MSVCP120.dll Download and Missing File Fix

What is msvcp120.dll?

MSVCP120.dll provides C++ standard-library functions required by applications compiled with Visual Studio 2013. Games, launchers, creative tools, engineering software, and older desktop utilities may request it even when newer Visual C++ packages are installed.

The 120 suffix identifies the Visual C++ 2013 runtime generation. MSVCP120.dll is not replaced by MSVCP110.dll, MSVCP140.dll, or VCRUNTIME140.dll, and renaming another runtime file cannot supply the exports expected by a Visual Studio 2013 application.

Check the evidence before a msvcp120.dll download

Start with the full download error and the path of the program that displayed it. A DLL error raised from a game folder usually points to that game's prerequisites or installation, while an error from an unrelated desktop program may point to a separate runtime. Search results for the filename cannot see that local context.

If a copy already exists, do not replace it with the first download listing you find. Open its file properties and review the location, digital-signature tab, product name, and modified date. Compare those details with the application installer or publisher documentation. A valid signature can support an origin check, but an unsigned file is not automatically malicious and a familiar filename is not automatically trustworthy.

Create a restore point or back up important application data before system-level repairs. Avoid registry cleaners and one-click download fixer programs that do not disclose exactly what they change. A controlled package repair is easier to reverse and easier to diagnose than several simultaneous replacements.

How to fix msvcp120.dll download and missing-file errors

1. 1

   Confirm the exact filename

   Verify that the message names MSVCP120.dll rather than MSVCR120.dll, MSVCP110.dll, or MSVCP140.dll.

2. 2

   Identify the application's architecture

   Use the x86 installer for a 32-bit program and the x64 installer for a 64-bit program; install both official packages when you use mixed software.

3. 3

   Run the verified Microsoft installer

   Choose Install, or use Repair when Visual C++ 2013 is already present.

4. 4

   Restart the affected application

   Close its launcher and background processes before testing the same action again.

5. 5

   Repair or reinstall the application

   If the runtime is healthy but the error remains, restore the application's own files from its publisher, store, or original installer.

Common msvcp120.dll download and repair scenarios

The safest msvcp120.dll download and safe repair path depends on when the failure started. Work through the scenario that matches your system instead of applying every possible fix at once.

After installing or moving an application

Portable copies, restored backups, and manually moved game folders can omit prerequisites that a normal installer would add. Return to the original setup or launcher, install its dependencies, and keep the application in a supported location. Copying only the executable and a few DLL files rarely reproduces a complete installation.

After Windows or software maintenance

An update can expose an older local DLL that previously loaded by accident. Repair Visual C++ 2013 Redistributable, then verify the affected application so its executable and supporting files come from the same release. Avoid rolling back unrelated Windows updates unless the publisher documents a confirmed compatibility issue.

After a security alert or modification

Do not treat an antivirus block as a routine missing-file problem. Record the detection, scan the system, and remove unofficial loaders, wrappers, or copied libraries. If the software is legitimate, recover it from its original publisher or store instead of searching for a replacement with the same filename.

This msvcp120.dll download and safe repair guidance is intentionally source-first: the correct outcome is a working, maintainable application, not merely a folder that contains a file named msvcp120.dll.

Common msvcp120.dll download error messages

• MSVCP120.dll is missing from your computer.
• The code execution cannot proceed because MSVCP120.dll was not found.
• This application failed to start because MSVCP120.dll was not found.

MSVCP120.dll and MSVCR120.dll belong to the same Visual C++ 2013 family but are different files. The official redistributable installs and services the coordinated runtime set.

msvcp120.dll download compatibility for 32-bit and 64-bit Windows

Visual C++ 2013 is an older, out-of-support toolset, but its redistributable may still be required by legitimate applications on Windows 10 or Windows 11. Application support remains the responsibility of the software publisher.

An x64 Windows installation does not make every application 64-bit. If installing only vcredist_x64.exe leaves the error unchanged, check whether the affected process is 32-bit and also requires vcredist_x86.exe.

How to confirm the msvcp120.dll download repair worked

Restart the affected application from its normal launcher and repeat the action that previously produced the download error. A successful launch is stronger evidence than finding a file with the expected name. Check that the original missing-file or entry-point message is gone and that no new dependency error has replaced it.

If another DLL download is now requested, return to the owning package rather than downloading files one by one. A sequence of missing components usually means a redistributable, DirectX prerequisite, game depot, or application installation is incomplete. Record each installer used so you can undo changes or provide accurate details to the software publisher's support team.

msvcp120.dll download FAQ