Microsoft Visual C 2015 Redistributable X64 -

Scroll down to find . Right-click the entry and select Change . Click the Repair button in the pop-up wizard. Restart your computer. Method 2: Fresh Reinstallation

If you navigate to your (or Programs and Features in older Windows versions), you will likely see a long list of Visual C++ Redistributables ranging from 2005 to 2022, often with both x86 (32-bit) and x64 (64-bit) versions listed for the same year. This can look like clutter, but do not delete them . Here is why your system keeps multiple versions:

| Problem | Likely Cause | Fix | |---------|--------------|-----| | "The program can't start because VCRUNTIME140.dll is missing" | Missing or corrupted x64 redist | Reinstall the latest x64 package | | "API-MS-WIN-CRT-STDIO-1-1-0.DLL missing" | Old Windows version (pre-7 SP1/8.1/10) or missing Windows Updates | Install KB2999226 (Universal C Runtime update) | | Installation fails with 0x80240017 | Corrupted system component store | Run DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth then retry | | Multiple versions shown in Apps & Features | Normal. Apps install the specific version they were tested with | Leave them. Do not manually uninstall older ones unless you confirm no app needs them |

Without this package, many popular games, software programs, and drivers will fail to launch, showing errors mentioning MSVCP140.dll , vcruntime140.dll , or similar files. Why Do I Need the 2015 Redistributable? microsoft visual c 2015 redistributable x64

Extract the MSI:

Windows will scan your core files and automatically replace any damaged Visual C++ system elements. Final Thoughts

Instead of forcing developers to bundle these massive library files inside every single application they sell—which would make file sizes balloon drastically—Microsoft distributes them as a standalone package. Scroll down to find

Run Windows Update and install all pending critical updates. Specifically, ensure that update KB2999226 (Universal C Runtime) is successfully installed on your machine before retrying the setup. Fix Setup Failed / Already Installed Errors

Go to Event Viewer → Windows Logs → Application. Look for errors from source “SideBySide” or “Application Error” at the time of the failure. The error message often contains the exact version and path of the missing DLL, which can guide you further.

You might think that “2015” is outdated, but Microsoft maintains backward compatibility. The Visual C++ 2015 redistributable is part of a larger family: Restart your computer

Instead of forcing developers to pack these heavy files inside every single application, Microsoft created "Redistributable" packages. These packages install the shared code directly into Windows, allowing multiple programs to use them simultaneously. The version specifically services 64-bit operating systems and applications. Why is it Installed on Your PC?

This error message is very common. It indicates that the installer has detected a newer version of the Visual C++ runtime already on your system, preventing the older version from being installed. You don't usually need to worry about this error, as the newer version includes all the components of the older one. However, if you need to install the specific version for a legacy application, you may need to uninstall any newer versions first via .

The primary solution is to uninstall the newer version first, install the 2015 version, and then reinstall the newer version. This sequence creates a clean slate for the installer. The Microsoft Program Install and Uninstall troubleshooter may also be attempted to resolve the issue.

(for IT pros)