Share via

Missing api-ms-win-core-winrt-l1-1-0.dll

Bruce Kreft 45 Reputation points
2026-02-21T18:29:33.5533333+00:00

Today my Adobe Acrobat reader no longer works. I get the following error:

User's image

Have not been able to resolve. Windows 7 professional.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Apps
Answer accepted by question author
  1. Thomas4-N 10,990 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-02-22T12:23:40.72+00:00

    Hello Bruce Kreft, welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum.

    This issue is on Adobe's side. You can see the discussion here: [Reader][Win7] 21208 update breaks Acrobat Reader, won't start, missing dll

    (Disclaimer: This is a non-Microsoft website. The page appears to be providing accurate and safe information. Watch out for ads on the site that may advertise products frequently classified as PUP (Potentially Unwanted Products). Thoroughly research any product advertised on the site before you decide to download and install it.) 

    It seems their latest update (21208) requires system components that only exist in Windows 8 or newer.

    The workaround is to downgrade to an older version, or switch to an alternative PDF reader like the built-in Edge, Foxit, or Sumatra.

    If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".  

    Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread. 

    2 people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
Answer recommended by moderator
  1. Joon Joe 15 Reputation points
    2026-02-23T10:04:47.25+00:00

    Try this one

    https://www.oldversion.com/software/acrobat-reader/acrobat-reader-xi-11-0-01/

    And don't forget to turn off the automatic update feature (look for the services from services.msc) or the problem will repeat again.

    3 people found this answer helpful.

5 additional answers

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Gert Caspritz 15 Reputation points
    2026-02-22T17:06:30.82+00:00

    After being led down various dead end alleys following sophisticated approaches offered on youtube etc. (none of which worked like various cmd command, and installing C++ Redistributable package), I found an easy solution for the Acrobate Reader problem. Uninstall the version you currently have installed and replace with Reader XI 11.0.01. You can download to from: www.oldversions.com/software/acrobat reader/

    It works perfectly fine for me, even with old Windows versions like 7

    3 people found this answer helpful.
  2. ALEX KWAN 0 Reputation points
    2026-03-01T15:01:59.0066667+00:00

    Accepted' by the question author and 'Recommended' by moderators,

    0 comments
  3. Deleted

    This answer has been deleted due to a violation of our Code of Conduct. The answer was manually reported or identified through automated detection before action was taken. Please refer to our Code of Conduct for more information.

    Comments have been turned off. Learn more

Your answer

Answers can be marked as 'Accepted' by the question author and 'Recommended' by moderators, which helps users know the answer solved the author's problem.