What to do if api-ms-win-core-libraryloader-l1-1-1.dll is missing from your Windows 10 PC

For users who want to upgrade to Windows 10 with an easy Graphic User Interface based solution from Windows 8.1, Windows 8 or even Windows 7, Microsoft has created a tool called “Windows 10 Upgrade Assistant”. The Windows 10 Upgrade Assistant tool allows users to upgrade to Windows 10 and even get an ISO for Windows 10 for an offline upgrade. However, as common when upgrading, you might face some issues such as the error, “api-ms-win-core-libraryloader-l1-1-1.dll is missing from your computer”.
You might encounter this error right after you download the Operating System and when the installation is initialized. Usually, this issue is caused mainly by Windows 7 systems. When you encounter this error, you will see the following message in a dialog box:
“The program can’t start because api-ms-win-core-libraryloader-l1-1-1.dll is missing from your computer. Try reinstalling the program to fix this problem.”
The error message does not really provide enough information for you to know what the problem is really about. It is because you only know that only a particular file is missing but other than that, it does not show other information such as the original location of the missing file and other attributes of the file. Read on to see how to fix this error when you upgrade to Windows 10.
The missing file (api-ms-win-core-libraryloader-l1-1-1.dll) is not a file that comes with Windows 7 or is not meant for Windows 7. Based on other users’ reports, they mostly encountered this error after the release of the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update. However, this was quickly remedied by Microsoft when they released an update for the Windows 10 Upgrade Assistant app to fix this issue but if you are using an older Windows version, and you encounter this error, you can use the options given below to fix it so that you can upgrade to Windows 10 without any trouble.
Note: There is no need for you to download or install anything here as the files you will need is already available in the System32 folder located inside the Windows folder of your Operating System partition.
Step 1: Navigate to this location first using the File Explorer – C:\Windows\System32\
Step 2: Search for this file using the search bar functionality of the File Explorer – wimgapi.dll
Step 3: After you find it, select it and tap the Ctrl + C keys or right click and then select Copy from the options to copy the file.
Step 4: After that, navigate to this location – C:\Windows10Update\
Step 5: Tap the Ctrl + V keys or right click and select Paste so that you can paste the file you copied in this location.
Step 6: Once you paste the file, a prompt will appear to tell you to Replace the existing file where you have to select Yes to replace it and if it requires some elevation, you need to accept that prompt.
Step 7: After that, restart the whole process once you have replaced the file in the Windows10Upgrade folder from the System32 folder.
And that’s about it. Hoped it worked for you.
Note: Worry not as the files you have downloaded previously are still available cached in the Hard disk partition so it will take you directly to install it instead of downloading the whole operating system again.
If there are any other system issues that you need to address, such as corrupted registries or slow PC performance, there is a one-click solution you can try known as PC Cleaner Pro. This program is a useful tool that could repair corrupted registries and optimize your PC’s overall performance. Aside from that, it also cleans out your computer for any junk or corrupted files that help you eliminate any unwanted files from your system.
Perform a full system scan using PC Cleaner Pro. To do so, follow the instructions below.

Turn on your computer. If it’s already on, you have to reboot
After that, the BIOS screen will be displayed, but if Windows pops up instead, reboot your computer and try again. Once you’re on the BIOS screen, repeat pressing F8, by doing so the Advanced Option shows up.

To navigate the Advanced Option use the arrow keys and select Safe Mode with Networking then hit
Windows will now load the Safe Mode with Networking.
Press and hold both R key and Windows key.

If done correctly, the Windows Run Box will show up.
Type in explorer http://www.fixmypcfree.com/install/pccleanerpro

A single space must be in between explorer and http. Click OK.

A dialog box will be displayed by Internet Explorer. Click Run to begin downloading PC Cleaner Pro. The installation will start automatically once a download is done.