Chrome Side-By-Side Configuration Is Incorrect: How To Fix (2026)

Chrome refuses to open and shows "The application has failed to start because its side-by-side configuration is incorrect."

The message points to a damaged or missing Windows component, so it is usually fixable without losing your data.

Work through the fixes below from easiest to most involved, which takes about 20 minutes.

Quick answer: which fix to try first

What does the side-by-side error mean?

Windows keeps several versions of shared runtime files in a store, and an app uses a manifest to ask for the one it needs.

This error appears when the manifest points to a version that is missing, damaged, or cannot be loaded.

The message itself tells you to check the application event log or run the command-line tool sxstrace.exe for detail, which is covered in fix 5 below.

The error can hit other programs too, so the fixes here also apply to non-Chrome apps.

Fix 1: Restart and test another browser

1. Restart the PC, then try Chrome again.
2. Open Microsoft Edge and load a page.
3. If Edge works, the problem is Chrome or one of its files, not your internet.

If Chrome hangs instead of showing the error, press Ctrl + Alt + Delete, open Task Manager, select chrome.exe under Processes, and click End task.

A working second browser also gives you a way to download the files needed in the next fixes.

Fix 2: Install Windows updates

Windows Update can replace missing runtime files automatically.

1. Open Settings.
2. On Windows 11, click Windows Update; on Windows 10, click Update & Security then Windows Update.
3. Click Check for updates and install everything offered.
4. Restart when prompted.

If an update fails, see How To Fix Windows Update Error 0xc1900223.

Fix 3: Reinstall the Visual C++ Redistributable

Many apps depend on the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable, and a missing or broken copy is a common trigger for this error.

Microsoft publishes one "latest supported v14" package that covers Visual Studio 2017 through 2026 and upgrades the older 2015 runtime in place.

1. Download the x64 package from Microsoft: vc_redist.x64.exe.
2. Download the x86 package: vc_redist.x86.exe.
3. Run each installer and choose Repair if it offers it, or install if it does not.
4. Restart the PC and open Chrome.

The package must match the app’s architecture, and the x64 package does not cover 32-bit apps, so installing both is the safe choice.

Only download from Microsoft’s own aka.ms or learn.microsoft.com links, never from third-party "DLL" sites.

Fix 4: Repair system files with DISM and SFC

Microsoft says to run DISM first, because it provides the files that SFC needs for repairs.

1. Type cmd in the search box, right-click Command Prompt, and choose Run as administrator.
2. Run DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth and wait for it to finish, which can take several minutes.
3. In the same window, run sfc /scannow and keep the window open until it reaches 100%.
4. Restart the PC.

Fix 5: Read the sxstrace log

This step shows which component Windows cannot find, so you can fix the right one.

1. In an administrator Command Prompt, run sxstrace trace -logfile:sxstrace.etl.
2. Leave that window open and start Chrome so the error appears.
3. Return to the window and stop the trace by pressing Enter.
4. Run sxstrace parse -logfile:sxstrace.etl -outfile:sxstrace.txt.
5. Open sxstrace.txt and look for the name of the missing or conflicting component.

These are the sxstrace options you need, as Microsoft documents them for Windows 10 and 11:

The text file is saved in the folder you ran the commands from, and a named Visual C++ version tells you which package to reinstall in fix 3.

Fix 6: Reinstall Chrome

A reinstall replaces damaged Chrome files, and Google lists it as a standard step when Chrome will not open.

1. Make sure your bookmarks and passwords are synced to your Google Account first.
2. Open Settings > Apps and uninstall Google Chrome.
3. Restart the PC.
4. Download Chrome again from google.com/chrome and install it.

If the uninstall prompt offers to delete browsing data, only tick it when your data is synced, because it removes local history and settings.

Fix 7: Use System Restore if the error began recently

If Chrome worked before a recent update or install, a restore point from before that date may undo the damage.

1. Press Windows + R, type rstrui, and press Enter.
2. Pick a restore point dated before the error first appeared.
3. Click Scan for affected programs to see what will change.
4. Click Next, then Finish.

If no restore points are listed, System Protection was not turned on, so skip this fix.

Fix 8: Scan for malware

Google also lists malware and blocking security software as causes of Chrome not opening.

1. Open Windows Security.
2. Go to Virus & threat protection.
3. Click Quick scan.
4. If you use another antivirus, check whether it is blocking Chrome.

What if nothing works?

If the error keeps returning, Microsoft’s SFC article suggests reinstalling Windows as the last resort, so back up your files first.

If Chrome opens but pages will not load, see How To Fix Google Chrome Won’t Load In Windows 11.

A related Windows error is covered in How To Fix The Parameter Is Incorrect Error In Windows.

Official sources

• Microsoft: sxstrace command
• Microsoft: Latest supported Visual C++ Redistributable
• Microsoft: System File Checker
• Google: Fix Chrome if it crashes or won’t open