Api-ms-win-crt-heap-l1-1-0.dll is missing: 5 ways to fix this error

Attempting to open any Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and such might often lead to the generation of an error that shows the message – api-ms-win-crt-heap-l1-1-0.dll missing. That is rather curt and the least user friendly, more so for the non-tech types.

However, it still can be dealt with effectively and easily with just a little bit of patience and a few changes here and there.

As should be evident from error messages itself, the issue has to do with a faulty installation. So going for an uninstall of your Office suite followed by re-installing the same can be easiest way to be remedied from the problem.

However, before you get into that, attempting a repair of the current installation is also recommended. Here is how you can do that.

How to get rid of the Api-ms-win-crt-heap-l1-1-0.dll missing error

1. Repair your MS Office installation
2. Uninstall it from the Control Panel
3. Uninstall MS Office manually
4. Remove MS Office using a dedicated tool
5. Re-install MS Office

1. Repair your MS Office installation

1. Right-click on the Start button at the lower left corner of the desktop.
2. From the pop-up menu that appears, select Apps and Features.
3. From the list of applications currently installed in your computer, select the MS Office product you are having issues with.
4. Click on Modify.
5. Now, your MS Office could be either a MSI based or a Click-to-run install.
6. For click-to-run, after selecting Online Repair, click on Repair. This way the corrupted files will be identified and replaced automatically.
7. For MSI-based, click on Repair under Change your installation and then click Continue for the process to begin.
8. Follow the on-screen instructions thereafter to complete the repair process.

If this did not help, go for uninstalling Office. Now, there are three ways you can uninstall Office from your PC:

Meanwhile, you can have more information on the repair process here.

2. Uninstall it from the Control Panel

1. Type ‘Control Panel’ in the task bar search box. From the list of options that you get, select Control Panel.
2. Select ‘Programs and Features’.
3. Choose the Microsoft Office product that you are having issues with.
4. Right click on it and click Uninstall.
5. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the un-installation process.

However, while this makes for the most user friendly method of uninstaling MS Office from your PC, what has to be kept in mind is that this does not delete (all) the files and registry entries pertaining to Office. Instead, configuration information in files such as Word Normal.DOTM remains intact. This allows for future installations to use the same configuration details and hence ensures you do not lose on any of your existing work.

3. Uninstall MS Office manually

Before you get into this, it is extremely important to understand the process is complex, lengthy and could be taxing on both your mind and body. Further, a few wrong steps can require you to go for a complete re-installation of the entire operating system as well.

So make sure you have a clear understanding of what you are up to and plan your steps with caution. At the same time, it isn’t rocket science either, which means it shouldn’t be too tall an ask to pull off the entire thing.

Refer to the Microsoft help page here for all the info you need to manually uninstall MS Office from your PC.

4. Remove MS Office using a dedicated tool

Microsoft also provides for a relatively easier way to uninstall Office on your PC. For this, all you need to do is download the Easy Fix tool that does the job for you. You can download the tool here.

A dedicated third-party uninstaller would be ideal for this job. The uninstaller will remove the program and also scan your system afterward for tracking down and whipping out all temporary files and registry entries left behind. One of the best uninstaller software is available for free, so you can download now IObit Uninstaller Pro 7.

5. Re-install MS Office

After you have successfully completed the un-installation process, here is how you can do a re-install of MS Office. You can do it from here.

The page carried detailed info such as Quick Install of the Office files or a more elaborate step-by-step instruction for both PC and Mac computers.

After you are done with the re-installation process, the ‘api-ms-win-crt-heap-l1-1-0.dll missing’ error message should be gone for good.

Here are some related resources that you can refer to as well.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in November 2017 and has been since completely revamped and updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.

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