How to Fix 'The program can't start because dxgi.dll is missing from your computer'

Some users on Windows systems may encounter a strange error stating that 'The program can’t start because dxgi.dll is missing from your computer.' The error might appear while installing a program, trying to launch a video game, or even during the shutdown or booting process of the system. The typical reason causing this issue is either a corrupt or missing 'dxgi.dll' file.

Also known as DirectX Graphics Infrastructure file, dxgi.dll is a Dynamic-link library file that comes with the Windows operating system. Normally, it is stored on the system's drive in the C:\Windows\syswow64 folder. To fix problems with the dxgi.dll file, users can try the following solutions.

Update the DirectX and the Visual C++ redistributable

The malfunctioning file is associated with DirectX so a good starting point is to check if you have the latest version installed on your system. DirectX should be updated automatically whenever you install major Windows updates but you can also try to get a standalone version from the official Microsoft site. The same also applies to the Visual C++ redistributable version you have on your Windows computer.

Run an SFC scan

The Windows System File Check (SFC) is created to deal with issues involving critical system files specifically. The tool checks for missing or corrupted files and replaces them with fresh copies if needed. To run an SFC scan, do the following:

1. Press the Windows key + R on your keyboard.
2. In the Run dialog box type cmd and press Ctrl+Shift+Enter. This will open an elevated Command Prompt window.
3. Type the sfc/scannow command and press Enter to execute it.
4. Wait for SFC to finish its scan and to fix any issues it might have detected.
5. Restart your computer and check if the 'The program can't start because dxgi.dll is missing from your computer' error has been resolved.