How to Fix VCRUNTIME140_CLR0400.dll is Either Not Designed to Run on Windows or It Contains an Error Issue on Windows 11

Error "VCRUNTIME140_CLR0400.dll is either not designed to run on Windows or it contains an error" on Windows 11 is a rather annoying error message that sounds super bad and super hard to fix. And while it isn't super bad it is super annoying though there are quite a few different fixes you can use that should fix the problem for you. Whatever you do though don't go and download another VCRUNTIME140_CLR0400.dll from somewhere! That is the worst thing you can do!

How to Fix VCRUNTIME140_CLR0400.dll is Either Not Designed to Run on Windows or It Contains an Error Issue on Windows 11

This is a bit of a long shot but it's also one of the quickest and easiest things you can do. So just check for an update and cross your fingers that it works! If it doesn't there are plenty of other steps below that have a better success rate.

Press Win + S, type Updates, and press Enter.
Click Check for updates and allow Windows to download and install updates.
If optional updates are available, install them as well.
Restart your computer and check if the error persists.

Reinstall Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable

If repairing doesn’t work, reinstalling ensures fresh, intact files.

Open Control Panel > Uninstall a Program.
Find Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable packages, right-click each, and select Uninstall.
Restart your PC after removing all instances.
Visit the official Microsoft website and download the latest x86 and x64 versions.
Install them and restart your computer.

Alternatively: While the above method works it's a bit more messing around than this one so I just grab a bulk installer and go from there. It does a better job and saves a ton of time.

Reinstall the Affected Application

If a faulty app installation caused the issue, reinstalling it can help.

Open Control Panel > Uninstall a Program.
Find the problematic application, right-click, and select Uninstall.
Restart your PC and reinstall the latest version of the application.

Run System File Checker (SFC) and DISM

Corrupted system files or a damaged Windows image can interfere with DLL functions. Running SFC and DISM can repair these issues.

Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
Run the System File Checker:

sfc /scannow

After completion, execute the following DISM commands:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Restart your system and check if the error is resolved.

What is VCRUNTIME140_CLR0400.dll?

Windows relies on Dynamic Link Libraries (DLLs) to store reusable program functions, optimizing system performance. The VCRUNTIME140_CLR0400.dll file is part of the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable package, a set of libraries required by various applications, especially those built with Visual Studio. It also plays a vital role in supporting the Common Language Runtime (CLR), and facilitating communication between applications and Windows.

When this DLL file is missing, corrupt, or incompatible, affected applications fail to launch, resulting in an error message. Interstingly, without these files, you can get an error message in any kind of software on your system, including games.

Common Causes of the Error

Corrupt or missing DLL files due to incomplete installations or malware attacks.
Outdated or incompatible Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables.
Conflicts with third-party software or problematic Windows updates.
External interference from faulty applications.
Some game mods will cause .dll errors. Cyberpunk is a classic example of this.

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