How to Get Rid of the Libcurl.dll Missing Error on Windows 10

Error dialogs on the Windows operating system mostly show up when they’re least expected. One category of errors that seem to happen often is DLL errors. These error messages tell users that they cannot continue with certain operations because a particular DLL file is missing. DLL errors pop up when users try to play games or run programs that require the services of the problematic DLL file.

One of such issues that have been a source of worry for many Windows users is the “Libcurl.dll was not found” or “Libcurl.dll was missing” error. The full message in the error dialog normally reads:

“This application failed to start because libcurl.dll was not found. Re-installing the application may fix this problem.”

This particular error message, as users have reported, usually comes up while trying to run a program, during an installation process, or even when they are trying to shut down their PCs. There have been reported cases of the error in Windows 7 and Windows 8 systems, but Windows 10 users also suffer it.

While the error dialog seems to proffer a solution, it can be quite misleading. Sometimes, reinstalling the program might be the solution, while in certain situations, you need another approach. If you’re experiencing this error message on your Windows 10 computer, this article will help you learn how to fix the “Libcurl.dll not found” error.

What is Libcurl.dll?

Libcurl.dll, as its extension gives away, is a Dynamic Link Library (DLL) file. DLLs are important to the Windows Operating System. They have been around since the early days of the OS, and they still provide most of the functionalities for programs that run on the OS.

Typically, a DLL contains codes and instructions that one or more Windows applications depend on to perform certain tasks. These tasks are commonly shared activities that occur on a computer, such as printing or saving a file. For example, any program that wants to use the Open dialog window will call on a particular DLL file (Comdlg32 DLL) to perform this function.

Libcurl.dll is related to the LXFDVD157, which is a product of Future Publishing. Therefore, the “Libcurl.dll not found” error indicates an issue with the associated program.

Is Libcurl.dll a Virus?

Originally, Libcurl.dll is a legitimate file. However, you shouldn’t leave anything up to chance. You should take every necessary step to ensure you’re not dealing with a dangerous piece of software. Hackers are known to design certain malicious programs to mimic legitimate Windows files and processes to escape detection.

If the file in question isn’t in the System32 folder, then you might as well be dealing with a virus. What’s more, it’s important to be wary of DLL download sites, as some of the files that come from these outlets can contain malicious codes, leading you to mistake a DLL for a virus.

Why Is the “Libcurl.dll not Found” Error Showing Up?

The error message is primarily caused by your operating system’s inability to access the DLL file in question. That said, a number of underlying factors can cause the file to be inaccessible. To help you understand why you see the error message, we’ll explain some of the root causes of the problem.

Libcurl.dll is missing or corrupt

The error message is mostly triggered when the Libcurl.dll file is missing or corrupt. Malware infection might make you lose the file because the malicious program might mess with it or delete it. The file could also be removed or tampered with by a third-party program. What’s more, you might be dealing with a mistake, as you could have deleted the file without knowing it. Fixing the error message, in this case, involves restoring the file.

The DLL file is not properly registered

DLL files must be registered in the Windows registry to work properly. You might be facing this error because a third-party program or malware application unregistered the program. It could also be that the registration of the file in question was interrupted, leading to the error.

An interrupted installation or uninstallation process

DLL file manipulation usually occurs when you install or remove an application from your computer. When you install a program, it either registers its DLL file or adds some registry entries pointing to an existing file. If you’re removing a program, it usually deletes the DLL it placed on your computer or removes components that request the services of a DLL file.

If an installation or uninstallation process is abruptly discontinued, the DLL file might become badly damaged, or malfunctioning fragments of the program might be calling on the file, leading to the error. In the case of the Libcurl.dll file, you might be dealing with problematic registry entries caused by a recent program that is related to the LXFDVD157 suite which you tried to install or remove.

Antivirus conflict

When a program requests a service from Libcurl.dll, the error will be triggered if your system protection program has quarantined the file. This happens when antivirus programs go overboard and flag legitimate files as threats. These files are usually known as false positives. In some cases, the antivirus program goes as far as deleting the file from your computer. Many users found this to be the issue.

Malware infection

Apart from malware removing or messing with the file, malicious programs could directly cause the error to show up because they’re requesting the file’s service. In these cases, the DLL file isn’t on your computer because you don’t have the associated program installed, or your antivirus program might remove the file without ridding your system of the virus in question.

Device driver issues

If the DLL file is connected to a process that involves a hardware device, you’ll likely encounter the error if the driver for that particular device is faulty, missing, or outdated. Many users found this to be the problem and were able to resolve it by installing the latest version of the driver.

Should the File Be Deleted?

Deleting the Libcurl.dll file alone won’t be the best solution to your problem. Windows reports the error in the first place because the file isn’t accessible. A program has to send a request to the file before Windows starts to look for it. This means that making the file available, rather than deleting it, is a resolution to the problem, especially in cases where you need the programs that regularly call on the file.

That said, if you really want to get rid of the file, you have to remove every program on your computer that depends on it. Before you do this, though, you should ideally confirm that you don’t need the programs that depend on the file.

You should note that you’ll likely not experience this issue if the file is on your computer and there are no programs or processes that call on it.

How to Fix the “Libcurl.dll Is Missing” Error on Windows 10

We’ll provide you with different methods to fix the problem on your system. The right fix for you will depend on the root cause of the issue on your computer, which means that not every method below will help you get rid of the error message. That said, we’re confident that you’ll no longer experience the annoying error message once you finish with this guide.

Solution 1: Restore the Libcurl.dll File from the Recycle Bin

In case you deleted the file from the System32 folder by mistake, you can recover it from the recycle bin. The recycle bin is a safety measure put in place by Microsoft for such situations. If the file is no longer in the recycle bin, however, you can use a file recovery program to get it back.

To recover the file from the recycle bin, double-click the Recycle bin icon on your desktop. Once the window opens, locate the file, click on it, and then click on the “Restore the selected item” button.

Now, try performing the operation that produced the error to check whether the problem persists.

Solution 2: Scan Your System for Malware Infection

As we mentioned earlier, you might be dealing with a case of malware infection. You might not have the Libcurl.dll file on your computer because there are no programs that need it. However, some malware programs might be calling on the file to complete their malicious processes, triggering the error in the process. It could also be that a malware program has messed with the integrity of the DLL file or deleted it.
To fix the problem, try running a full scan on your computer to get rid of the threat. You can use a powerful third-party malware-removal program, such as Auslogics Anti-Malware, to perform the scan. You can also use your native virus-removal tool, Windows Defender, to perform the scan. Here are the steps you should follow:

1. Press the Windows logo key and click on the cog icon or use the Windows + I hotkey to open the Settings app.
2. Once you see the Settings home screen, click on Update & Security.
3. On the Update & Security screen, click on Windows Security.
4. Go to the right pane and click on Virus & Threat Protection under Protection areas.
5. Once the Virus & Threat Protection page opens, click on Scan Options.
6. Under Scan Options, click on the radio button for Full Scan, and then click on the Scan Now button.
7. Windows Defender will now initiate the scan. The process might take a couple of hours to complete as the tool will scan your entire system.
8. Once the scan completes, prompt the tool to remove every threat that it rounded up, and then reboot your system and check for the error.

Solution 3: Reinstall the Application That Depends on the Libcurl.dll File

The Libcurl.dll file is associated with the LXFDVD157 suite. It could be that a problem occurred while the related program was being installed, causing the file to malfunction. Properly reinstalling the program will fix the issue in this case. To perform this operation, you first have to uninstall the program and then reinstall it.
Running the program’s setup might first remove the application if the setup detects fragments of the application on your system. That said, you can follow the steps below to remove the program and reinstall it:

1. Go to the Start menu and launch Control Panel.
2. Once Control Panel opens, click on the Uninstall a Program option under Programs.
3.  Once the Programs and Features window opens, locate the application you want to delete under “Uninstall or change a program.”
4. Click on the app and then click on Uninstall.
5. Follow the instructions on the wizard to complete the process.
6. Reboot your system, and then run the setup again.
7. Once you run the setup, make sure you allow the installation process to run its full course.

Solution 4: Re-register Libcurl.dll

As you must know by now, the Libcurl DLL file must be registered if it’s going to function properly. Normally, the setup for the program related to the file automatically registers it during the installation process. However, it could be that something went wrong during this stage of the installation.
Registry issues connected to the file might also occur in the case where the file is deleted or a third-party program is installed. Registering the file can resolve the issue in this case. You have to use an elevated Command Prompt to register the file. The procedure is explained below:

1. Right-click the Start button and select Run from the menu that pops up.
2. Once the Run dialog box opens, type “CMD” (no quotes) into the text field, and then press and hold the Ctrl and Shift keys before hitting the Enter key.
3. Click on the Yes button in the User Account Control dialog that prompts for permission to allow Command Prompt to make changes to your computer.
4. Now, type the following command into the elevated Command Prompt window and hit Enter to unregister the file:
   regsvr32 /u libcurl.dll
5. Now, to re-register the file, type the line below into the Command Prompt window and hit the Enter key:
   regsvr32 /i libcurl.dll
6. Next, reboot your computer and check if the problem persists.

Solution 5: Update Your Drivers

Some users reported experiencing the issue while trying to use a hardware device. In this case, the error is connected to a faulty or out-of-date device driver. Drivers act as conductors between the operating system and hardware devices installed on a computer, and DLL files are an important part of the process. If the error occurs, it could be an indication that a driver is malfunctioning. You can update your device drivers, using different methods, and we’ll show you how:

Updating Your Drivers Manually

You can update your drivers using Device Manager, which is the most generic way to go about it. If there’s a faulty driver on your system, Device Manager will point you to the device by showing a yellow triangular exclamation mark beside it. Follow these steps to update your faulty device driver:

1. Press the Windows key and the X key on your keyboard simultaneously, and then click on Device Manager in the menu that comes up on the edge of your screen.
2. Once Device Manager opens, locate the problematic device, click on it, and then click on Update Driver.
3. On the next screen, under “How do you want to search for drivers,” click on the first option, which says, “Search automatically for updated driver software.”
4. Windows will now search for the latest driver online and install it.

If Device Manager fails to update the driver, you can go online, to the website of the device’s manufacturer, and download the latest driver for your computer. You can also get the driver from the website of your computer’s manufacturer.

Updating Your Drivers Automatically

Using a program such as Auslogics Driver Updater is a safe and simple method to rid your system of driver issues. The application works by scanning your system for faulty, missing, or obsolete device drivers. Once it finds any of these drivers, it will go ahead to install their latest versions. The great thing about this program is that you get to find out which driver is faulty without testing them individually. What’s more, you get to install the most recent drivers for devices on your computer from a regularly updated database in just a few clicks.

Solution 6: Perform a System Restore

The error message might be caused by recent changes you made to your system. Using the restore utility is one of the most reliable methods to revert changes on your system that are causing issues. If you began to experience the problem after installing or uninstalling a program, you’d likely be able to resolve the issue by restoring your computer to a state when things worked properly. To perform a restore operation, follow these steps:

1. Open a File Explorer window, using the Windows + E shortcut.
2. Go to the left pane of the window, right-click on This PC, and then click on Properties.
3. Once the System window opens, click on Advanced System Settings in the left pane.
4. Go to the System Protection tab once the System Properties dialog window appears.
5. Click on System Restore.
6. Click on Next on the first screen of the System Restore wizard.
7. Choose a restore point and click on Next.
8. Click on the confirmation button to allow the process to begin.

Once your system reboots, the problem should be resolved.

Conclusion

You should now be able to use your computer without expecting an annoying error dialog. If you have thoughts on the “Libcurl.dll not found” error, use the comments section below this article.