How To Fix The Shlwapi.dll Error

The Shlwapi.dll error is a very common error which can appear on many different Windows computers at random times. This error is very annoying and can be caused by even the smallest misconfiguration inside your system. Fortunately, there’s a very easy way to fix it for good.

What Is The Shlwapi.dll Error?

The ‘Shlwapi.dll error’ is an error message that appears on Windows systems. The message would normally read something like… “Shlwapi.dll is missing…” and will appear at random times on your system.

The Shlwapi.dll file is typically 399kb and is what Windows uses to load up color settings, registry settings and URL paths. The file seems to be used a lot with Windows, making it a prime candidate to become damaged and corrupted.

This error is normally caused when this file becomes unreadable or missing. The file is also associated with these other files:

• GDI32.dll
• Msvcrt.dll
• USER32.dll
• Ntdll.dll
• KERNEL32.dll
• KERNELBASE.dll
• API-Ms-Win-Core-LocalRegistry-L1-1-0.dll

These other files are permanently linked to shlwapi.dll, meaning that if any of these other files are unable to load, the shlwapi.dll file will also not load. This is a problem which even the most advanced Windows computers cannot avoid, and is one which can be fixed by using the method below:

How To Fix The Shlwapi.dll Error.

The most effective and reliable way to resolve this error is to replace it with a fresh, untainted copy from the Internet.  You can download a fresh copy of shlwapi.dll here

You should then replace your existing copy of this file with the new copy that you obtained from the Internet, which should alleviate the problem. Here is a simple guide which shows you how to do this:

• Click Start > Search
• Click “All Files & Folders”
• Type “shlwapi.dll” into the search box
• When the search finds the file, right click on it and click “Rename”. Rename it to “shlwapi2.dll”
• Copy the fresh copy of shlwapi.dll to that same location
• Perform a registry scan
• Restart your computer

The problem with the shlwapi.dll error is that it’s mostly caused by infections from viruses and other types of ‘malware’. These target the file because it is a central part of the Windows system, giving them potential access to the most important settings inside your PC.

Unfortunately, a damaged shlwapi.dll file will not be able to be fixed just with a virus or malware scan. In order to completely fix the problem you need to replace the file and then make sure that there are no viruses on your system which could damage it again.

This simple method should replace any damaged or corrupted parts of the file, allowing your computer to read it again in the fastest time. However, it’s also highly recommended that you use a registry cleaner to scan through your PC and fix any further damaged or corrupt settings that your system might have. You can download a registry cleaner below: