IPHLPAPI.DLL is Missing or Not Designed to Run [Solved]

The IPHLPAPI.DLL, developed by Microsoft and a component of IP Helper API, is a critical part of Windows, helping with key network-related functions, and is used by several apps and games.

When IPHLPAPI.DLL is missing, or you have an incompatible version, games like PAYDAY 2, Age of Empires, Apex Legends, and Geometry Dash, amongst other applications, will stop running and throw an error message. If the affected app/game is configured to automatically load at startup, you will get the error message right after turning on the PC.

Before you proceed, reboot the PC, install pending Windows updates, disable unreliable third-party antivirus solutions, and uninstall recently added programs. For most of you, this should do the trick!

What can I do when IPHLPAPI.DLL is missing?

1. Manually get a copy of IPHLPAPI.DLL

The easiest solution to fix the IPHLPAPI.DLL not found error is to get a fresh copy of the DLL from another PC running the same iteration and architecture (32-bit or 64-bit) of Windows. As for the IPHLPAPI.DLL location, it’s stored in either of these locations: C:\Windows\System32 C:\Windows\SysWOW64

So, connect a USB flash drive to another computer > go to the System32 or SysWOW64 folder > transfer a copy of the DLL to the flash drive > plug the USB into the affected PC > move IPHLPAPI.DLL to the same location > reboot the PC to apply the changes.

Also, if the missing DLL error is triggered by a game or application, move a copy of the DLL to its dedicated directory under one of the following paths: C:\Program Files C:\Program Files (x86)

2. Repair the corrupted system files

1. Press Windows + S to open Search, type Command Prompt in the text field, and click on Run as administrator.
2. Click Yes in the UAC prompt.
3. Paste the following commands individually and hit Enter each: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
4. Now, run this SFC scan command: sfc /scannow
5. Finally, reboot the PC and verify whether the scans helped download IPHLPAPI.DLL to your PC.

Since IPHLPAPI.DLL is a system file, when it’s corrupted, running the DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) and SFC (System File Checker) scans will replace the DLL with a fresh copy stored on the PC.

3. Install the Visual C++ Redistributables

1. Go to Microsoft’s official website, and download the latest Visual C++ Redistributables. Remember, for 32-bit Windows, you will need the x86 version, while for the 64-bit OS, both x64 and x86 packages are required.
2. Run the downloaded setup and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.
3. Finally, reboot the PC and verify whether the missing IPHLPAPI.DLL error is fixed.

4. Reinstall the affected app

1. Press Windows + R to open Run, type appwiz.cpl in the text field, and hit Enter.
2. Select the affected app/game from the list, and click on Uninstall.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process and then restart the PC.
4. Now, reinstall the app from an official source.

If your game includes mods, reinstall those as well to completely get rid of any incompatibilities due to IPHLPAPI.DLL.

Besides, when a quick removal doesn’t work, it’s likely due to the leftover app files and Registry entries still triggering conflicts. In this case, I recommend using a top-rated software uninstaller to wipe out all traces of the program!

5. Delete the IPHLPAPI.DLL file

As surprising as it may sound, for 2 out of 5 users, deleting IPHLPAPI.DLL from the program’s directory fixed all DLL errors. You will find the directory in either of these paths: C:\Program Files C:\Program Files (x86)

Although, I wouldn’t recommend that you delete the DLL right away. Instead, move the file out of the directory, store it in another folder, and if the problem is resolved, keep it that way. Otherwise, move the file back to the directory and try the other solutions.

6. Scan the PC for malware

NOTE

While a malware scan won’t necessarily restore the missing IPHLPAPI.DLL, it will prevent future occurrences of the error by eliminating any threats that delete or corrupt the DLL file.

1. Press Windows + S to open Search, type Windows Security, and click on the relevant result.
2. Click on Virus & threat protection.
3. Click on Scan options.
4. Select the Full scan entry and click Scan now.
5. Wait for the malware scan to complete. It will take roughly 15-30 minutes.

7. Perform an in-place upgrade

NOTE

The steps listed here are for Windows 11. If you are using an older iteration of the OS, learn how to perform an in-place upgrade on Windows 10.

1. Go to Microsoft’s official website, select the OS edition and language, and then download the Windows 11 ISO.
2. Double-click the ISO file, and select Open in the confirmation prompt.
3. Run the setup.exe file.
4. Click Yes in the UAC prompt.
5. Click on Next to proceed.
6. Read Microsoft’s license terms and click on Accept.
7. Make sure the setup reads, Keep personal files and apps, click on Install, and wait for the process to complete.

Since the DLL is natively a part of Windows, performing an in-place upgrade will restore or download IPHLPAPI.DLL on your PC. Besides, it will improve the computer’s performance and make Windows run faster.

Before you leave, discover expert tips to fix all missing DLLs and prevent such errors from reappearing!

For any queries or to share more fixes with our readers, drop a comment below.