In some cases, atl.dll errors could indicate a registry problem, a virus or malware issue, or even a hardware failure.

Atl.dll Errors

There are several different ways that atl.dll errors can show up on your computer. Here are some of the more common ways that you might see atl.dll errors:

Atl.dll Not FoundThis application failed to start because atl.dll was not found. Re-installing the application may fix this problem.Cannot find [PATH]\atl.dllThe file atl.dll is missing.Cannot start [APPLICATION]. A required component is missing: atl.dll. Please install [APPLICATION] again.

Because atl.dll should exist in the System32 folder, you might see an atl.dll error when doing all sorts of things that require that important DLL file. For example, the atl.dll error message might be seen while using or installing certain programs like a web browser or the System Restore utility, when Windows starts or shuts down, or maybe even during a Windows installation.

How to Fix Atl.dll Errors

If you suspect that you’ve accidentally deleted atl.dll but you’ve already emptied the Recycle Bin, you may be able to recover atl.dll with a free file recovery program. In Windows 10 and other newer versions of Windows, a subfolder within C:\Windows\WinSxS\ probably holds one copy. In Windows XP, and possibly older Windows versions, look for an atl.dll copy in C:\Windows\System32\dllcache. You can search your whole computer with a program like Everything if you’re having troubles using the built-in search tool in Windows. If the hardware fails any of your tests, replace the memory or replace the hard drive as soon as possible.