SDL.dll or SDL2.dll not found or missing on Windows computer

DLL files are important system files. If they are corrupt or missing, certain programs or the Windows operating system might not function in the desired manner. One such file is the SDL.dll or SDL2.dll file. If it goes missing, you will encounter the SDL.dll or SDL2.dll is missing or was not found error on your system.

You could see either of these messages:

• The program cannot start because sdl.dll is missing from your computer
• The application failed to start sdl.dll was not found

What is SDL.dll or SDL2.dll?

The full form of SDL is Simple DirectMedia Layer. SDL is a company, community, and repository of files. Simple DirectMedia Layer is a cross-platform software development library that provides a hardware abstraction layer for computer multimedia hardware components. The files that are a part of its library (like SDL.dll or SDL2.dll) are crucial for running hardware like audio, keyboard, mouse, joystick, and graphics hardware via OpenGL and Direct3D. It is used by video playback software, emulators, and popular games.

The SDL.dll file is located in a folder named lib or bin, but it depends on how the application in the discussion was installed.

If the SDL.dll file is missing or corrupt, many applications and perhaps associated hardware may cease to work. Also, you might encounter the following error messages:

• Sdl.dll Not Found
• Cannot start <name of application>. A required component is missing: sdl.dll. Please install <name of application> again
• Cannot find <path>\sdl.dll
• The file sdl.dll is missing
• This application failed to start because sdl.dll was not found. Re-installing the application may fix this problem.

SDL.dll or SDL2.dll not found or missing on Windows computer

If the SDL.dll or SDL2.dll is missing or not found on your Windows 11/10 computer, try the following solutions sequentially to solve this problem:

1. Download and Re-register the SDL.dll file from the official website
2. Reinstall DirectX
3. Reinstall the game or program that is giving this error
4. Perform System Restore

1] Download and Re-register the SDL.dll or SDL2.dll file from the official website

If the SDL.dll file is missing on your computer, you can download and install it from the libsdl.org website. After downloading the ZIP folder, you can extract the contents of the folder. Then open the Lib folder and copy and paste the DLL file in its proper location which is:

After placing the dll file in its proper location, which is usually the System32 folder, you need to register the DLL file the following command in an elevated CMD:

regsvr32 SDL.dll

OR

regsvr32 SDL2.dll

This should help. If this doesn’t solve your problem, please move to the next solution.

For your information, SDL files are also available on GitHub.

3] Reinstall DirectX

DirectX is a suite of technologies by Microsoft that helps with hardware acceleration in games and other applications. It helps in bettering the experience of graphics-intensive applications. If the version of DirectX on your computer is obsolete, a few DLL files could be missing. In this case, you can resolve the problem in the discussion by downloading and reinstalling DirectX.

4] Reinstall the game or program that is giving this error

The problem might be with the game or program itself. The SDL.dll files is created by the game or program. Thus, reinstalling the game could help solve the problem. To uninstall the game or program, the procedure is as follows:

• Right-click on the Start button and select Settings from the menu.
• Go to Apps > Installed apps.
• Find the game or program in this list and click the 3-dots associated with it.
• Select Uninstall to uninstall the game or program.

Now, you can download the game or program from the developer’s website.

5] Perform System Restore

If your system was working fine earlier and a recent change deleted the SDL.dll file, then running a System Restore procedure will add the file back. You can restore your system to a previously created backup point in the following manner:

• Search for Recovery in the Windows Search bar.
• Click on the Recovery application to open it.
• Click on Open System Restore.
• Check a previously created Restore Point.
• Click on Next.
• Approve the Restore Point and click on Finish to initiate the System Restore procedure.

How do I install a missing DLL file in a Windows computer?

The procedure to install any missing DLL file on a system is simple. Reinstall the program or game that is throwing up this error. Or else, download it from the original website and register it on the computer. If the DLL file is a system file, perform an SFC Scan and then register the file on your computer using the elevated Command Prompt.