How to Fix Ws2_32.dll Not Found or Missing Errors

Ws2_32.dll errors are caused by situations that lead to the removal or corruption of the ws2_32 DLL file. In some cases, these errors could indicate a registry problem, a virus or malware issue, or even a hardware failure.

This DLL file is the Windows Sockets Library file that's necessary for Windows and other applications to work with the network. You can read about how this file works in Microsoft's Windows Sockets documentation.

Ws2_32.dll Errors

There are several ways ws2_32.dll errors can show up on your computer. Here are some of the more common ones:

• Ws2_32.dll Not Found
• This application failed to start because ws2_32.dll was not found. Re-installing the application may fix this problem.
• Cannot find [PATH]\ws2_32.dll
• The file ws2_32.dll is missing.
• Cannot start [APPLICATION]. A required component is missing: ws2_32.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, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows 2000.

How to Fix Ws2_32.dll Errors

1. Restore ws2_32.dll from the Recycle Bin. The easiest possible cause of a "missing" ws2_32.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 the file with a free file recovery program.

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

2. 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 ws2_32.dll file could be included in one of those updates.

   Try your best to complete this step. Installing updates from Windows that might include this file, is a likely solution to this DLL error.

3. Run a virus/malware scan of your entire system. Some ws2_32.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 the error you're seeing is related to a hostile program that's masquerading as the file.

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

5. Reinstall the program that uses the ws2_32.dll file. If the DLL error occurs when you use a particular program, reinstalling the program should replace the file.

6. Update the drivers for hardware devices that might be related to this DLL file. If, for example, you're receiving a "The file ws2_32.dll is missing" error when you play a 3D video game, try updating the drivers for your video card.

   The ws2_32.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. 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 ws2_32.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 troubleshooting advice above is unsuccessful, performing a startup repair or repair installation should restore all Windows DLL files to their working versions.

10. Use a free registry cleaner to repair ws2_32.dll related issues in the registry. One of those programs might be able to help by removing invalid registry entries that might be causing the 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.

11. 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 error using a troubleshooting step prior to this one.

12. Troubleshoot for a hardware problem if any ws2_32.dll errors persist. After a clean install of Windows, this issue can only be hardware related.

Need More Help?

If you don't want to 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, and choosing a repair service.