Windows 11 · Windows 11
Fix a Runtime Error in Windows 11
Source-checked About 20 minutes
Answer
Photograph the complete runtime error and identify which app produced it. Update or repair that app first. Reinstall a Microsoft runtime component, Java, or another dependency only when the error names it or the app publisher requires it. Repair Windows files only if several unrelated apps fail.
- Capture the full messageThe app and missing component matter.
- Repair the app firstA runtime error is not automatically a Windows problem.
- Use official runtimesAvoid DLL download websites.
Capture the error
Take a screenshot showing the title, full text, file name, and code. Note the app and the action that triggers it.
Restart and update the app
Close the app, restart Windows, and install the app's update from its publisher or official store.
Repair the affected app
Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps, select the app's Advanced options, and choose Repair when available.
Use the publisher's repair tool
For a desktop program, open Control Panel > Programs and Features and choose Change or Repair if the publisher provides it.
Reinstall only the named runtime
If the message names Visual C++, .NET, Java, or another component, use Microsoft or that component's official site and match the app publisher's required version and architecture.
Repair Windows only for broad errors
If several unrelated apps and Windows tools fail, run DISM RestoreHealth and then `sfc /scannow` from an administrator Terminal.
Verify the original action
Repeat the exact action that caused the error and confirm it works twice before removing backups or installers.
If it does not work
- Never download a single DLL from a fix website; it may be unsafe or the wrong version.
- If the error began after an app plug-in or mod, disable that addition and test the unmodified app.
- If an organization manages the app, send its administrator the screenshot and code instead of installing runtimes yourself.
Sources and verification
Checked against official documentation on . Scope: Windows 11.
The written instructions were checked against the current official pages linked below. The older video is kept for reference and may show different menus.