DNSAPI.dll Error Fix
DNSAPI.dll is a file that’s used by the Windows “DNS Client” API. In layman’s terms, this basically means that it’s a file that is used by Windows to help route Internet traffic to the correct addresses, and is used every time you browse the Internet. Despite the file being hidden on most systems, it’s often causing a large number of problems due to the way in which your computer will not be able to access the vital settings that it has inside. To repair this problem, it’s recommended that you’re able to clean out the various problems that the file may have, which can be done by using the steps outlined on this page.
What Causes DNSAPI.dll Errors?
The errors you’re experiencing can be caused by these issues:
- Windows cannot process the settings it requires from the file
- Your PC has a number of problems with its “registry” settings
- Windows is outdated / corrupted
In order to resolve the problems you’re experiencing, you first need to ensure that you can fix the software that are causing problems for your PC, as well as then resolving the issues that the actual dnsapi.dll file might have itself.
How To Fix DNSAPI.dll Errors
Step 1 – Re-Install Any Software Causing Errors
The first step is to re-install any programs that will be showing the dnsapi.dll errors. It’s often the case that games will be unable to process this file correctly, and thus show the errors you’re experiencing. To fix this, you can follow these steps:
- Click onto “Start“
- Locate “Control Panel” & click it
- Click onto “Add / Remove Programs” (Win XP) or “Uninstall A Program” (Win 7)
- Click onto the game that’s causing problems
- Click “Remove“
- Follow the Uninstall Process
- Restart Your PC
- Re-Install The Program
This will remove the problematic application from your system, and will make sure that your computer is able to properly process the files that it will need to run. We’ve found that this will work for about 80% of systems with the dnsapi.dll error
Step 2 – Manually Replace DNSAPI.dll
Manually replacing the dnsapi.dll file is probably be the best way to repair the error. You need to obtain a fresh copy of the dll file and register it onto your Windows system. Follow these steps to resolve the error:
- Download dnsapi.dll from the Internet
- Save the dnsapi.dll file onto your computer’s hard drive
- Browse to c:\Windows\System32
- Locate the current dnsapi.dll on your system
- Rename the current dnsapi.dll to dnsapiBACKUP.dll
- Copy & paste the new dnsapi.dll into C:\Windows\System32
- Click Start > Run (Or search ”run” on Vista & Win7)
- Type “cmd” in the box that appears
- Type “regsvr32 dnsapi.dll” on the black screen
- Press Enter
Step 3 – Clean Out Your PC With A Registry Cleaner
One of the big causes of dnsapi.dll errors is through the “registry” database of your computer. This is a large database which stores vital information & settings for your PC, and is used continually to help Windows to read the files, settings & options that it needs to run. Although the registry is one of the most important parts of every Windows system, it’s continually causing a large number of problems thanks to the way it will often become corrupted and unreadable. This is the cause behind many dnsapi.dll errors, and needs to be resolved by using a reliable “registry cleaner” application.
This step is best completed by downloading RegAce System Suite, and letting it clean out any of the problems that your system may have inside.