How to Fix ‘The Procedure Entry Point Could Not Be Located In The Dynamic Link Library’?

Windows 10 has been one of the most reliable operating system versions from Microsoft. However, this is not free from bugs and errors. Windows 10 users have been reporting lately about the ‘the procedure entry point could not be located in the dynamic link library’. Whenever users want to launch a game or a heavy application, such as Adobe Photoshop, this issue is more likely to take place on Windows 10 platform.

Now, what are the reasons behind the ‘procedure entry point could not be located in the dynamic link library’ error? It generally pops up when the program can’t find the most required DLL library to run the program. Basically, the DLL file that the system is looking for is either corrupted or missing. However, this isn’t the only reason behind this issue.

Experts say, hardware issues, missing registry entries, and even outdated drivers can trigger the same warning. So, there are diverse solutions to this one error. Overall, this will make your PC screen freeze and you can’t access the program that you want to. So, here are a few tried and tested solutions to get rid of the error.

Reinstall the Corrupted Application

The first troubleshooting step should be the easiest. You should try reinstalling the application. It might discard the chances of corrupted DLL files and reinstall all the required setup. So, you can run the application without a flaw.

Here’s what you need to follow to eliminate the ‘procedure entry point could not be located in the dynamic link library’ error.

1. Hold the Windows and I keys simultaneously. This launches Settings and you need to click on Apps.
2. Locate the application that is troubling you. Select the application and the Uninstall option should appear. Click Uninstall and confirm the process.
3. After successfully uninstalling it, you need to re-download the software from its official website. Download the compatible version from a trusted source.
4. Let the program be installed on your PC.

Now, you can try re-launching the program after the installation completes.

Register the DLL File, Again

The most probable cause behind the error is that the DLL file is missing. Therefore, you can address the ‘procedure entry point could not be located in the dynamic link library’ error with these steps:

1. Search for Command Prompt using the search bar on your Windows PC.
2. When the Command Prompt appears in the result, right-click the Command Prompt. Choose the ‘Run as administrator’ option.
3. Now, you have to re-register the corresponding DLL file. Find out which DLL file is causing the error. Type the command ‘regsvr32’ and enter the DLL file you want to register again.
4. Hit the Enter button, and the process should have successfully re-registered the DLL file.

Check out if the issue still exists by launching that problematic application.

Go for a System File Checker Scan

Windows 10 has a lot of troubleshooting tools, and System File Checker is one of them. You can easily recover files that have gone missing or corrupted through an SFC scan. This tool can automatically detect erroneous files and repair them for you.

Thus, this is perfect for addressing the ‘procedure entry point could not be located in the dynamic link library’ issue. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Click the Search icon or press the Windows and S keys to launch the Search window.
2. Look for Command Prompt. Type “cmd” in the search bar and choose Command Prompt from the result. Make sure that you explore Command Prompt with admin privilege.
3. Right-click on Command Prompt and select the ‘Run as administrator’ option. A User Account Control prompt might appear, and you need to click on Yes.
4. After the Command Prompt has opened up, type the following command: sfc /scannow. Hit the Enter key to execute the command.
5. Wait for a while till the scanning gets completed.

After that, you can relaunch the application to see if the issue has disappeared or not.

Scan your PC with Firewall or Antivirus Software

Users have even complained that they have suffered from the ‘procedure entry point could not be located in the dynamic link library’ due to viruses. Hence, we recommend running a scan with Windows Defender or any already installed antivirus software.

Windows Defender is the built-in threat protection from Windows. And, you can use it if you don’t have any other third-party software on your computer. Follow the basic instructions below to get a seamless experience:

1. Hold the Windows and S keys to open the Search area. Now, type Windows Security on the search bar.
2. Choose Windows Security from the result and launch it.
3. Go to the tab named Virus & Threat Protection. It’s on the left pane of the screen. Now, choose the Scan Options.
4. Go for a Full Scan option. Keep in mind that the entire process will take long hours, at most 2 hours. However, it depends on the number of files your system acquires.
5. Now, click the Scan Now option to initiate the scanning.

If Windows finds anything suspicious, then it will remove or quarantine automatically. When the scanning completes, you can see whether the error is still there or not.

Look into Event Viewer

If you still can’t fix the issue, then you can try this out. Sneaking into the Event Viewer can tell you which particular service is annoying you. Press the Windows and X keys simultaneously to launch the context menu.

Select Event Viewer and choose Windows logs from the left pane. Now, go with System and find the last event before encountering the ‘procedure entry point could not be located in the dynamic link library’ issue. The service might be the culprit.

Finally, Do a System Restore

If nothing is working as expected, you should go for a system restore. Search for System Restore and wisely choose a restore point. Don’t forget to check which programs will be affected after a system restore. Click on Scan for Affected Programs. Finally, select the finish option. Hopefully, this will resolve the issue that the ‘procedure entry point could not be located in the dynamic link library’.