How to Fix Libcurl.dll Not Found or Missing Errors

Libcurl.dll errors are caused by situations that lead to the removal or corruption of the libcurl DLL file. In some cases, these errors could indicate a registry problem, a virus or malware issue, or even a hardware failure.

Libcurl.dll Errors

There are several ways libcurl.dll errors can show up on your computer. Here are some of the more common ones:

• Libcurl.dll Not Found
• This application failed to start because libcurl.dll was not found. Re-installing the application may fix this problem.
• Cannot find [PATH]\libcurl.dll
• The file libcurl.dll is missing.
• Cannot start [APPLICATION]. A required component is missing: libcurl.dll. Please install [APPLICATION] again.

These error messages might appear while using or installing certain programs, when Windows starts or shuts down, or maybe even during a Windows installation.

The context of the error is an important piece of information that will be helpful while solving the problem. The error could apply to any program or system that might utilize the file on any of Microsoft's operating systems, including Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, etc.

This file is most likely part of the curl command line tool and library. Some popular programs that are known to use it, and could, therefore, be involved in a DLL file error, include Microsoft Office, Microsoft Teams, Trend Micro HouseCall, Notepad++, OpenOffice, Plex, VMware Workstation, Audacity, MEGAsync, and Adobe Photoshop.

How to Fix Libcurl.dll Errors

Follow these steps in the order they're given below to try the simpler solutions first.

1. Restore libcurl.dll from the Recycle Bin. The easiest possible cause of a "missing" libcurl.dll file is that you've mistakenly deleted it.

   If you suspect this but you've already emptied the Recycle Bin, you may be able to recover it with a free file recovery program.

   Start Windows in Safe Mode to complete this step, or any of the following steps, if you're unable to access Windows normally due to the error.

2. Reinstall the program that uses the libcurl.dll file. If the DLL error occurs when you use a particular program, reinstalling the program should replace the file.

   Before reinstalling, you might need to completely remove the program using a free uninstaller tool since some basic, built-in uninstallers do not remove every single remnant of a program's installation files. If some of those files are left over, they could cause the same or other DLL errors later.

3. Download curl for Windows. This is most likely the original source for this file, so downloading curl should provide your computer with the latest version of the libcurl.dll file.

   After extracting the files from the ZIP file you downloaded through that link above, obtain the DLL file from this folder, and then copy it to wherever the error says the file is missing from:

   \bin\libcurl.dll
   

   Choose the 32-bit version on the download page; this will download libcurl.dll. If you use the 64-bit version, you'll get libcurl-x64.dll instead.

4. Use System Restore to undo recent system changes. If you suspect that the libcurl.dll error was caused by a change made to an important file or configuration, System Restore could solve the problem.

5. Run a virus/malware scan of your entire system. Some DLL errors could be related to a virus or other malware infection on your computer that has damaged the file. The error you're seeing might even be related to a hostile program that's masquerading as the file.

6. Update the drivers for hardware devices that might be related to libcurl.dll. If, for example, you're receiving a "The file libcurl.dll is missing" error when you play a 3D video game, try updating the drivers for your video card.

   This DLL file may or may not be related to video cards; this was just an example. The key here is to pay very close attention to the context of the error and troubleshoot accordingly.

7. Roll back a driver to a previously installed version if the errors began after updating a particular hardware device's driver.

8. Install any available Windows updates. Many service packs and other patches replace or update some of the hundreds of Microsoft distributed DLL files on your computer. The libcurl.dll file could be included in one of those updates.

9. Test your memory and then test your hard drive. We've left the majority of hardware troubleshooting to the last step, but your computer's memory and hard drive are easy to test and are the most likely components that might cause libcurl.dll errors as they fail.

   If the hardware fails any of your tests, replace the memory or replace the hard drive as soon as possible.

10. Repair your installation of Windows. If the individual troubleshooting advice above is unsuccessful, performing a startup repair or repair installation should restore all Windows DLL files to their working versions.

11. Use a free registry cleaner to repair libcurl.dll related issues in the registry. A free registry cleaner program may be able to help by removing invalid registry entries that might be causing the DLL error.

    We rarely recommend the use of registry cleaners. We've included the option here as a "last resort" attempt before the destructive step coming up next.

12. Perform a clean installation of Windows. This will erase everything from the hard drive and install a fresh copy of Windows. If none of the steps above correct the error, this should be your next course of action.

    All the information on your hard drive will be erased during a clean install. Make sure you've made the best attempt possible to fix the libcurl.dll error using a troubleshooting step prior to this one.

13. Troubleshoot for a hardware problem if any errors persist. After a clean install of Windows, your DLL issue can only be hardware related.