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You may have come across this error while launching programs or loading games: msvcr120.dll is missing.

This is not a very complicated error, and you can easily fix it quickly. In this post, we’ll discuss several methods to resolve the issue. You don’t have to try all of these solutions. Start with the first one in the list and work your way down until you are able to get rid of this error.

However, before we look at the solution, let’s check what the msvcr120.dll file is all about.

MSVCR120.dll – What is it?

The MSVCR120.dll is an important file for Windows. It is required for extracting the key application resources needed at runtime by 3^rd party installation programs. In case this file has gone missing, you can’t launch programs in C++ programming languages. That’s because this file is the corresponding C++ library.

Solution 1 – Reinstall the Visual C++ Redistributable Packages

The easiest way to replace the missing MSVCR120.dll file is to download the redistributable package. Once you’ve downloaded it, install it to get this file back.

Note: You should not download .dll files from any non-official website. That’s because some websites may push malware disguised as genuine files. Downloading and installing corrupt files can make your PC unstable or worse put your sensitive information at risk.   

Here are the steps to install the redistributable package:

• Go to Microsoft Download Center
• Choose your language, and then click at the Download button

• Now select the file that corresponds to your operating system. That is, if you use 32 bit Windows, select vredist_x86.exe. On the other hand, those using 64 bit can choose either vredist_x64.exe or vredist_86.exe.
• Once you have selected the right file, click the Next button to download it. You should save the downloaded file in a readily accessible location, like your desktop

• Run this file to install it. Once the installation is complete, reboot Windows
• Now check whether the issue is fixed

If the problem persists, go to the next step.

Solution 2 – Run System File Checker

Windows have a built-in utility — system file checker (SFC) — that allows users to check for corrupt files on their computers. This is an immensely useful tool to diagnose the issue and check whether a problem is occurring because of corrupt files.

You should give SFC a shot and see if that solves the problem. When you run SFC, you’ll get any of the following three responses:

• Windows was not able to locate any integrity violations on the computer
• Windows Resource Protection was able to find corrupt files and repair them
• Windows Resource Protection located corrupt files but it was not able to fix some or all of these files

Here are the steps to follow to run SFC:

• Press the Windows key and R key simultaneously
• In the run dialog box, type taskmgr and then press Enter
• In the Task Manager menu, click File and then click Run new task
• In the Create new task dialog box, type powershell, select the option below it (Create this task with administrative privileges)
• Now type sfc /scannow in the Windows Powershell window and press the Enter key. Kindly not that this process might take a bit of time as the tool will scan all your Windows files for corrupt phases.
• In case you come across an error that states Windows found errors but couldn’t resolve them, type the following command – sfc /verifyonly
• The process may take some time. Wait until it completes.
• In case you still couldn’t repair corrupt files, run this command – DISM/Online/Cleanup-Image/RestoreHealth
• This command works by downloading the correct version of corrupt files from Windows update servers and then it will replace the latter with correct files. The whole process may take some time, depending on how fast the internet connection is. You shouldn’t cancel the command once you’ve run it.

If Windows was able to detect an error and fix it using the methods listed in this section, reboot the computer. Upon restart, reinstall the program or application with which you were getting the error. Now check if the problem is fixed.

Solution 3 – Download MySQL Installer Community

In case you are facing problems when you run a MySQL application like MySQL Workbench, we recommend that you download and install this tool – MySQL Installer Community. If your Windows computer is lacking in one or more Visual Studio component, this tool will detect that. After that it may launch an installer to make up for the gaps. Like always, you should always download application from trusted sources only. You can download this tool from Mysql website.

Solution 4 – Install both VC Redist Packages

Some users were able to fix the issue by:

• Reinstalling VC Redist packages
• Installing the 32-bit as well as the 64-bit version

We recommend that you also give this method a try. First, you’ll need to uninstall previous VC Redist installations. After that, you’ll have to reinstall VC Redist packages.

Here are the steps to follow:

• Press the Windows key and R key simultaneously
• In the Run dialog box, type cpl and then press the OK button or hit Enter
• Locate and right-click Visual C++ Redistributable application in app management window
• Select Uninstall. Follow on-screen instructions in order to uninstall the application
• You will need to perform the uninstallation steps for each installation of this software
• Now go to Microsoft website. Next, download these installations
  • Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable 2005 64-bit + 32-bit
  • Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable Package (x86)
  • Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable Package (x64)
  • Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 Redistributable Package (x86)
  • Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 Redistributable Package (x64)
  • Visual C++ Redistributable Packages for Visual Studio 2013 32+64 bit
  • Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2015
• After you have downloaded these, install the applications one at a time by launching their setup files
• Now check if the issue is resolved

Solution 5 – Scan for Virus

You may also get this error if your computer is infected with malware or virus. Scan the computer for infection using your antivirus. Below we have given steps for Windows Defender, which is included in Windows 10 by default.

• Press the Windows key and S key simultaneously
• In the start search bar, type Windows Defender. Select the result that appear
• A scan option will appear on your screen. Choose Full Scan and then click Scan Now. The scan will scan all the files, so the process will take some time.
• In case the software identifies any rogue file, it will remove or quarantine it. Restart Windows and check if the problem is fixed

Solution 6 – Update your drivers

Automatic driver update tools offer many benefits, the most important ones being:

• You can update device drivers automatically
• The software scans and updates all outdated or missing drivers at one go
• The tool picks the right drivers for your device and operating system, so you won’t have to worry about installing an incorrect driver by mistake
• Automatic driver updates are 100% safe

Driver Updater is one of the best driver update tools out there. Outbyte Driver Updater will give you access to a database of over 1 million drivers. It will regularly scan your PC, suggesting new driver versions to install. Driver Updater contains drivers for a variety of Windows devices. With just one click, you can update drivers in your system.

Step 1
Click here to Install and launch the app

Step 2
Scan all devices

Step 3
Install or update drivers automatically

 

Start Download

 

Solution 7 – Install Windows Updates

You may also receive this error if some important Windows update has not been installed on your system. Therefore, check if any updates are available and install them.

Here are the steps to follow:

• Press Windows key and I key simultaneously
• Click Updates and Security
• Click Windows Update in the left pane. Next, click Check for Updates
• Windows will now check for updates. If any updates are available, it will automatically install them
• Now check if you are still getting the error

Solution 8 – Reinstall Application

In case you are getting the error with just one game or application, as a last resort first uninstall it and then reinstall. After you have uninstalled the application or game in question, download it again from its original source and run the setup file to complete the installation process.

Are you getting a msvcr120.dll is missing error while running an application? If yes, this post is for you.

Many Windows users don’t understand what to do when they get such an error and they often panic. However, the fact of the matter is that error is not so difficult to resolve. You don’t need a lot of technical knowledge to troubleshoot it.

You can fix this error yourself—and we’ll show you how. In this post, we have listed five solutions that could fix the “msvcr120.dll is missing” error.

What is msvcr120.dll and why programs need it?

Msvcr120.dll is DLL (Dynamic Linked Library) file known as Microsoft C Runtime Library. It is part of Microsoft Visual Studio 2013 program developed by Microsoft Corporation. It is an essential file in Windows operating system that is used to extract valuable resources at runtime by 3^rd party applications.

You are more likely to see this error if the msvcr120.dll is missing from your computer and the application you are trying to run needs it. You won’t be able to run any programs written in C++ programming languages until your computer has msvcr120.dll file.

Though we have provided five different solutions to fix the issue, you are not required to try all of them. You can start by performing troubleshooting steps in Solution One. If that does not fix the issue, move to the next one and so on.

Let’s get started.

Solution One – Reinstall the Visual C++ Redistributable Packages

As mentioned earlier the msvcr120.dll is part of Visual C++ Redistributable Packages of Microsoft Visual Studio 2013 program. If the file has gone missing on your computer, it means there is something wrong with the Visual C++ Redistributable Packages on your computer.

The easiest solution to get back the msvcr120.dll file is downloading the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable Package and install it on your computer. Here are the steps to follow.

Note- You need to download the Visual C++ Redistributable Packages from the official site and install them. Don’t download DLL files from unknown sources as you might end up downloading a virus camouflaged as an msvcr120.dll file.

Since the Visual C++ Redistributable Packages are offered in two versions – 32-bit and 64-bit. You need to find out the system type before proceeding to troubleshooting steps given below

For Windows 7 users

• Click Start
• Right-click My Computer and select Properties

• In the System window, you can know about the system bit architecture- 32-bit or 64-bit

For Windows 10 users

• Open Windows Explorer
• Right-click This PC and select Properties

• In the System window, check the System type entry to find out whether the operating system is 32-bit(x86 based) or 64-bit(x64 based)

Once you have information about Windows operating system bit-architecture, you can proceed to trouble-shooting steps below.

• Click Microsoft Download website link
• Click Download

• Select the file as per your system type(x86 for 32-bit and x64 for 64-bit Windows)

• After checking the box of right file type, click Next
• The file download is initiated and you can see a pop-up dialog on the screen, click Save File

• Once the file is downloaded, double-click on the file to start the installation
• Follow on-screen instructions to install Visual C++ Redistributable Packages
• Restart computer

Try running the program and see if the “msvcr120.dll is missing” error is generated. If you still get the “msvcr120.dll is missing” error, try next solution

 Solution Two – Perform a clean installation of the program

Since the problem is not resolved even after reinstalling Visual C++ Redistributable Packages, the program files might be corrupted that is causing the error. A simple solution to this problem is performing a clean installation of the program which includes completely uninstalling the program first and then reinstalling the program again. Here are the steps to follow.

• Press Windows logo key and R simultaneously on the keyboard to bring up the Run command console
• In the Run command box, type cpl and click OK

• Right-click the program that gives the error and click Uninstall/Change. In our case, it is Foxit Reader which is giving the error

• Follow the instructions to uninstall the program
• Once the problematic program is installed, restart your computer
• Now, install the program and see if it works as intended

If you still encounter “Msvcr120.dll is missing” error while running the application, try next solution.

Solution Three – Update Drivers on your Windows computer

Outdated drivers can cause msvcr120.dll error. Therefore, update your drivers using a reliable and fast driver update tool software tool. Manual update is also possible but you might not want to go that way because it is not only time-consuming but also not hundred percent accurate.

Automatic driver update tools offer many benefits, the most important ones being:

• You can update device drivers automatically
• The software scans and updates all outdated or missing drivers at one go
• The tool picks the right drivers for your device and operating system, so you won’t have to worry about installing an incorrect driver by mistake
• Automatic driver updates are 100% safe

Driver Updater is one of the best driver update tools out there. Outbyte Driver Updater will give you access to a database of over 1 million drivers. It will regularly scan your PC, suggesting new driver versions to install. Driver Updater contains drivers for a variety of Windows devices. With just one click, you can update drivers in your system.

Step 1
Click here to Install and launch the app

Step 2
Scan all devices

Step 3
Install or update drivers automatically

 

Start Download

 

Solution Four-Run a Virus scan on your computer

If your Windows operating system is infected by virus or malware, it can prevent some DLL files from running and that could be the cause of the error. Some “Dll is missing” errors also occur due to Trojan programs posing as DLL files and preventing normal operation of other programs.

To ensure your system is not infected with any virus, malware or Trojan programs, you need to run a full scan of your system with a good anti-virus. If you are using Windows Defender, it might not be enough.  We suggest you to use a good anti-virus program to get rid of virus infections from your computer if any.

Once you have installed a good 3^rd party anti-virus program, you need to run a full scan of your computer. The steps to run a full scan on your computer varies with each anti-virus program. Popular anti-virus programs offer different scan options such as Full Scan, Quick Scan, Custom Scan, or Critical Areas scan.

You need to select a Full Scan option which ensures every hard drive partition of your computer is scanned. If the anti-virus finds any virus or malware, it will offer you different options to get rid of the virus. Follow the instructions to get rid of the virus.

The steps given below are for reference purpose only. You need to refer your anti-virus documentation to know the exact steps to perform a full scan. Here we have Panda anti-virus installed on our computer.

• Right-click on anti-virus scan icon to open the anti-virus user interface

• Click Scan

• Click Full Scan

• Wait for the anti-virus scan to complete.

Once the anti-virus scan is completed, run the program that gave “msvcr120.dll is missing” error. If you still encounter the error while launching the program, move to the next solution.

Solution Five – Run SFC scan

One of the possibility is some system files are corrupt which is causing the “msvcr120.dll is missing” error. One simple solution to fix the problem with system files is running the SFC tool. SFC stands for System File Checker.

SFC is a command-line tool integrated into the Windows operating system. When you run the SFC tool, it scans system files for corruption and also detects any missing files. It then replaces missing and corrupt files with good cached file versions.

You can run SFC only through elevated command prompt that is a command prompt with admin rights. Here are the steps to run an SFC scan.

• Click Start
• Type cmd in the search box. Windows 10 users can type cmd in Cortana search box

• Right-click cmd from the list of search results and click Run as administrator
• In the command prompt window, type sfc /scannow and press Enter on keyword

• The SFC scan process can take some time to complete. Wait for the command operation to complete and then close command prompt window

Now try to run the program that gave out “msvcr120.dll is missing” error. In most case, the “msvcr120.dll is missing” error should be resolved by now.

Are you getting this error message or something similar to it?

If yes, stop worrying. This is a fairly common error. It is also easily resolvable.

Just follow the solutions given in this post. Of course, there’s no need to try all the 5 solutions listed here. Start with the first one and then move to the next one and so on, until the issue is gone.

1st Solution – Reinstall Microsoft Visual C++ package

This dll file is part of Visual C++ Redistributable package for Visual Studio 2013. Thanks to this package, your pc can run C++ applications.

In absence of this package, Microsoft can’t run apps and programs written in C++. This package is installed automatically when you install Windows operating system.

With that said, in case something goes wrong with Visual C++ Redistributable package, the msvcr120.dll on your computer might become corrupt.

You can re-download this package directly from Microsoft website and fix the error.

Note: Whenever you need to independently install a dll file, use the official source. There are many unapproved sources of dll files on the Internet, but downloading the file from such a source can cause problems. Often unapproved sources push malware in disguise of dll files or attach them to these files. Your system’s security can get compromised if you install such a file.

• The first thing you need to do is open a browser window and go to Microsoft Download Center
• Click Download

• You’ll now have to select the file which is meant for your processor type (If you are using 32-bit, choose x86. If you are using 64-bit, choose x64). Then click the Next button.

• After you’ve downloaded the relevant file, browse to the location where you’ve saved it (it’s best to save it on Desktop because then locating it becomes super easy), double-click it and follow the prompts that appear on your screen.
• Reboot windows. You should be able to run the program with which you were receiving this error.

In case you are not sure whether your system is 32- or 64-bit, these steps would help.

• Type system info in your start search box
• In the window pane on the right-hand side, the system type would be listed

2nd Solution – Reinstall the Program

In case the problem is not resolved, try this step. It involves uninstalling and installing the problematic program. It is very much possible that msvcr120.dll file could’ve become corrupt during the installation of this program, and the installation package of this program contains the correct file version.

• In the start search box, type appwiz.cpl and press enter
• Select the program that was throwing msvcr120.dll is missing error, and then click Uninstall
• Click Yes
• Reboot your PC
• Reinstall the program
• Check if error is gone

3rd Solution – System File Checker

System File Checker is a useful built-in tool in Windows. With help of it, you can not only identify files that have become corrupt but also repair them.

• In your start search box, type cmd. Now right click cmd.exe under Programs and choose Run as administrator
• Type sfc/scannow and press Enter

• The tool runs a scan on your whole system. Any identified issue will be fixed automatically
• Once verification is over, close the command prompt
• Now launch the problematic program and see if the msvcr120.dll error is gone

4th Solution – Run a virus scan

A virus or malware infection can also lead to msvcr120.dll error. Therefore, if the error has not been resolved by now, you should run a boot scan using a reliable antivirus program.

5th Solution – Update device drivers

msvcr120.dll error at times can occur because of outdated or corrupt device drivers. So as a last resort update your drivers.

While it is possible to update drivers manually, the whole process is not only time consuming but also not hundred percent accurate. Moreover, you need some computer skills to update drivers manually.

Updating Drivers Automatically

Automatic driver update tools offer many benefits, the most important ones being:

• You can update device drivers automatically
• The software scans and updates all outdated or missing drivers at one go
• The tool picks the right drivers for your device and operating system, so you won’t have to worry about installing an incorrect driver by mistake
• Automatic driver updates are 100% safe

Driver Updater is one of the best driver update tools out there. Outbyte Driver Updater will give you access to a database of over 1 million drivers. It will regularly scan your PC, suggesting new driver versions to install. Driver Updater contains drivers for a variety of Windows devices. With just one click, you can update drivers in your system.

Step 1
Click here to Install and launch the app

Step 2
Scan all devices

Step 3
Install or update drivers automatically

 

Start Download