the application.

Microsoft explains how Protection History works and when a quarantined file may be restored in its Windows Security Protection History guidance. Protection History normally keeps events for a limited period, so check it soon after the failure.

Do not create a broad antivirus exclusion for the Windows or application directories just to suppress the error. If the file disappears again immediately after reinstalling it, investigate the detection instead.

Fix 4: Install Windows updates and repair Windows components

Use this branch when the problem began after a Windows update, several older applications fail, or Windows reports broader component corruption.

msvcr120.dll is normally supplied by the Visual C++ redistributable rather than being a protected Windows component. DISM and SFC are therefore secondary tools, not replacements for installing Visual C++ 2013. They are useful when the runtime failure is part of a wider Windows servicing problem.

Install pending updates

On Windows 11:

1. Open Start.
2. Select Settings.
3. Select Windows Update.
4. Select Check for updates.
5. Install available updates.
6. Restart Windows.
7. Check for updates again if Windows requests another restart.
8. Test the affected program.

Use Microsoft’s Windows Update instructions if the update process reports an error.

Run DISM

1. Open Start.
2. Type Command Prompt.
3. Right-click Command Prompt.
4. Select Run as administrator.
5. Approve the User Account Control prompt.
6. Run:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Wait for the command to finish. Do not close the window while it is working. A successful result indicates that the restore operation completed. If DISM reports an error, copy the exact error code and message before continuing.

Run System File Checker

After DISM finishes, run:

sfc /scannow

Wait until verification reaches 100 percent. SFC may report that it found no integrity violations, repaired corrupted files, or found files it could not repair. Restart Windows after the scan and test the application again.

Microsoft recommends running DISM before SFC in its System File Checker repair instructions.

If SFC reports repairs but msvcr120.dll remains missing, reinstall Visual C++ 2013. SFC is not a reliable substitute for reinstalling a third-party redistributable.

Repeating SFC and DISM without knowing what changed can make troubleshooting slow and inconclusive. Outbyte PC Repair can scan for the condition behind the manual repair work, while its free scan shows what it found and the repair is performed by the full version; it is optional, and reinstalling the affected game or application remains the definitive fix when that program owns the damaged files.

Fix 5: Resolve “not designed to run” and 0xc000007b

The error may not say “missing.” You may instead see:

• “MSVCR120.dll is either not designed to run on Windows or it contains an error.”
• A “bad image” message
• Error 0xc000012f
• Error 0xc000007b
• “The code execution cannot proceed because MSVCR120.dll was not found.”

These messages mean Windows found a file or attempted to load one but could not use it correctly. Possible causes include:

• The x86 and x64 architectures do not match.
• The DLL is damaged.
• An application-local copy is incompatible.
• Another runtime dependency is missing.
• The application installation is incomplete.
• The executable was replaced or updated without its matching dependencies.

Microsoft and software vendors document these as observed error forms, but the same message does not prove the same cause in every case.

Work through this order:

1. Install or repair vcredist_x86.exe.
2. Install or repair vcredist_x64.exe on 64-bit Windows.
3. Restart Windows.
4. Repair the affected application.
5. Verify game files if the failure is limited to a game.
6. Check Windows Security Protection history.
7. Look for other missing files such as msvcp120.dll.
8. Avoid copying DLLs between system folders.
9. Avoid deleting an application-local DLL unless the vendor tells you to do so.

If only one program reports 0xc000007b, focus on that program’s installer and local files. If several unrelated older applications fail with similar messages, check the two Visual C++ packages, Windows updates, antivirus actions, and system integrity.

The existence of a file with the correct name is not enough. A wrong-architecture or corrupted file can produce a bad-image error even though File Explorer shows it in the expected directory.

Fix 6: Reinstall the application’s exact driver utility

A normal graphics, chipset, printer, or audio driver update is not a primary fix for msvcr120.dll. Consider this branch only when the failing executable belongs to a hardware vendor’s control panel, overlay, configuration utility, or support package.

First repair or reinstall the utility that displays the error. If the failure began immediately after a driver package change, reinstall the complete package from the hardware vendor’s official support process.

You can inspect devices through Device Manager:

1. Press Windows key + X.
2. Select Device Manager.
3. Expand the category related to the failing utility, such as Display adapters, Sound, video and game controllers, Printers, or System devices.
4. Right-click the relevant device.
5. Select Properties.
6. Open the Driver tab.
7. Note the provider, date, and version.
8. Select Update Driver.
9. Choose Search automatically for drivers if you are checking Windows Update.
10. If that does not help, use the hardware vendor’s complete installer and select its repair or reinstall option if offered.
11. Restart Windows.

Device Manager may not provide the newest or complete vendor utility. If the error names a control panel application, reinstall that application as well as examining the device driver.

Hunting through Device Manager and comparing versions across many devices is easy to get wrong. Outbyte Driver Updater can scan and show which drivers it considers stale, while the free scan identifies the findings and the full version performs the driver installation; it is optional, and it does not replace repairing the specific application that owns the DLL problem.

Fix 7: Use System Restore after a known change

System Restore is appropriate when the failure began after a known software installation, driver change, or Windows configuration change and a suitable restore point exists.

To open it:

1. Press Windows key + R.
2. Type:

rstrui.exe

1. Press Enter.
2. Select Next.
3. Choose a restore point created before the failure began.
4. Select Scan for affected programs if available.
5. Review the programs and drivers that will be changed.
6. Select Next.
7. Select Finish.
8. Allow Windows to restart and complete the restoration.

You can also open Control Panel > Recovery > Open System Restore.

System Restore normally rolls back system files, registry settings, drivers, and installed programs without removing personal documents. It does not guarantee that a damaged application installation will be repaired, so reinstalling the application may still be necessary. Microsoft explains the process in its System Restore documentation.

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If the Visual C++ installer itself fails

A failed redistributable installation can leave the original problem unchanged. Work through these steps:

1. Restart Windows.
2. Install all pending Windows updates.
3. Restart again.
4. Locate the downloaded installer.
5. Right-click it.
6. Select Properties.
7. If Windows shows an unblock option, review it before running the file.
8. Right-click the installer again.
9. Select Run as administrator.
10. Complete the installation or repair.
11. Restart Windows.
12. Test the affected program.

If endpoint security blocks the installer, investigate the detection and policy rather than permanently disabling protection. On a managed office computer, contact the administrator responsible for endpoint security.

If the installer returns an error, record the exact code and examine its installation logs. Microsoft provides additional guidance in its Visual C++ Redistributable installation troubleshooting documentation.

Do not remove all existing Visual C++ packages as a general troubleshooting step. That can break other applications and does not address a damaged application-local copy.

Why DirectX, .NET, and Windows Features usually do not fix this

Games and older utilities often require several prerequisites at the same time. A program may need DirectX, .NET, and Visual C++ components, but those packages are separate.

There is no evidence that DirectX or .NET installs msvcr120.dll. The relevant package is the Visual C++ 2013 Redistributable.

Windows Features can enable Windows components, but enabling unrelated features does not install the VC12 runtime. If an application specifically requires a Windows feature, use this path:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Turn Windows features on or off.
3. Open the result.
4. Select only the feature required by the application’s documentation.
5. Select OK.
6. Restart Windows if requested.
7. Test the application.

Do not enable or disable large groups of features just because msvcr120.dll is missing. Install the matching Visual C++ package first.

regsvr32 does not apply to msvcr120.dll

Do not run:

regsvr32 msvcr120.dll

regsvr32 is used for registerable DLLs that expose a registration entry point such as DllRegisterServer, commonly in some COM or ActiveX components. The Visual C++ runtime is a dependency library, not a COM registration component. Registering it will not install the runtime, repair the file, fix its dependencies, or correct an architecture mismatch.

If a vendor specifically tells you to register a different COM DLL, use the vendor’s exact path and architecture instructions. That is a separate repair procedure and does not apply to msvcr120.dll.

Do not download a standalone DLL

Avoid websites that offer a single downloadable copy of msvcr120.dll. These files may contain malware, may be the wrong version, may have the wrong architecture, or may not include the other runtime files the application needs. Copying an arbitrary DLL into System32, SysWOW64, or an application folder can also create version conflicts and DLL search-path risks.

The safe sources are:

• Microsoft’s official Visual C++ 2013 download page
• Microsoft’s supported Visual C++ Redistributable download table
• The application’s legitimate installer or repair process

Manual copying is appropriate only in controlled software deployment where the application vendor supplies the matching runtime files as part of its own supported installer. Microsoft describes the rules for vendor redistribution in its Visual Studio 2013 redistribution documentation.

Do not replace a 2013 runtime with a similarly named file from a newer Visual C++ family. The 2015–2022 runtime is a different runtime family and does not generally replace VC12 for an application that requires msvcr120.dll.

A practical diagnostic checklist

Use this checklist when the first repair did not solve the error.

1. Confirm the exact spelling of the missing file.
2. Note the name of the application or game in the error.
3. Install vcredist_x86.exe.
4. Install vcredist_x64.exe if Windows is 64-bit.
5. Restart Windows.
6. Repair or reinstall the affected program.
7. Verify game files if applicable.
8. Check Windows Security Protection history.
9. Check whether msvcp120.dll or another VC12 file is also mentioned.
10. Run the PowerShell file and version check.
11. Run Windows Update.
12. Run DISM, then sfc /scannow, if multiple applications fail or Windows appears corrupted.
13. Inspect the application directory for a vendor-supplied local runtime, but do not delete files randomly.
14. Use System Restore if the failure follows a known change and a suitable restore point exists.
15. Contact the application vendor if only that application fails after its official repair process.

Frequently asked questions

Is msvcr120.dll a Windows system file?

It is a Microsoft runtime library, but it is not normally supplied as a core Windows component. It is installed by the Visual C++ 2013 Redistributable or bundled by an application installer.

Should I install x86, x64, or both?

Install the package matching the application. On 64-bit Windows, installing both vcredist_x86.exe and vcredist_x64.exe is usually the simplest approach when you do not know whether the affected program is 32-bit or 64-bit.

Will the 2015–2022 Visual C++ package fix it?

Not generally. msvcr120.dll belongs to the Visual C++ 2013, or VC12, family. Newer v14 runtime packages do not normally replace the older runtime required by this file.

Why does a 64-bit PC need x86?

A 64-bit Windows installation can run 32-bit applications. Those applications need the x86 runtime, regardless of the operating system’s 64-bit architecture.

The file exists. Why does the program still fail?

The file may be the wrong architecture, corrupted, blocked by security software, or overridden by a damaged application-local copy. Another dependency may also be missing. Repair the runtime and the application rather than judging the problem by the filename alone.

What if msvcp120.dll is missing too?

Install or repair the official Visual C++ 2013 packages, then repair the application. msvcp120.dll is another VC12 runtime file and commonly belongs to the same dependency set.

Does regsvr32 fix this error?

No. msvcr120.dll is not a registerable COM or ActiveX DLL. regsvr32 does not install or repair the Visual C++ runtime.

Will reinstalling DirectX or .NET help?

Not usually. Those packages may be required by the same game or program, but they are not the normal source of msvcr120.dll. Install or repair Visual C++ 2013 first.

What if only one game fails?

Repair or verify that game’s files after repairing the Visual C++ runtime. A damaged app-local copy, incomplete update, or antivirus quarantine event may affect only that installation.

What if every older application fails?

Install both Visual C++ 2013 architectures on 64-bit Windows, restart, install pending Windows updates, and run DISM followed by SFC. Also check antivirus history for a broad quarantine event.

Is this evidence of malware?

The filename alone does not establish malware. It is a legitimate Microsoft runtime name. Malware can imitate or replace legitimate filenames, so use the official redistributable installer and investigate antivirus detections rather than downloading a loose DLL.

Is Visual Studio 2013 still supported?

Visual Studio 2013 is out of support. Installing its redistributable is a compatibility measure for legacy applications, not a recommendation for new software development.

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