Method 1: Fixing the DLL Error by Copying the Depends.dll Library to the Windows System Directory 

1. The file you downloaded is a compressed file with the ".zip" extension. In order to install it, first, double-click the ".zip" file and open the file. You will see the library named "Depends.dll" in the window that opens up. This is the library you need to install. Drag this library to the desktop with your mouse's left button.

   

2. Copy the "Depends.dll" library file you extracted.
3. Paste the dynamic link library you copied into the "C:\Windows\System32" directory.

   

4. If you are using a 64 Bit operating system, copy the "Depends.dll" library and paste it into the "C:\Windows\sysWOW64" as well.

   NOTE! On Windows operating systems with 64 Bit architecture, the dynamic link library must be in both the "sysWOW64" directory as well as the "System32" directory. In other words, you must copy the "Depends.dll" library into both directories.

   

5. In order to complete this step, you must run the Command Prompt as administrator. In order to do this, all you have to do is follow the steps below.

   NOTE! We ran the Command Prompt using Windows 10. If you are using Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista or Windows XP, you can use the same method to run the Command Prompt as administrator.

   1. Open the Start Menu and before clicking anywhere, type "cmd" on your keyboard. This process will enable you to run a search through the Start Menu. We also typed in "cmd" to bring up the Command Prompt.
   2. Right-click the "Command Prompt" search result that comes up and click the Run as administrator" option.

   

6. Let's copy the command below and paste it in the Command Line that comes up, then let's press Enter. This command deletes the Depends.dll library's problematic registry in the Windows Registry Editor (The library that we copied to the System32 directory does not perform any action with the library, it just deletes the registry in the Windows Registry Editor. The library that we pasted into the System32 directory will not be damaged).

   %windir%\System32\regsvr32.exe /u Depends.dll

   

7. If you have a 64 Bit operating system, after running the command above, you must run the command below. This command will clean the Depends.dll library's damaged registry in 64 Bit as well (The cleaning process will be in the registries in the Registry Editor< only. In other words, the dll file you paste into the SysWoW64 folder will stay as it).

   %windir%\SysWoW64\regsvr32.exe /u Depends.dll

   

8. We need to make a new registry for the dynamic link library in place of the one we deleted from the Windows Registry Editor. In order to do this process, copy the command below and after pasting it in the Command Line, press Enter.

   %windir%\System32\regsvr32.exe /i Depends.dll

   

9. If you are using a Windows with 64 Bit architecture, after running the previous command, you need to run the command below. By running this command, we will have created a clean registry for the Depends.dll library (We deleted the damaged registry with the previous command).

   %windir%\SysWoW64\regsvr32.exe /i Depends.dll

   

10. If you did all the processes correctly, the missing dll file will have been installed. You may have made some mistakes when running the Command Line processes. Generally, these errors will not prevent the Depends.dll library from being installed. In other words, the installation will be completed, but it may give an error due to some incompatibility issues. You can try running the program that was giving you this dll file error after restarting your computer. If you are still getting the dll file error when running the program, please try the 2nd method.

Method 2: Copying the Depends.dll Library to the Program Installation Directory 

1. First, you need to find the installation directory for the program you are receiving the "Depends.dll not found", "Depends.dll is missing" or other similar dll errors. In order to do this, right-click on the shortcut for the program and click the Properties option from the options that come up.

   

2. Open the program's installation directory by clicking on the Open File Location button in the Properties window that comes up.

   

3. Copy the Depends.dll library into the directory we opened.

   

4. The installation is complete. Run the program that is giving you the error. If the error is continuing, you may benefit from trying the 3rd Method as an alternative.

Method 3: Doing a Clean Reinstall of the Program That Is Giving the Depends.dll Error 

1. Open the Run window by pressing the "Windows" + "R" keys on your keyboard at the same time. Type in the command below into the Run window and push Enter to run it. This command will open the "Programs and Features" window.

   appwiz.cpl

   

2. On the Programs and Features screen that will come up, you will see the list of programs on your computer. Find the program that gives you the dll error and with your mouse right-click it. The right-click menu will open. Click the "Uninstall" option in this menu to start the uninstall process.

   

3. You will see a "Do you want to uninstall this program?" confirmation window. Confirm the process and wait for the program to be completely uninstalled. The uninstall process can take some time. This time will change according to your computer's performance and the size of the program. After the program is uninstalled, restart your computer.

   

4. After restarting your computer, reinstall the program that was giving the error.
5. This method may provide the solution to the dll error you're experiencing. If the dll error is continuing, the problem is most likely deriving from the Windows operating system. In order to fix dll errors deriving from the Windows operating system, complete the 4th Method and the 5th Method.

Method 4: Fixing the Depends.dll Error using the Windows System File Checker (sfc /scannow) 

1. In order to complete this step, you must run the Command Prompt as administrator. In order to do this, all you have to do is follow the steps below.

   NOTE! We ran the Command Prompt using Windows 10. If you are using Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista or Windows XP, you can use the same method to run the Command Prompt as administrator.

   1. Open the Start Menu and before clicking anywhere, type "cmd" on your keyboard. This process will enable you to run a search through the Start Menu. We also typed in "cmd" to bring up the Command Prompt.
   2. Right-click the "Command Prompt" search result that comes up and click the Run as administrator" option.

   

2. Paste the command below into the Command Line that opens up and hit the Enter key.

   sfc /scannow

   

3. This process can take some time. You can follow its progress from the screen. Wait for it to finish and after it is finished try to run the program that was giving the dll error again.

Method 5: Fixing the Depends.dll Errors by Manually Updating Windows 

Some programs need updated dynamic link libraries. When your operating system is not updated, it cannot fulfill this need. In some situations, updating your operating system can solve the dll errors you are experiencing.

In order to check the update status of your operating system and, if available, to install the latest update packs, we need to begin this process manually.

Depending on which Windows version you use, manual update processes are different. Because of this, we have prepared a special article for each Windows version. You can get our articles relating to the manual update of the Windows version you use from the links below.

Guides to Manually Update the Windows Operating System 

1. Guide to Manually Update Windows 10
2. Guide to Manually Update Windows 8.1 and Windows 8
3. Guide to Manually Update Windows 7 and Windows Vista
4. Guide to Manually Update Windows XP