The application was unable to start correctly (0xc000007b) - for the nvidia app whenever I try to open it

Uninstall the NVIDIA App, restart Windows, and reinstall the current version from NVIDIA’s official download page; do not move, download, or replace individual DLL files.

1. Reinstall the NVIDIA App cleanly

1. Open Start → Settings → Apps → Installed apps.
2. Find NVIDIA App, select the three-dot menu, and choose Uninstall.
3. Restart the computer.
4. Download and install the current NVIDIA App from NVIDIA’s official page: NVIDIA App. NVIDIA provides the current installer there but does not publish a DLL-moving fix for this specific error.^1^
5. Restart again and test the app.

Windows also documents uninstalling and reinstalling a non-Store desktop application from its manufacturer’s site as the standard repair path.^2^

2. Repair Windows system files

If reinstalling the app does not help, repair Windows components that may have been damaged during an update:

1. Search for Command Prompt.
2. Right-click it and select Run as administrator.
3. Run these commands in order:

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
sfc /scannow

4. Allow sfc to reach 100%; do not close the window early.
5. Restart Windows and test the NVIDIA App.

DISM repairs the Windows component image first, while SFC checks protected system files and replaces damaged copies.^3^

If SFC reports that it repaired files, restart before testing. If it says that some files could not be repaired, that result—not a guessed DLL—should determine the next repair step.

3. Repair the Microsoft Visual C++ runtime

Error 0xc000007b can occur when an application cannot load a compatible dependency. If the previous steps fail, install or repair both current Visual C++ v14 packages on a typical 64-bit Windows 11 PC:

• Microsoft Visual C++ x64 Redistributable
• Microsoft Visual C++ x86 Redistributable

For each installer:

1. Run it as administrator.
2. Select Repair if offered; otherwise install it.
3. Restart Windows after both have completed.

The runtime architecture must match the application component using it, so 64-bit Windows may legitimately need both x64 and x86 packages. Microsoft explicitly recommends downloading redistributables only from Microsoft and using Microsoft-signed installers.^4^^5^

4. Reinstall the NVIDIA display driver if necessary

If the NVIDIA App still cannot start, obtain the appropriate display driver from NVIDIA’s official driver page and reinstall it, then restart Windows.^6^

If all four stages fail, report the exact results of:

• The final DISM message
• The final SFC message
• Whether the NVIDIA App installer completed successfully
• The NVIDIA GPU model and current driver version

Do not copy DLLs from another PC or a DLL-download site. The DLL mentioned in another case may have belonged to that application and architecture; replacing an unrelated copy can introduce a version or x86/x64 mismatch.

References

1. Download NVIDIA App for Gamers and Creators | NVIDIA
2. [Windows 11](https://support.microsoft.com/windows/hardware/display-graphics/troubleshoot-screen-flickering-in-windows#update-or-uninstall-an-incompatible-app)
3. Use the System File Checker tool to repair missing or corrupted system files | Microsoft Support
4. Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable latest supported downloads
5. Troubleshoot Visual C++ Redistributable installation problems
6. Download The Official NVIDIA Drivers | NVIDIA