It becomes very frustrating to find any program crucial to the work not running. The problem can be related to DLL files. If the problem is associated with DLL files, you are likely to get the error - api-ms-win-crt-runtime-l1-1-0.dll is missing from your computer.

If you feel boggled by this hefty message, click to read to decode this message and also to learn ways available for solving this error through this reading. To begin with, this error message simply means that Universal CRT that forms an important part of Visual C+ Redistributable is not installed completely. It also may imply that api-ms-win-crt-runtime-l1-1-0.dll file has gone missing or have got corrupt.

Here is why this DLL file gets lost

DLL file stands for Dynamic Link Libraries file. As the name indicates, the codes for these library files are not stored at one place, but are stored in multiple locations (read files) linked dynamically to each other.  Whenever the code is needed, which is usually required for running any particular program, the related file is accessed and loaded on the computer’s memory and is put to use to get the desired program running. In certain cases, when the related file is not found, or when it goes corrupt, the error message pops up that says ‘DLL file is missing’.

This error mostly appears when the user tries to run programs like Adobe applications, Skype, Autodesk, SmartFTP software, Microsoft Office,  Corel Draw, XAMPP, and so on. Since most of these programs are required to create, calculate or connect to the other people in the network, or to fetch important documents and go through these, the problem becomes all the more frustrating. It is natural for the users to wish that some solutions were available to avoid this issue from popping up often.

Thankfully, there are some solutions available!

Solving the error - api-ms-win-crt-runtime-l1-1-0.dll is missing – here is how

Before jumping upon any intricately designed solution which you might not be able to pull off, it is better to do basic diagnostic checks. So, perform the checks like:

1. Ensure that the Windows running on your computer is an updated version and that no update alert has been missed by you
2. Confirm it by running the Windows Update
3. Additional, run a check on Systems files using the System file checker. This is done to pinpoint any potentially corrupt file residing on the system
4. You can also try reinstalling the program which you are not able to start due to DLL file missing error

So, these are some of the easy checks and trials to make before moving to the detailed steps. Many a time, the error is eliminated by performing any of these preliminary checks. The next step is to be taken when all these trials and checks turn futile.

Advanced ways to solve DLL missing error

If any of the preliminary checks or reinstallation of the program have not helped, then it is time to move to some detailed methods. These include:

1. Repairing of Visual C+ Redistributable package installed on your computer

Check to find if you have installed the Visual C+ Redistributable package. If it is installed, you might need repairing it. The repairing process involves:

1. Open Control Panel
2. Go to ‘Programs and Features’

• Reach to Microsoft Visual C+ 2015 Redistributable (x64) – if your machine is 64-bit

1. Right-click on this
2. You will find the ‘change’ button on right-clicking. Once you select change, there is an option of ‘repair’.

Repairing this package can help in starting the programs which were not operating earlier.

1. Download the update of Universal C Runtime

Sometimes, the reason for missing of DLL file can be an outdated Universal C Runtime. So, it is advisable to try downloading an update of Universal C Runtime. This requires installing a runtime component on the system. Once installed, restart the computer to see if there is any change in the situation that you are facing.

1. Install update of Microsoft Visual C+ Redistributable

Search online for the latest update of Microsoft Visual C+ Redistributable. The update may be available for 32-bit and 64-bit separately. Choose the relevant update, install and then restart the PC. Check if the problem has been solved and that your desirable program is opening.

1. Try Installing MS Visual C+ for Redistributable for Visual Studio 2017

There are certain programs that need the 2017 version of MS Visual C+ Redistributable for Visual Studio. So, to enable your machine to support these programs, you can give installing of this newer version a try.

Similar problems to api-ms-win-crt-runtime-l1-1-0.dll missing

The missing of api-ms-win-crt-runtime-l1-1-0.dll is not the only problem that appears. The other problems which are of similar nature include missing of xlive.dll, d3compiler_43.dll, MSVCP140.dll, VCRUNTIME140.dll, LogiLDA.dll and so on.

The standard method to solve the problem of DLL files missing involves steps, such as:

1. Run the built-in system checker. It helps find the corrupt file or those missing ones from the system.
2. There are DISM tool and repair running required that can be used for fixing any corrupt program from Windows Component Store
3. The first step always is to reinstall the program that shows this error. Maybe the installation process left behind some important files and thus, created the problem.
4. You can also copy a DLL file from another system and restore it on the PC on which you fail to run a related program. It is followed by the re-registering of the DLL file. However, it is not advisable to copy and start using the DLL file. You might be doing some copyright infringements unknowingly if the source device is using pirated versions of the software. So, re-register the DLL file to address such issues.

Various tools and error fixing solutions have been rolled out in the market by the experts. The sole aim of these tools is to keep the computer free of corrupt files and also to maintain the overall health of the system. You can try these fixing tools; these save a lot of effort!