“The program can’t start because nvngx_dlisr.dll is missing from your computer.”
You may also see “The code execution cannot proceed because nvngx_dlisr.dll was not found,” “The specified module could not be found,” or “nvngx_dlisr.dll is either not designed to run on Windows or it contains an error.”
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The 60-second answer
nvngx_dlisr.dll is a genuine NVIDIA NGX feature DLL used for DLISR, or Deep Learning Image Super Resolution. It performs AI image upscaling for still-image or offline processing. It is not a Windows system file.
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The file normally belongs beside the executable or plugin that uses it. The program that installed it may be an NVIDIA SDK sample, image-processing application, game component, plugin, or another application embedding NVIDIA NGX. The filename alone cannot identify the owner.
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Start by repairing or verifying the application named in the error. If the problem began after an NVIDIA driver update or failed installation, reinstall the correct NVIDIA driver. Do not download a random copy and place it in C:WindowsSystem32.
What nvngx_dlisr.dll does
NVIDIA’s NGX framework provides AI-based features for compatible applications. DLISR is the image-super-resolution component and is separate from DLSS.
- DLISR upscales still images or offline image-processing output.
- DLSS is a separate rendering technology used by supported games and real-time applications.
nvngx_dlisr.dllandnvngx_dlss.dllare not interchangeable.- Newer NGX documentation may use names such as
nvngx_isr.dll. That does not make the newer file a safe replacement fornvngx_dlisr.dll.
NVIDIA describes NGX as 64-bit only. Do not install a supposed 32-bit copy, and do not copy the file into both System32 and SysWOW64.
Where the file should be located
NGX feature DLLs are normally distributed with the application that needs them. The expected location is typically:
- Beside the application’s
.exefile - Inside the application’s plugin directory
- In an application-specific NVIDIA or NGX subfolder
It is not normally a global Windows component. Copying it into C:WindowsSystem32 may hide the original problem while leaving the application with the wrong version or missing dependencies.
To identify the owning program:
- Read the complete error dialog and note the application name.
- Select Show more details if the dialog provides that option.
- Open the application’s installation folder and search for
nvngx_dlisr.dll. - Check the folder path shown in Task Manager, the launcher, or a shortcut’s Properties.
- Review Event Viewer if the application closes without a useful dialog:
- Press Windows key + X.
- Select Event Viewer.
- Open Windows Logs > Application.
- Look for an error at the time of the crash.
The full path matters. A copy beside a game executable should be repaired through that game’s launcher. A copy inside an NVIDIA application folder should be restored through the NVIDIA package.
Main causes of the error
| Cause | What usually happened | Best response |
|---|---|---|
| Incomplete application update | The parent program lost one of its NGX files | Verify, repair, or reinstall that program |
| Antivirus quarantine | Security software removed or isolated the DLL | Check Protection History before restoring anything |
| Failed NVIDIA installation | A driver or NVIDIA application update was interrupted | Reinstall the correct NVIDIA package |
| Wrong DLL replacement | An unrelated copy was manually added | Remove it and repair the owning program |
| Missing dependency | Windows cannot load a dependency of the DLL | Repair the application and investigate the full loader error |
| Broader Windows corruption | Other system components are also failing | Run DISM, then SFC |
Fix 1: Verify or repair the application first
This is the most likely solution when the error appears after installing, updating, moving, or restoring a game or application.
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For a launcher-managed application
- Open the application’s launcher.
- Find the affected game or program in your library.
- Open its menu, settings, or Manage page.
- Choose Verify files, Verify integrity, Repair, or the equivalent option.
- Allow the scan to finish.
- Restart Windows.
- Start the application again.
The launcher should restore the exact NGX file expected by that application, along with any related dependencies.
For a standalone application
- Press Windows key + I.
- Select Apps > Installed apps.
- Find the affected program.
- Select its three-dot menu.
- Choose Advanced options, if available.
- Select Repair and test the application.
- If Repair is unavailable or does not help, uninstall the program.
- Restart Windows.
- Reinstall it from the publisher’s official installer.
On Windows 10, the equivalent path is Settings > Apps > Apps & features.
A successful repair lets the application start without the DLL message. If the same message returns immediately, the file may be quarantined again, or the application may be expecting a dependency that is also missing.
Do not replace the repaired file with one copied from another game or program. NGX versions can be tied to the application’s expected API and supporting files.
Fix 2: Check Windows Security Protection History
Antivirus software can quarantine a legitimate application DLL, particularly after an application update changes the file.
- Open Start.
- Search for Windows Security and open it.
- Select Virus & threat protection.
- Select Protection history.
- Look for an entry matching the time the application stopped working.
- Expand the entry and inspect the detected file path.
Only restore the file if all of these are true:
- The path belongs to the application you intentionally installed.
- The application came from a trusted publisher or official installer.
- The file was expected in that folder.
- The detection is clearly a mistaken quarantine rather than an active malware warning.
Microsoft warns that allowing a malicious file can put the device at risk. If the file was deleted instead of quarantined, use the application’s repair or reinstall process rather than restoring a random download.
If the file disappears again after repair, check whether security software is quarantining it repeatedly. Do not permanently disable protection just to make the application start. Update the security definitions, confirm the application’s source, and contact the application publisher if the detection continues.
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Fix 3: Reinstall the NVIDIA driver or application package
Use this fix when the error began after a graphics-driver update, driver cleanup, failed installation, or removal of NVIDIA software.
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- Download the appropriate NVIDIA driver.
- Close games, editors, browsers, and other graphics applications.
- Run the NVIDIA installer.
- Choose Custom (Advanced).
- Select Perform a clean installation if the issue followed a failed or inconsistent update.
- Complete the installation.
- Restart Windows.
- Test the application that reported the missing file.
A driver reinstall is not guaranteed to restore every copy of nvngx_dlisr.dll. Applications can distribute NGX feature files themselves. If the file belongs to a particular game or image-processing program, repairing that program remains the definitive fix.
Manually checking dozens of driver versions is tedious, especially when the wrong package can create more compatibility problems. Outbyte Driver Updater can scan for outdated or missing drivers; its free scan identifies the reported problems, while driver installation through the full version is optional. Use the official NVIDIA installer when you know the affected package belongs to NVIDIA.
Check the driver in Device Manager
- Press Windows key + X.
- Select Device Manager.
- Expand Display adapters.
- Double-click the NVIDIA GPU.
- Open the Driver tab.
- Check the provider, date, and version.
- Use Update Driver only if you have a suitable official package or Windows has identified an applicable update.
- If the error began immediately after an update, select Roll Back Driver when that button is available.
Do not uninstall the display adapter merely to test a DLL fix unless you already have the correct replacement driver ready.
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Fix 4: Repair Windows components with DISM and SFC
nvngx_dlisr.dll is not a Windows system DLL, so DISM and SFC will not normally recreate it. Use these commands when you also have broken updates, system crashes, damaged Windows features, or several unrelated system-file errors.
- Open Start.
- Type Command Prompt.
- Right-click it and choose Run as administrator.
- Run:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
- Wait for DISM to finish.
- Then run:
sfc /scannow
- Restart Windows.
- Test the affected application.
DISM should complete successfully before you run SFC. SFC may report that it found and repaired corrupted files, found no integrity violations, or could not repair everything. If it cannot repair files, restart and run the two commands again, then focus on the application repair rather than expecting SFC to supply this NVIDIA DLL.
If repeatedly hunting through Windows repair commands is wasting time, Outbyte PC Repair can scan for broader Windows problems; its free scan shows detected issues, while repairs through the full version are optional. It is not a substitute for repairing the specific application that owns nvngx_dlisr.dll.
Fix 5: Use System Restore or Windows repair reinstall
Use these options only when the problem began after a known system, driver, or application change and the earlier fixes failed.
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System Restore
- Press Windows key + R.
- Type
rstrui.exe. - Press Enter.
- Select a restore point from before the failure.
- Review the affected programs.
- Confirm the restore and restart Windows.
System Restore does not replace personal files, but it can remove drivers or applications installed after the selected restore point.
Windows 11 repair reinstall
Windows 11 may offer:
- Open Settings.
- Select System > Recovery.
- Find Fix problems using Windows Update.
- Select Reinstall now.
- Follow the prompts.
This reinstalls the current Windows version while preserving apps, files, and settings. It should be a last resort for this error because the missing file is normally owned by an application or NVIDIA package, not by Windows itself.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Do not use regsvr32 for this file
regsvr32 is intended for DLLs that expose a COM registration entry point called DllRegisterServer. An NGX feature DLL is not normally a self-registering COM component.
Running this command is therefore not a repair:
regsvr32 nvngx_dlisr.dll
It may produce a message that the required entry point was not found, or it may register nothing useful. Repair the parent application or reinstall the matching NVIDIA package instead.
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Avoid DLL download sites sites and file-replacement instructions that tell you to copy nvngx_dlisr.dll into System32. An arbitrary copy can be:
- Malware or a tampered file
- The wrong NGX revision
- The wrong architecture
- Missing required dependencies
- Incompatible with the application’s expected API
Third-party pages also report conflicting version, size, and hash information for this filename. Those values are not a reliable universal download target. The safe sources are the affected application’s official installer or repair function and NVIDIA’s official driver or software package.
FAQ
Is nvngx_dlisr.dll legitimate?
Yes. NVIDIA documents it as an NGX DLISR feature DLL for AI image super-resolution. Its legitimacy still depends on its location and origin. A copy inside a trusted application directory is more meaningful than an unexplained copy in a Windows system folder.
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Is it part of Windows?
No. It is an NVIDIA NGX component distributed with an application, plugin, NVIDIA application, or related package. Windows does not normally install it as a global system DLL.
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Is it the same as nvngx_dlss.dll?
No. DLISR handles image super-resolution for still or offline processing. DLSS is a separate real-time rendering technology. Do not substitute one DLL for the other.
Is there a 32-bit version?
NVIDIA’s NGX programming documentation describes NGX as 64-bit only. Do not search for a 32-bit copy or place the file in SysWOW64 merely because it is a DLL.
Why does Windows say “specified module could not be found” when the file exists?
The message can mean that a dependency of nvngx_dlisr.dll is missing or cannot load. Repair the application, confirm the architecture, and check whether the error began after a driver or runtime change.
Does every application need this file?
No. Some NGX launchers probe for optional feature DLLs and log that a feature is absent. A log entry alone does not prove that the application requires DLISR or has a user-facing failure.
What should I collect if the problem remains?
Record the full error text, application name and version, complete executable path, whether nvngx_dlisr.dll exists beside it, GPU model, driver version, and any matching Protection History entry. That information identifies whether the next repair belongs to the application, NVIDIA package, security software, or Windows.
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