wow64log.dll is a genuine Windows-related DLL name, but its absence is normally expected. Do not download a replacement DLL first: Windows can probe for this optional WOW64 logging file, while a suspicious copy in C:WindowsSystem32 can indicate corruption or DLL hijacking.
Quick identification
| Item | Verified information |
|---|---|
| File | wow64log.dll |
| Normal Windows status | Not normally shipped with retail Windows |
| Optional loading location | C:WindowsSystem32wow64log.dll on 64-bit Windows |
| Normal architecture there | 64-bit |
| Publisher and version | Not established |
| Official replacement package | None verified |
| Common reported errors | “not found,” “contains an error,” 0xc0000020, and generic 0xc000007b startup failures |
Microsoft’s documented WOW64 components include Wow64.dll, Wow64Win.dll, and Wow64Cpu.dll, not wow64log.dll (Microsoft’s WOW64 implementation details). Windows internals research describes wow64log.dll as an optional logging and hooking DLL that WOW64 attempts to load from System32 when present. It is not a normal file that Windows users are expected to restore (Mandiant’s research).
First, identify which situation you have
Before deleting, replacing, or repairing anything, record:
- The complete path shown in the error
- The exact error code and wording
- Whether you use Windows 10 or Windows 11 and its build
- The application or game that fails
- The file size, creation date, and digital signature, if a file exists
- What happened immediately before the error, such as an update, installation, crash, or antivirus detection
Open File Explorer and check these locations:
C:WindowsSystem32wow64log.dll
C:WindowsSysWOW64wow64log.dll
A missing file in both locations is not, by itself, a Windows installation problem. On 64-bit Windows, System32 is the native 64-bit system directory and SysWOW64 is the redirected 32-bit directory (Microsoft’s file system redirector documentation). Do not copy a 32-bit DLL into System32, and do not copy an arbitrary file into both directories.
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If Process Monitor shows a NAME NOT FOUND attempt for System32wow64log.dll, that can be a normal optional probe. The event does not prove that the missing file caused the application failure.
Fix 1: Scan and quarantine a suspicious System32 copy
This is the safest first fix when the file actually exists in System32, especially if every application displays an error.
A zero-byte, unsigned, recently created, unexpectedly modified, or unknown-source copy deserves scrutiny. wow64log.dll is also a documented loading point that can be abused for DLL hijacking (Microsoft DLL security guidance).
- Open Start, type Windows Security, and open it.
- Select Virus & threat protection.
- Choose Scan options.
- Select Full scan, then click Scan now.
- Allow Windows Security to quarantine anything it identifies.
- Restart Windows and test the affected application again.
Review the result under Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Protection history. Do not restore a quarantined file merely because an application says it is missing. Restore it only if you are confident the detection is a false positive, following Microsoft’s Protection History guidance.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteIf the file returns after removal, or the error returns across multiple programs, run Microsoft Defender Offline:
- Save your work and close open applications.
- Open Windows Security.
- Select Virus & threat protection > Scan options.
- Choose Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan).
- Click Scan now and allow the computer to restart.
A returning file requires malware investigation, not a replacement download. Disconnect the computer from untrusted networks while investigating and review unfamiliar startup items and scheduled tasks.
Fix 2: Repair the application that fails
If one named program or game fails while Windows and other applications work, treat that program as the primary suspect. A Process Monitor reference or a generic 0xc000007b message does not prove that wow64log.dll is the real dependency. The latter is a general application-startup error.
For a Windows application:
- Open Start > Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
- Find the affected application.
- Select the three-dot menu.
- Choose Advanced options.
- Click Repair, if available.
- Start the application again.
If Repair is unavailable or does not help, uninstall the application and reinstall it from the developer’s official installer. Restart Windows between uninstalling and reinstalling if the installer continues to report a file error.
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For a Steam game:
- Open Steam and select Library.
- Right-click the game and choose Properties.
- Select Installed Files.
- Click Verify integrity of game files.
- Wait for the check to finish, then start the game.
- If the game includes prerequisite installers, run those from the game’s official installation folder.
The definitive fix for a file that exists only inside one application’s folder is usually that application’s own repair or reinstall process. Do not replace it with a file from a DLL download site.
Fix 3: Check antivirus quarantine and the installer
A failed installation can leave an application incomplete, while antivirus software can quarantine a file that an installer expected to use. Check the antivirus history before restoring anything.
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If the file is shown as quarantined:
- Confirm which application installed or requested it.
- Check the detection name and the file’s original path.
- Update Windows Security and run a Full scan.
- Restore the file only when you have verified that the detection is a false positive.
- Otherwise, leave it quarantined and reinstall the application from its official source.
If the file is in the application’s folder rather than System32, verify the installer’s publisher and obtain a clean installer directly from that publisher. A file in an application directory may be application-specific, but its presence does not establish that it is safe.
Fix 4: Repair Windows components when other files are failing
Use Windows component repair when several Windows programs are failing, system files are damaged, or the problem began after a system change. These commands should not be expected to recreate wow64log.dll, because Microsoft does not document it as a normal retail Windows component.
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- Open Start and type Command Prompt.
- Right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.
- Run:
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
- Wait for DISM to complete successfully.
- Then run:
sfc /scannow
- Restart Windows and test the affected program.
Microsoft documents this DISM-then-SFC sequence in its System File Checker instructions. If DISM reports that it cannot complete, note the exact message and repair Windows before repeating SFC.
Manually hunting through Windows components and repeating SFC/DISM without knowing what changed can be time-consuming. Outbyte PC Repair can scan for system issues and show what it identifies, while its repair functions require the full version; it is optional, and reinstalling a specific affected application remains the definitive fix when that program is responsible.
Windows 11 repair reinstall
On Windows 11, try the least-disruptive repair option if it is available:
- Open Start > Settings > System > Recovery.
- Find Fix problems using Windows Update.
- Click Reinstall now.
- Follow the prompts and restart when asked.
Microsoft says this reinstalls the same Windows version, repairs system files and components, and preserves apps, files, and settings (Windows Update repair reinstall).
If that option is unavailable, mount official Windows installation media, open the mounted drive, run setup.exe, and choose Keep personal files and apps. Follow Microsoft’s installation-media repair instructions.
Fix 5: Restore a recent system change
If the problem began immediately after a driver installation, software installation, Windows update, or suspected malware event, use System Restore when restore points are available.
- Open Start and search for Create a restore point.
- Open it and select System Restore.
- Choose a restore point from before the problem began.
- Review the affected programs and confirm the restore.
- Restart and test the application.
System Restore rolls back system files and settings and does not normally affect personal files. Microsoft lists this and other recovery choices in its Windows recovery options.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Fix 6: Update a related driver only when evidence points to one
A graphics-driver reinstall is not a general wow64log.dll fix. Use Device Manager only when the failure began after a specific driver change or the application vendor identifies a driver dependency.
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- Expand the relevant category, such as Display adapters.
- Right-click the device and choose Update driver.
- Select Search automatically for drivers.
- Restart Windows and test the affected program.
If an update caused the problem, open the device’s Properties > Driver tab and use Roll Back Driver, if available. Otherwise, obtain the driver from the computer or hardware manufacturer.
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Manually checking dozens of devices and guessing which driver is stale is tedious. Outbyte Driver Updater can scan and identify driver updates, while driver installation through the full version is optional; use the hardware manufacturer’s package when the application identifies a specific dependency.
Windows Features and runtime packages
Do not enable random Windows Features to supply wow64log.dll. If an older application needs a documented Windows feature, open Start > Settings > Optional features > More Windows features, select only the feature named by the application’s official documentation, and restart if Windows requests it.
Likewise, Visual C++, DirectX, and .NET repairs are generic remedies for other missing-runtime errors, not verified providers of wow64log.dll. If the error names vcruntime140.dll or msvcp140.dll, install or repair the appropriate official Visual C++ package from Microsoft’s Visual C++ Redistributable downloads. Do not assume those packages contain this file.
What not to do
- Do not download
wow64log.dllfrom a random DLL repository. - Do not copy an unknown DLL into
System32orSysWOW64. - Do not copy a 32-bit DLL into
System32. - Do not run
regsvr32as a general DLL repair command. - Do not restore an antivirus-quarantined file without checking the detection.
- Do not assume
0xc000007bidentifies this DLL as the root cause.
regsvr32 is for registering COM servers that export DllRegisterServer. The known WOW64 logging exports are different, so this command is inappropriate:
regsvr32 C:WindowsSystem32wow64log.dll
It may simply report that DllRegisterServer was not found (Microsoft’s regsvr32 documentation).
If the error remains
Give the application vendor:
- The complete error text and code
- The affected application and its version
- Your Windows edition and build
- The complete DLL path
- File size, creation time, hash, and digital-signature result
- Antivirus detection or quarantine history
- The event that preceded the failure
- A Process Monitor trace showing the application’s file and DLL activity
If the file reappears after quarantine, or multiple unrelated applications fail, involve a malware-response professional. If the problem survives malware scanning, SFC/DISM, and Windows repair, an in-place repair or clean Windows installation may be necessary.
FAQ
Is wow64log.dll a required Windows file?
No. It is a real optional WOW64 logging and hooking DLL name, but it is not normally present in retail Windows.
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Should I download a missing copy?
No. There is no verified official Microsoft download package for it. Downloading an arbitrary copy risks malware, the wrong architecture, and a failure that does not address the original cause.
Why does Process Monitor show NAME NOT FOUND?
WOW64 can probe for the optional logger and continue when it is absent. That event alone does not prove a dependency failure.
What does 0xc000007b mean here?
It is a generic application-startup error. It does not establish that wow64log.dll is the cause.
Should the file be in SysWOW64?
Normally no. On 64-bit Windows, the documented loading location for this optional DLL is System32, where a native 64-bit DLL would belong. Never copy it into both directories.
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SFC can repair documented Windows system files, but it should not be expected to create wow64log.dll, which is not documented as a normal retail Windows component.
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