How to Fix Shlwapi.dll Not Found or Missing Errors GA S REGULAR Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO Software & Apps > Windows

How to Fix Shlwapi.dll Not Found or Missing Errors

A troubleshooting guide for shlwapi.dll errors

By Tim Fisher Tim Fisher Senior Vice President & Group General Manager, Tech & Sustainability Emporia State University Tim Fisher has more than 30 years' of professional technology experience. He's been writing about tech for more than two decades and serves as the VP and General Manager of Lifewire. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on March 26, 2020 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Windows The Ultimate Laptop Buying Guide Shlwapi.dll errors are caused by situations that lead to the removal or corruption of the shlwapi DLL file. In some cases, shlwapi.dll errors could indicate a registry problem, a virus or malware issue, or even a hardware failure. The shlwapi.dll error message could apply to any program or system that might utilize the file on any of Microsoft's operating systems, including Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows 2000.

Shlwapi dll Errors

There are several different ways that shlwapi.dll errors can show up on your computer. Here are some of the more common ways that you might see shlwapi.dll errors: Shlwapi.dll Not FoundThis application failed to start because shlwapi.dll was not found. Re-installing the application may fix this problem.Cannot find [PATH]\shlwapi.dllThe file shlwapi.dll is missing.Cannot start [APPLICATION]. A required component is missing: shlwapi.dll. Please install [APPLICATION] again. Shlwapi.dll 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 shlwapi.dll error is an important piece of information that will be helpful while solving the problem.

How to Fix Shlwapi dll Errors

Do not download shlwapi.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 shlwapi.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 shlwapi.dll error. Restore shlwapi.dll from the Recycle Bin. The easiest possible cause of a "missing" shlwapi.dll file is that you've mistakenly deleted it. If you suspect that you've accidentally deleted shlwapi.dll but you've already emptied the Recycle Bin, you may be able to recover shlwapi.dll with a free file recovery program. Recovering a deleted copy of shlwapi.dll with a file recovery program 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. Run a virus/malware scan of your entire system. Some shlwapi.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 shlwapi.dll error you're seeing is related to a hostile program that's masquerading as the file. Use System Restore to undo recent system changes. If you suspect that the shlwapi.dll error was caused by a change made to an important file or configuration, a System Restore could solve the problem. Run the sfc /scannow System File Checker command to replace a missing or corrupt copy of the shlwapi.dll file. Because this DLL file is provided by Microsoft, at least in some versions of Windows, the System File Checker tool should restore it. Try your best to complete this step. Windows should be able to place the shlwapi.dll file in its proper place to fix related errors. 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 shlwapi.dll file could be included in one of those updates. Reinstall the program that uses the shlwapi.dll file. If the shlwapi.dll DLL error occurs when you use a particular program, reinstalling the program should replace the file. If you can't reinstall the program, try uninstalling any updates that might have been installed around the time you started seeing the shlwapi.dll error. For example, open Control Panel and uninstall the most recent browser update if there is one and if the DLL error is associated with the browser. Update the drivers for hardware devices that might be related to shlwapi.dll. If, for example, you're receiving a "The file shlwapi.dll is missing" error when you play a 3D video game, try updating the drivers for your video card. The shlwapi.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. Roll back a driver to a previously installed version if shlwapi.dll errors began after updating a particular hardware device's driver. Test your memory and then test your hard drive. I'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 shlwapi.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. Repair your installation of Windows. If the individual shlwapi.dll file troubleshooting advice above is unsuccessful, performing a startup repair or repair installation should restore all Windows DLL files to their working versions. Use a free registry cleaner to repair shlwapi.dll related issues in the registry. A free registry cleaner program may be able to help by removing invalid shlwapi.dll registry entries that might be causing the DLL error. Perform a clean installation of Windows. A clean install of Windows will erase everything from the hard drive and install a fresh copy of Windows. If none of the steps above correct the shlwapi.dll 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 shlwapi.dll error using a troubleshooting step prior to this one. Troubleshoot for a hardware problem if any shlwapi.dll errors persist. After a clean install of Windows, your DLL problem can only be hardware related.

Need More Help

If you're not interested in fixing this DLL 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 whole lot more. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Fix Secur32.dll Not Found or Missing Errors How to Fix Glut32.dll Not Found or Missing Errors How to Fix Netapi32.dll Not Found or Missing Errors How to Fix Gdi32.dll Is Missing or Not Found Errors How to Fix 'Engine.dll Not Found or Missing' Errors How to Fix Sdl.dll Not Found or Missing Errors How to Fix Msvbvm60.dll Not Found or Missing Errors How to Fix User32.dll Not Found or Missing Errors How to Fix Msvcr70.dll is Missing or Not Found Errors How to Fix Zlib1.dll Is Missing or Not Found Errors How to Fix Libmysql.dll Not Found or Missing Errors How to Fix D3d11.dll Is Missing or Not Found Errors How to Fix Uxtheme.dll Not Found or Missing Errors How to Fix Fmod.dll Is Missing or Not Found Errors How to Fix Nvcpl.dll Not Found or Missing Errors Fix Gdiplus.dll Is Missing or Not Found Errors Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies