5 Fixes for “DLL Is Not Designed to Run on Windows” Error

Pankil is a Civil Engineer turned freelance writer. Since his arrival at Guiding Tech in 2021, he delves into the world of how-tos, and troubleshooting guides for Android, iOS, and Windows. Besides his new-found love for mechanical keyboards, he’s a disciplined footfall fan and loves international travel with his wife.

Try Basic Fixes

Fix 1: Check for Permission Issues

A lack of necessary permissions is a common reason you may encounter the “DLL is not designed to run on Windows” error while running an app or program. Here’s how to fix that.

Step 1:Click thesearch iconon the taskbar, type thenameof the program that’s giving you the error, and selectOpen file location.

Step 2:Right-click on the.EXEfile of the program and selectProperties.

Step 3:Under theSecuritytab, click theEditbutton.

Step 4:SelectUsersand tick theAllowcheckbox forFull control. Then, hitApply>OK.

Fix 2: Run the SFC and DISM Scans

Corrupt or damaged system files on your computer can also cause such errors. You can run the built-inSFC (System File Checker)and DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) scans to fix the damaged files causing the error.

Step 1:Right-click on theStart iconand selectTerminal (Admin)from the list.

Step 2:In the console, type the following command and pressEnter.

Step 3:Run the following commands one by one and pressEnterafter each one to run the DISM scan:

Now, restart your PC to check if the issue persists.

Fix 3: Repair the Visual C++ Redistributable Packages

Several popular Windows apps and programs rely on Visual C++ runtime libraries to provide essential features and operate smoothly. However, if there is a problem with the Visual C++ redistributable package on your computer, you may get the error “DLL is not designed to run on Windows” while opening or using a program. Here’s how to can fix that.

Step 1:Press theWindows + Rkeyboard shortcut to open the Run dialog box. Typeappwiz.cpland pressEnter.

Step 2:Select theMicrosoft Visual C++ Redistributable packageand clickChange. Repeat this process to repair all the packages.

Step 3:Hit theRepairbutton and wait for the process to complete.

Fix 4: Re-Register the Problematic DLL File Using Command Prompt

Another thing you can do to resolve this error is to re-register the problematic DLL file. Here’s how:

Step 1:Right-click on theStart iconand selectTerminal (Admin)from the list.

Step 2:In the console, typeregsvr32, followed by the name of the DLL file. For instance, if you were to re-register the msxml3.dll file, your command would be this:

Exit the Terminal window and check if Windows still shows the error.

Fix 5: Perform a System Restore

Lastly, if the “DLL is not designed to run on Windows” error has only started appearing recently,use system restoreto revert your PC to a point when it was working properly. Here’s how.

Step 1:Click thesearch iconon the taskbar, typecreate a restore point, and pressEnter.

Step 2:Navigate to theSystem Protectiontab and click theSystem Restorebutton.

Step 3:Select theRecommended restoreoption and click theNextbutton at the bottom.

Step 4:ClickFinishand allow Windows to restore to the specified restore point.

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Last updated on 03 September, 2024

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