windows.devices.usb.dll is a Microsoft Windows Runtime component used by the Windows.Devices.Usb API. If Windows says it is missing, was not found, or could not be loaded, repair Windows or the affected application rather than downloading a replacement DLL.
What windows.devices.usb.dll does
The Windows.Devices.Usb API allows compatible applications to discover USB devices and communicate with them through control transfers. Microsoft documents the API as working with compatible devices handled by the inbox winusb.sys driver, so windows.devices.usb.dll is not itself the USB kernel driver.
The API is supported on Windows 10 and later. Microsoft also listed x86 and x64 copies of the file in a Windows 8.1 update rollup. The exact file version and location depend on your Windows release, architecture, and servicing state.
On 64-bit Windows, system components normally use:
%windir%System32for 64-bit system files%windir%SysWOW64for 32-bit system files
Windows file-system redirection helps 32-bit applications access their correct system components. Do not manually move files between these folders.
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What the error means
You may see messages such as:
- “The program can’t start because windows.devices.usb.dll is missing from your computer.”
- “The code execution cannot proceed because windows.devices.usb.dll was not found.”
- “There was a problem starting windows.devices.usb.dll.”
- “The specified module could not be found.”
- “windows.devices.usb.dll is either not designed to run on Windows or it contains an error.”
“Specified module could not be found” does not always mean the named DLL itself is absent. Windows may be unable to load one of its dependencies, or the application may be trying to load the wrong architecture.
First determine the scope:
- If several applications fail, or Windows features also behave abnormally, repair Windows.
- If only one program or game fails, repair or reinstall that application.
- If the application starts but cannot detect a USB device, investigate the USB device, permissions, and driver separately.
Fix 1: Install Windows updates and restart
Time needed: 10–30 minutes, depending on pending updates
A damaged or incomplete Windows update can leave a system component unavailable. Start here before replacing software.
Windows 11
- Open Start > Settings.
- Select Windows Update.
- Select Check for updates.
- Install all available updates.
- Restart the computer, even if Windows does not immediately require it.
- Open the affected application again.
Windows 10
- Open Start > Settings.
- Select Update & Security.
- Select Windows Update.
- Select Check for updates.
- Install available updates and restart.
Windows 10 no longer receives ordinary free Windows Update support after October 14, 2025, so an older Windows 10 installation may not receive the same servicing as a supported Windows release. If Windows Update reports an error, continue with the repair commands below.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesIf the application works after the restart, do not copy a replacement DLL into its folder. The operating system has repaired or restored the component through its normal servicing process.
Fix 2: Repair Windows with DISM and SFC
Time needed: 15–45 minutes
Use these commands when the error affects more than one application, appeared after an interrupted update, or persists after restarting. DISM repairs the Windows component source, and SFC then checks protected system files against that repaired source.
- Open Start.
- Type
Command Prompt. - Right-click Command Prompt.
- Select Run as administrator.
- Select Yes if User Account Control asks for permission.
- Run this command:
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
- Wait for DISM to finish. Do not close the window if progress appears to pause.
- Run:
sfc /scannow
- Wait until verification reaches 100 percent.
- Restart Windows and test the application again.
Microsoft recommends DISM before SFC because SFC uses the component store as its repair source.
If SFC reports that it found corrupt files and repaired them, restart and test again. If it reports that it could not repair some files, restart, run DISM again, and then run SFC a second time.
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If DISM cannot find source files, Windows Update may be unavailable or the component store may be more seriously damaged. Microsoft documents using a matching Windows installation source with /Source and /LimitAccess; the source must match the installed Windows edition and architecture.
When manually hunting through repair logs and repeating DISM/SFC does not show what changed, Outbyte PC Repair can scan for system problems and identify repair items; its full version performs the repair, but it is not required and it does not replace reinstalling an application that owns the failure.
Fix 3: Repair the application that fails
Time needed: 5–20 minutes
If only one program or game reports windows.devices.usb.dll, the Windows component may be intact while that application’s installation, loader configuration, or bundled files are damaged.
Repair a Windows application
- Open Start > Settings.
- Select Apps > Installed apps.
- Find the affected application.
- Select the three-dot menu beside it.
- Choose Advanced options.
- Select Repair.
- Launch the application again.
The Repair button does not appear for every program.
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Repair traditional desktop software
- Open Control Panel.
- Select Programs > Programs and Features.
- Select the affected program.
- Choose Repair or Change.
- Follow the installer prompts.
- Restart the application.
For a game, use its launcher’s built-in Verify, Repair, or Verify integrity of game files command if available. This replaces damaged application files without asking you to download an individual DLL.
If repair is unavailable or ineffective, uninstall the application, restart Windows, and reinstall it from the original publisher’s official installer or the official launcher. Do not copy windows.devices.usb.dll from another computer into the program folder. Reinstalling the affected application is the definitive fix when its own installation is damaged.
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Fix 4: Check Windows Security quarantine
Time needed: 5–10 minutes
Antivirus software can quarantine a system component or an application file. Treat a quarantine alert as evidence to investigate, not as a reason to immediately allow the file.
- Open Start.
- Type Windows Security and open it.
- Select Virus & threat protection.
- Select Protection history.
- Review entries matching the time the error began.
- Open a relevant entry and check the original path, detected item, and action taken.
Do not restore the file just because its name looks familiar. Confirm that the path belongs to Windows or the application you installed, and review the detection details first. Microsoft warns that allowing an unsafe file can expose the device. Protection History retains events for only a limited period, so older quarantine evidence may no longer be available.
If a legitimate Windows component was falsely quarantined, use Windows Update and DISM/SFC to restore it. That is safer than downloading a replacement. If the alert points to an unknown application folder, remove or investigate that application instead of creating an antivirus exception.
Fix 5: Check for a 32-bit and 64-bit mismatch
Time needed: 5–15 minutes
A 32-bit process cannot load a 64-bit DLL, and a 64-bit process cannot load a 32-bit DLL. Windows normally handles the System32 and SysWOW64 distinction, but manually copied files or damaged installers can create an architecture mismatch.
Check the application’s documentation or installer to determine whether it is 32-bit or 64-bit. Do not try to solve the problem by copying a file from one system folder to another. Repair the application or repair Windows so the correct component is restored.
If the message says the file is “not designed to run on Windows,” suspect a damaged, incompatible, or incorrectly replaced file. Run DISM and SFC, then reinstall the affected application if only that program fails.
Fix 6: Investigate USB drivers only when the device itself fails
Time needed: 10–25 minutes
Reinstalling a USB driver is appropriate when Windows does not recognize a device, the device has a warning icon, or the application starts but cannot communicate with the hardware. It is not the normal first repair for a missing windows.devices.usb.dll message.
- Connect the USB device.
- Right-click Start.
- Select Device Manager.
- Expand Universal Serial Bus controllers.
- Look for a warning icon or an unknown device.
- Right-click the affected device and choose Update driver.
- Select Search automatically for drivers.
- Restart Windows and test the device.
If the problem began immediately after a driver update:
- Open the device’s Properties in Device Manager.
- Select the Driver tab.
- Choose Roll Back Driver if available.
- Restart Windows.
You can also right-click the device, choose Uninstall device, restart Windows, and let Windows detect it again. For a specialized device, use the hardware manufacturer’s official driver rather than a generic download.
When checking many device entries and matching driver versions by hand is the problem, Outbyte Driver Updater can scan for outdated drivers and identify update candidates; its full version installs drivers, but it is optional and a driver update will not repair a missing Windows component by itself.
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regsvr32 is not a generic DLL repair command. It registers DLLs that expose registration entry points such as DllRegisterServer. Microsoft’s documentation does not establish that windows.devices.usb.dll is a self-registering DLL.
Running commands such as these can produce another error without fixing the original problem:
regsvr32 windows.devices.usb.dll
Use Windows servicing, application repair, or the correct device-driver procedure instead.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Avoid random DLL download sites
Do not download windows.devices.usb.dll from a DLL archive, forum attachment, or another PC. A replacement may have:
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- The wrong 32-bit or 64-bit architecture
- An incompatible Windows build
- Missing dependencies
- An invalid or altered signature
- Malware
- A location that hides the underlying Windows corruption
There is no identified standalone Microsoft “Windows Runtime USB DLL” redistributable. Visual C++ Redistributable, DirectX, and .NET are not verified fixes for this Windows Runtime component. Install those runtimes only when the complete error names a missing file from that runtime.
Use Windows Update, Microsoft’s DISM and SFC procedures, the affected application’s official installer, and the hardware manufacturer’s official driver page.
Fix 7: Use deeper Windows recovery only after normal repair fails
Time needed: 20 minutes to several hours
Use these options when DISM, SFC, updates, and application repair do not resolve the error.
System Restore
Use System Restore if the problem began after a recent update, driver installation, or software installation.
- Press Windows key + R.
- Type
rstrui.exe. - Press Enter.
- Choose a restore point from before the error began.
- Review the affected programs.
- Confirm the restore and restart Windows.
System Restore does not replace personal files, but it can remove recently installed programs or drivers.
Reinstall the current version of Windows
On supported Windows 11 systems:
- 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. Back up important data first.
Reset this PC or use installation media
Use Reset this PC or Windows installation media only after less disruptive repairs fail. Back up personal files and verify that you have installation credentials and application installers before proceeding.
Common causes at a glance
| Situation | Most useful response |
|---|---|
| Several applications fail | Windows Update, DISM, then SFC |
| One application fails | Repair or reinstall that application |
| Error began after cleanup software | DISM and SFC, then review removed software |
| File was quarantined | Inspect Protection History before restoring anything |
| “Not designed to run on Windows” | Repair Windows and check architecture |
| Application starts but USB device fails | Device Manager and the hardware vendor’s driver |
| Error appears after uninstalling a program | Remove its leftover startup entry or scheduled task |
| SFC cannot repair files | Run DISM first, reboot, then run SFC again |
FAQ
Is windows.devices.usb.dll a Microsoft file?
Yes. It is associated with Microsoft Windows Runtime and the Windows.Devices.Usb API.
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Not directly. Microsoft identifies winusb.sys separately as the inbox driver used by compatible USB devices. A USB device problem and a missing Windows Runtime DLL problem can occur together, but they require different troubleshooting.
Should I install Visual C++ Redistributable?
Not for this DLL alone. Install Visual C++, DirectX, or .NET only when the full error specifically names a component from one of those runtimes.
Where should the file be?
On 64-bit Windows, the relevant system copies are normally managed through %windir%System32 and %windir%SysWOW64. The exact presence, version, and path vary by Windows release and servicing state. Do not use a downloaded file to populate either folder.
What if only one game reports the error?
Repair or verify the game files first. If that fails, reinstall the game from its official launcher or publisher. A single-application failure does not prove that Windows has lost the component.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
When should I use System Restore?
Use it when the problem clearly followed a recent update, driver, cleanup utility, or installation and normal Windows repair did not help.
What information should I record if the error remains?
Record the Windows version and build, the affected application, whether other applications fail, whether the program is 32-bit or 64-bit, when the error began, and the final DISM and SFC messages. That information separates an application failure from deeper Windows corruption.
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