subject: How to fix the Shlwapi.dll error [print this page] How to fix the Shlwapi.dll error How to fix the Shlwapi.dll error
Shlwapi.dll is a file used by Windows to help process the various graphical elements that the operating system uses each day. Each time you want to use the likes of your desktop, start menu or another part of the "Graphical User Interface" (GUI) of Windows, Shlwapi.dll is used extensively. This has made the shlwapi.dll file an extremely important file for Windows - but is also one of the biggest causes of errors for the typical system as well.
The errors caused by shlwapi.dll normally show in this format:
"Cannot find [PATH]shlwapi.dll"
"The file shlwapi.dll is missing."
"Cannot start [APPLICATION]. A required component is missing: shlwapi.dll. Please install [APPLICATION] again."
The Shlwapi.dll error is actually caused by the "shlwapi.dll" file becoming damaged and corrupted. The Shlwapi.dll file is what Windows uses to call the color palette functions for your computer, and is what your PC generally uses to create all the colors on your screen. The reason why this error appears is because your system often corrupts and damages the file, making it unreadable.
What causes the Shlwapi.dll?
The first thing you need to do to fix the error is to download a fresh version of it from the Internet and then replace your current file with it. To do this, you should first download the file from a reputable DLL repository (just search for "shlwapi.dll" in Google and click the first link). Once you have obtained a new version of the file, browse to C:WindowsSystem32 and then locate shlwapi.dll in the folder. When you find it, rename the file to shlwapi32BACKUP.dll and then take your newly downloaded file and put it in the folder.
After that, it's recommended that you use a "registry cleaner" program to fix any potential errors that are inside the 'registry database' of your computer, which could also be causing the shlwapi.dll error to show. The registry is a large depository of files & settings that your computer uses to help it run as smoothly as possible. Not many people know this, but the registry is where a central list of DLL files is kept to help your computer load up all the files it needs whenever it needs them. The problems arise when this database either becomes damaged or corrupted - leading your PC to run much slower and with a lot of errors. To ensure this is not a problem for your PC, you should download a registry cleaner tool and let it fix the various errors that may be causing the error to show.
If you meet this problem, you can fix Shlwapi.dllerror by using the tutorial and tools on our website. You can download a registry cleaner to solve the problem.
