How to Fix The Witcher 3 error 0xc00007b in Windows 10

This post highlights a few potential solutions to deal with The Witcher 3 error 0xc00007b in Windows 10. Read on to learn what triggers this error to occur when playing The Witcher 3 game on your Windows computer and how to fix it.

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What causes The Witcher 3 error 0xc00007b?

Many people have been raising complaints regarding an error on The Witcher 3 in Windows 10. The issue is about the Witcher3.exe application error 0xc000007b. It usually occurs while the game is launching. This error code does not only affect The Witcher 3 but also on other games.

The error code 0xc000007b means that some DLL files are missing or not installed on the system and so games and software that are built using Microsoft Visual Studio including The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt wouldn’t be able to work as intended. To fix the problem, you will need to download and install the necessary DLL files in order to run the game.

Another possible reason as to why you’re seeing this error code is that you might have a 32-bit application that’s trying to load a 64-bit DLL.

If you happen to bump into a similar error code when playing The Witcher 3 on your Windows 10 PC, I’ve lined out some helpful tweaks for you to try on.

Troubleshooting The Witcher 3 error 0xc00007b in Windows 10 (Steam/GOG)

Before you begin, verify and ensure that the minimum system requirements for The Witcher 3 are met. You may have to browse through the system properties of your computer to check and confirm. In case you aren’t sure, the minimum system requirements to run The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt PC version are the following:

OS : 64-bit Windows 7 or 64-bit Windows 8 (8.1)
Processor : Intel CPU Core i5-2500K 3.3GHz / AMD CPU Phenom II X4 940
Memory : 6 GB RAM
Graphics : Nvidia GPU GeForce GTX 660 / AMD GPU Radeon HD 7870
Hard Drive : 35 GB available space

If all aspects are met, then the next thing you have to do is to eliminate every possible trigger by applying any of the subsequent tweaks.

First solution: Restart the computer.

If you haven’t encountered any errors prior to launching The Witcher 3, it could be just a random glitch transpiring on the system or game launcher. Thus, it would be best to start clearing out random system errors by performing a system reboot.

Just restart your computer like you normally do and then retry launching The Witcher 3 after the reboot.

Second solution: Enable .NET Framework on your computer.

Other people who faced the same error have also managed to fix it by enabling the .NET Framework in Windows 10. In case you’d like to give it a shot, just follow these steps:

Access the Control Panel on your computer.
Select the option to Uninstall a Program.
Click Turn Windows features on or off.
Expand and put a check to any .NET Framework items on the list.
After checking NET Frameworks, reinstall both of the VC++ X64 and X86 for 2010 and 2013.

Restart your computer and then try launching The Witcher 3 to see if the problem is gone.

Third solution: Verify integrity of game files.

Missing or corrupted game files can also trigger relevant errors to occur while using the game. To fix the problem, you can use the verify game files integrity command on the game launcher. If you’re using Steam for The Witcher 3, here’s how to verify game file integrity:

Launch the Steam platform.
Navigate to the Steam Library then find The Witcher 3 from your games.
Right-click on the game then click Properties.
Click the Local Files tab then click the option to Verify Integrity of Game Files.

The system will then start scanning for missing and corrupted game files then redownload and fix any found items. The entire process may take several minutes to complete. Just wait until everything is finished.

Once game files verification is completed, close Steam then relaunch the game and see if the problem is fixed.

Fourth solution: Run the game as administrator

Certain game files on your computer may sometimes require administrative privileges for full access. This is often necessary if you’re using a certain app or program under normal user mode.

To clear this out, try running both of your Steam/GOG and The Witcher 3 as administrators. Here’s how:

To run Steam/GOG as Admin, right-click on the Steam/GOG shortcut icon on the desktop.
Select Properties.
Click on the Compatibility tab then mark the checkbox for Run this program as an administrator.
Click Apply then OK to save changes.
To run The Witcher 3 as administrator go to the folder where the game was installed then find the Witcher3.exe file.
If you’re using GOG, just access this directory: GOG Games\The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt\bin\x64\witcher3.exe
if you’re using Steam, go to: Steam\steamapps\common\The Witcher 3\bin\x64\witcher3.exe
Right-click on the Witcher 3 app icon and then select Properties.
Click to open the Compatibility tab then check the box to Run this program in compatibility mode for: and choose your previous OS.
Click the option to Run this program as an administrator and click Apply then OK.

That should grant full access to The Witcher 3 game files.

Important Note:

If The Witcher 3 executable files aren’t in the said directory, try launching Steam then right-click on The Witcher 3. Select Properties then go to Local Files. Finally, click the option to Browse Local Files.

After making all these changes, restart the game and see if the error is gone.

Fifth solution: Download/install missing DLL from Microsoft/Visual Studio

Installing the missing libraries or DLL files is also one of the key solutions to fixing The Witcher 3 error code 0xc00007b.

DLL files installers are typically found in the official support page of Microsoft Download Center as well as on Visual Studio.

While on the said page, navigate to the Visual Studio 2015, 2017 and 2019 section then download and install both the vc_redist.x86.exe and vc_redist.x64.exe files on your computer.

After installing the missing files, restart the computer. This is imperative to ensure that all recent changes to the system are properly implemented and likewise to refresh apps and relevant services.

Other Suggestions

Update drivers. Updating graphics card drivers on your computer can also help fix the problem if it’s tied to some outdated or missing drivers. You can use a third-party driver updater to update and/or reinstall necessary drivers for your computer system automatically.
Install the latest game patch or update. Updates are constantly rolled out by game developers to introduce new features and for optimum performance. They also embed essential patches to get rid of any existing bugs that might have ruined the app’s normal operation. Having said that, installing the latest game patch or update for The Witcher 3 is also a potential solution.

Hope this helps!