Restore crypt32.dll from the Recycle Bin. The easiest possible cause of a “missing” crypt32.dll file is that you’ve mistakenly deleted it. If you suspect that you’ve accidentally deleted crypt32.dll but you’ve already emptied the Recycle Bin, you may be able to recover crypt32.dll with a free file recovery program.

Run a virus/malware scan of your entire system. Some crypt32.dll errors could be related to a virus or other malware infection on your computer that has damaged the DLL file. It’s even possible that the crypt32.dll error you’re seeing is related to a hostile program that’s masquerading as the file.

Use System Restore to undo recent system changes. If you suspect that the crypt32.dll error was caused by a change made to an important file or configuration, a System Restore could solve the problem.

Reinstall the program that uses the crypt32.dll file. If the crypt32.dll DLL error occurs when you use a particular program, reinstalling the program should replace the file.

Update the drivers for hardware devices that might be related to crypt32.dll. If, for example, you’re receiving a “The file crypt32.dll is missing” error when you play a 3D video game, try updating the drivers for your video card. The crypt32.dll file may or may not be related to video cards—this was just an example. The key here is to pay very close attention to the context of the error and troubleshoot accordingly.

Roll back a driver to a previously installed version if crypt32.dll errors began after updating a particular hardware device’s driver.

Run the sfc/scannow System File Checker command to replace a missing or corrupt copy of the crypt32.dll file. Since this DLL file is provided by Microsoft, the System File Checker tool should restore it.

Install any available Windows updates. Many service packs and other patches replace or update some of the hundreds of Microsoft distributed DLL files on your computer. The crypt32.dll file could be included in one of those updates.

See if your antivirus program is scanning the %Windir%\SoftwareDistribution\ folder. The scanner might be causing problems with the files in that folder, which could throw a crypt32.dll error. If stopping the antivirus program from scanning that folder, or pausing the AV program altogether while you try to recreate the error, fixes the problem, you might make an exception in the software so that it doesn’t look for malware in that folder anymore.

Test your memory and then test your hard drive. We’ve left the majority of hardware troubleshooting to the last step, but your computer’s memory and hard drive are easy to test and are the most likely components that might cause crypt32.dll errors as they fail. If the hardware fails any of your tests, replace the memory or replace the hard drive as soon as possible.

Repair your installation of Windows. If the individual crypt32.dll file troubleshooting advice above is unsuccessful, performing a startup repair or repair installation should restore all Windows DLL files to their working versions.

Use a free registry cleaner to repair crypt32.dll related issues in the registry. A free registry cleaner program may be able to help by removing invalid crypt32.dll registry entries that might be causing the DLL error. We rarely recommend the use of registry cleaners, but it’s included as an option here as a “last resort” attempt before the destructive step coming up next.

Perform a clean installation of Windows. A clean install of Windows will erase everything from the hard drive and install a fresh copy of Windows. If none of the steps above correct the crypt32.dll error, this should be your next course of action.