How to fix “The program can’t start because d3d12.dll is missing from your computer” error in Windows 11

What is “The program can’t start because d3d12.dll is missing from your computer” error

The most obvious reason why you may be subject to facing the above-written message is that your system fails to verify the d3d12.dll file. DLL files stand for Dynamic Link Library and are very instrumental in maintaining the operation of both inbuilt and third-party Windows applications. When a file like that is missing or damaged, the message above can occur, preventing further access and use of the desired program respectively. In general, DLL errors are commonly encountered by many Windows users and not only in the latest version this article is dedicated to. Similar or even the same error message tends to occur on Windows 10, 8, and 7 only varying in file names that are missing. Here is a full list of what messages can be encountered when dealing with DLL errors:

No matter which one of them you received, the way they are resolved is almost identical. Typically, problems with DLL occur due to the presence of malware, malfunctioned software, registry issues, and other less prominent causes as well. If you are a victim of being unable to open a specific program due to the d3d12.dll problem, follow our guide below to resolve it.

The program cant start because d3d12.dll is missing from your computer error

C;\Windows\system32\d3d12.dll is either not designed to run on Windows or it contains an error

Da programm kann nicht gestartet werden da d3d12.dll auf dem Computer fehlt

1. Reinstall Visual C++ Redistributables

We have not mentioned this point above, however, now you know that DLL errors are often related to problems with Microsoft Visual Studio. Thus, it is very possible that the error appears due to corrupted or missing Redistributable packages. We first recommend you try and repair Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable using the steps below. If this does not resolve the problem, you can reinstall the software as well.

1. Open this Visual Studio page.
2. Click on the download links for vc_redist.x86.exe and vc_redist.x64.exe.
3. Execute both of these files and start the process by clicking Install. If you have Visual Studio already installed, the setup will offer to either Repair or Uninstall it. Choose Repair and close the window once finished.
4. In case it turns out some Visual C++ Redistributables are not installed, the setup will offer to do it.
5. Follow on-screen instructions and finish the installation.

2. Install/Reinstall DirectX Runtime Libraries

D3D12.dll is part of the Direct3D 12 Runtime, associated with DirectX 12. It is usually needed to launch video games. Thus, if you are facing problems with playing video games due to the D3D12.dll error, try to update DirectX or install it again. This will not take too much of your time. Simply follow the steps below.

1. Go to the official DirectX Runtime website.
2. Choose your language and click on Download.
3. Execute the downloaded file (dxwebsetup.exe) and install DirectX by following the setup. Also, there might be some instruments offered for additional installation like Bing Bar. Uncheck their box if necessary and finish installing the software.
4. Once finished, reboot your PC and try to open a videogame you struggled with.

3. Run file-repair commands

It is also important to approach the issue from another perspective. This perspective is scanning your system for missing and corrupted files with special in-built Windows utilities. Try to do it using both SFC (System File Checker) and DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management), which will detect and restore absent components, if any will be eventually found. Make sure to use both utilities as they may have a different impact on eliminating the problem. This is how:

Using SFC

1. Open Command Prompt by typing cmd into the searching loop next to the Start Menu button.
2. Right-click on Command Prompt and choose Run as administrator.
3. Once the console is opened, type the sfc /scannow command and click Enter.
4. When the fixing process is done, restart your computer.

Using DISM

1. Open Command Prompt as we did in the previous step.
2. Copy and paste this command DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth.
3. Click Enter and wait until Windows ends the scanning and fixing.
4. Once done, restart your PC and try to open the problematic program again.

After performing both of these scans, attempt to boot the application you struggled with. If this does not work, get down to the other solutions mentioned below.

4. Re-register DLL files manually

Windows allows its users to engage manual capabilities and reinstall components using Command Prompt. This is what we are going to do in this step. We will re-register the d3d12.dll file using these instructions below:

1. Open Command Prompt like we did in the previous step.
2. Copy-paste this command regsvr32 D3D12.DLL and press Enter.
3. The process may take a couple of seconds. Once done, restart your PC and check whether you can finally open the problematic application.

5. Reinstall the problematic application

In case performing the previous steps did not eradicate the issue completely, it is also worth trying to reinstall the application you are failing to open. Maybe you restored the file successfully, but it is the application itself that cannot identify it. Try to install it again so it finally does. It is also possible that you installed a pirated or cracked application, which is already subject to being suspected of various bugs or compatibility issues. We, therefore, advise you to download somewhere from official only at least trusted free vendors.

1. Left-click on the magnifying glass right next to Start menu and search for Control Panel.
2. Open it up and choose Uninstall a program under Programs.
3. Select the program dealing with the error and click Uninstall.
4. Finally, install it again and check if the error is fixed.

6. Scan your system for malware

Malicious infections are often unpredictable and hard to avert in advance. Upon successful and oftentimes stealth installation onto a system, malware can delete or damage various system components including the DLL files. This is why it is worth giving your PC a full-blown scan. You can use either in-built Windows Defender or install advanced anti-malware software that will combat threats that Windows could miss. We recommend you to use an antivirus developed by Malwarebytes – a trusted and talented group of experts constantly maintaining their software to combat both minor and global threats. It is now available for Windows 11 as well. You can download it now using the link below and try a 14-day trial of the ultimate antimalware experience for free.

Malwarebytes main window

Malwarebytes settings

Malwarebytes scan results

7. Download d3d12.dll manually

If reinstalling Visual C++ and performing other solutions did not contribute to successful problem elimination, you can search and download the missing DLL file manually from the web. Open this page and follow the instructions written in its FAQ section. They will guide you towards a successful replacement of the d3d12.dll file to remove the error.

8. Use System Restore Point

If nothing from the above led to a logical error conclusion, then there is last, yet a potential solution to bail out the problem. System Restore may help you get out of this crisis. Unless you installed Windows just now, there should be a backup point stored by the system when DLL problems were out of their current existence. Therefore, let’s get your system back to its latest backup available.

1. Open Control Panel as we did in the steps above.
2. Set View by to Large icons and choose Recovery. You can also find it using the search box.
3. Click Open System Restore and select Next.
4. Choose a restore point you want to you from the list and click Scan for affected programs to see what programs will be deleted upon restoration. If there are no Restore points visible, try to choose Show more restore points.
5. Click Next again and Finish to finalize the process and let Windows restore your system from the selected backup.

We hope this finally helped you launch the application you had issues with.

Summary

The main advantage of such errors is that it is specified what the problem relates to. Such error messages provide sufficient information to find the right solution eventually. We hope it was exactly your case and there is no such error making its presence known on Windows 11 or other systems as well. If you experience any other issues like malware or errors, do not hesitate to look for them on our website.