How to Fix Urlmon.dll Not Found or Missing Errors

A troubleshooting guide for urlmon.dll errors

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

The urlmon DLL error message could apply to any program or system that might utilize the file on any of Microsoft's operating systems, including Windows 11, Windows 10Windows 8Windows 7Windows VistaWindows XP, and Windows 2000.

Urlmon.dll Errors

urlmon DLL error message in Windows

There are several ways that errors can show up on your computer. Here are a few examples:

  • The ordinal 459 could not be located in the dynamic link library urlmon.dll
  • Urlmon.dll Not Found
  • This application failed to start because urlmon.dll was not found. Re-installing the application may fix this problem.
  • Cannot find [PATH]\urlmon.dll
  • The file urlmon.dll is missing.
  • Cannot start [APPLICATION]. A required component is missing: urlmon.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.

How to Fix Urlmon.dll Errors

Do not download urlmon.dll from a "DLL download" website. There are many reasons why downloading a DLL file is a bad idea. If you need a copy of urlmon.dll, it's best to obtain it from its original, legitimate source.

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

  1. Register the urlmon.dll file. This is easily accomplished in Command Prompt with the following command.

    regsvr32 urlmon.dll
    
    regsvr32 urlmon.dll command prompt command
  2. Update your browser. Problems with the urlmon.dll file are sometimes directly related to your program. Updating should replace the file.

  3. 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 urlmon DLL file could be included in one of those updates.

  4. Run the sfc /scannow System File Checker command to replace a missing or corrupt copy of the urlmon.dll file. This DLL file is provided by Microsoft, so the System File Checker tool should restore it.

  5. Restore urlmon.dll from the Recycle Bin. The easiest possible cause of a "missing" urlmon.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 urlmon.dll with a free file recovery program.

    Undeleting urlmon.dll is a smart idea only if you're confident you've deleted the file yourself and that it was working properly before you did that.

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

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

  8. 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 urlmon 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.

  9. 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.

  10. Perform a clean installation of Windows. This erases everything from the hard drive and installs 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 DLL error using a troubleshooting step prior to this one.

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

Need More Help?

If you'd rather not fix this problem yourself, see How Do I Get My Computer Fixed? for a full list of your support options, plus help with everything along the way like figuring out repair costs, getting your files off, choosing a repair service, and a lot more.

Was this page helpful?