If you're running into the 0xc000007b error on your Windows 11 PC when trying to run a program, chances are that the app files have become corrupted. Additionally, it can sometimes occur due to a conflict between 64-bit and 32-bit versions of the OS and your software. In any case, there are various solutions you can try out to sort out the issue.

Fix 1: Run Windows Update

If you're running an outdated version of Windows, you may see the 0xc000007b error. You can check whether any updates are available and install to try and get rid of the error.

  1. Open Windows Settings using the Win + I shortcut and click on Windows Update on the left.
  1. On the Windows Update page, click on the 'Check for updates' button. If updates are available, Windows will start downloading and installing them. You may need to restart your computer after the updates are installed.

Fix 2: Run the program as an administrator

Some applications require administrative rights to work properly.

  1. Right-click on the program you are trying to run and click on 'Run as administrator'.
  1. When the User Account Control prompt appears, click on 'Yes'.
  2. If the program runs properly with administrative rights, you can set it as the default mode. Right-click on its icon and click on 'Open file location'.
  1. When the file location opens up in a new window, right-click on the app icon again and click on 'Properties'.
  1. Now, click on the 'Compatibility' tab at the top and then on the checkbox next to the 'Run this program as an administrator' to enable it. Then click on OK.
Note: When you set your selected program to run with administrative rights from its installation directory, all instances of the application will follow this command. On the other hand, if you only set the shortcut of the app to run with administrative rights, launching it from somewhere other than that shortcut will not start the application with administrative rights.

Fix 3: Reinstall Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable

Windows requires Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable packages to allow various applications to run. If they are missing or have become corrupt, you will need to remove and reinstall them.

  1. Open the Control Panel from the Start Menu and click on 'Programs and Features'.
  1. In the list of programs that appears, search for 'Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable' packages. Note the names of all the redistributable packages as you will need to reinstall them. Then click on the program to select it before clicking on the 'Uninstall' button at the top.
  1. Click on the 'Yes' button in the pop-up that appears to proceed with the uninstallation process. Do the same for the Visual C++ Redistributable packages and then reboot your computer.
  1. Once your PC starts, open a web browser and go to the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable site. Then download and install the latest packages from there before trying to open the program that was giving you the error.

Fix 4: Remove and reinstall the app

Sometimes the core of the application you are trying to run may be faulty, preventing it from opening. This can happen due to viruses or interference with other programs. You can try to resolve this by removing the application and reinstalling it.

  1. Open the Settings app using the Win + I shortcut and click on 'Apps' on the left.
  1. Next, click on 'Installed Apps' at the top.
  1. Now, you will see a list of all installed applications. Click on the three dots on the right of the application you want to remove and click on 'Uninstall'.
  1. Once the application is uninstalled, restart your PC and then reinstall the program from its installer. If possible, download a fresh installer for the purpose.

Fix 5: Restore corrupted files

Windows system files can sometimes get corrupted, resulting in the 0xc000007b error. You can use the built-in Windows System File Checker (SFC) to restore corrupted files.

  1. Open the Start menu, type cmd and click on 'Run as administrator'.
  1. When the command prompt window appears, type DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth and press Enter.
  1. The process can take some time to complete, so wait for it and once it does, type sfc /scannow and press Enter again. Let the process complete before trying to run the program again.

Fix 6: Enable the .NET framework feature

Windows uses the .NET framework to create suitable environments for various applications and games. You can turn it on to try and fix the 0xc000007b error.

  1. Open the Start menu, type windows features and click on 'Turn Windows features on or off'.
  1. In the pop-up that appears, search for the .NET Framework folders. When you find them, click on the checkbox next to them to enable them. Do this for both .NET Framework folders and click on the 'OK' button.
  1. Windows will search for the required files. Click on 'Let Windows Update download the files for you'.
  1. Once the files are downloaded, try running the program again and see if the error is still appearing.

Fix 7: Install DirectX Component

Windows relies on DirectX to run games on your system with basic video and audio. Installing it on your system can often help get rid of the 0xc000007b error.

  1. Visit Microsoft's DirectX website and click on the 'Download' button to download it.
  1. Once the installer is downloaded, open it and click on 'I accept the agreement' before clicking on the 'Next' button.
  1. Follow the steps shown by the installer to complete the installation and then try to run the problematic program again.

Fix 8: Perform a clean boot

Sometimes third-party programs can interfere with the normal booting process of Windows, resulting in the 0xc000007b error. You can try performing a clean boot to deal with the problem.

  1. Open the Start menu, type msconfig and click on 'System Configuration'.
  1. When the System Configuration utility appears, click on the 'Services' tab at the top and then on 'Hide all Microsoft services'.
  1. Once all Microsoft services are hidden, click on the 'Disable all' button to turn off all third-party services.
  1. Now click on the 'Startup' tab at the top and then on 'Open Task Manager'.
  1. When the Task Manager opens, click on 'Startup apps' on the left.
  1. Now, right-click on each app on the right side and click on 'Disable' to disable it.
  1. After disabling all applications, close the Task Manager and click on 'Apply' and then on 'OK'. Then reboot your PC.
  1. Your computer will boot into a clean environment with all third-party services and applications disabled. You can now enable the services one by one and check whether the error appears again, which can help identify the cause.

Things to know

  • When reinstalling an application, you should try to use a fresh installer instead of the one you were using before. The installer may have been corrupted, which is why you are seeing an error.
  • Once you have successfully resolved the problem, you should open the Task Manager and enable the startup programs you disabled earlier.
  • You can also try resetting your PC to its default settings using the Reset option. However, make sure to backup your files before doing so.
  • In extreme cases, you may have to reinstall Windows completely. For that, you will need to download the ISO from Microsoft's website and create an installation USB.