Ssleay32.dll errors are caused by situations that lead to the deletion or corruption of the ssleay32 DLL file. In some cases, ssleay32.dll errors can indicate a registry problem, a virus or malware problem, or even a hardware failure.
There are a few different ways that ssleay32.dll errors can show up on your computer. Here are some of the more common ways you might see ssleay32.dll errors:
Ssleay32.dll Not Found This application failed to start because ssleay32.dll was not found. Reinstalling the app may fix this problem. Cannot find [PATH]ssleay32.dll The file ssleay32.dll is missing. Cannot start [APPLICATION]. A required component is missing: ssleay32.dll. Please install [APPLICATION] again.
Ssleay32.dll error messages can appear during the use or installation of certain programs, when Windows starts up or shuts down, or even during a Windows installation.
The context of the ssleay32.dll error is an important piece of information that will be helpful in troubleshooting the problem.
The ssleay32.dll error message can apply to any program or system that can use the file on any of Microsoft’s operating systems, including Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows 2000.
How To Fix Ssleay32.dll Errors
Do not download ssleay32.dll from a “DLL download” website. There are many reasons why downloading a DLL file is a bad idea. If you require a copy of ssleay32.dll, it is best to obtain it from its original and legitimate source.
Start Windows in Safe Mode to complete any of the following steps if you are unable to access Windows normally due to ssleay32.dll error.
- Restore ssleay32.dll from the Recycle Bin. The easiest cause of a “missing” ssleay32.dll file is that you’ve mistakenly deleted it.
If you suspect that you have accidentally deleted ssleay32.dll but have already emptied the Recycle Bin, you may be able to recover ssleay32.dll with a free file recovery program.
Recovering a deleted copy of ssleay32.dll with a file recovery program is a good idea only if you are sure that you deleted the file yourself and that it was working properly before doing so.
- Run a virus/malware scan of your entire system. Some ssleay32.dll errors could be related to a virus or other malware infection on your computer that has corrupted the DLL file. It’s even possible that the ssleay32.dll error you’re seeing is related to a hostile program masquerading as the file.
- Use System Restore to undo recent system changes. If you suspect that the ssleay32.dll error was caused by a change to an important file or setting, a System Restore might resolve the issue.
- Reinstall the program that uses the ssleay32.dll file. If the ssleay32.dll DLL error occurs when you use a particular program, reinstalling the program should replace the file.
If you encounter this DLL error related to OpenSSL, see where to find the ssleay32.dll file in your installation path if reinstalling doesn’t fix it completely. Via this link you can see where the DLL needs to be copied in order to use it.
Do your best to complete this step. Reinstalling the program that provides the ssleay32.dll file, if possible, is a likely solution to this DLL error.
- Start the program or game with administrative privileges by right-clicking it and selecting Run as administrator . It may be that under normal conditions, with regular permissions, the program cannot access the ssleay32.dll file.
You may need to find the source program in the program’s installation folder to start the application as an administrator. On Windows, this is typically C:Program Files or C:Program Files (x86) , and you’re probably looking for an EXE application file.
- Update drivers for any hardware devices that may be related to ssleay32.dll. If, for example, you receive an error “The file ssleay32.dll is missing” when playing a 3D video game, try updating your video card drivers.
The ssleay32.dll file may or may not be related to video cards – this is just an example. The key here is to pay close attention to the context of the error and troubleshoot accordingly.
- Roll back a driver to a previously installed version if ssleay32.dll errors began after updating a particular hardware device driver.
- Install all available Windows updates. Many service packs and other patches replace or update some of the hundreds of DLL files distributed by Microsoft on your computer. The ssleay32.dll file could be included in one of those updates.
- Test your memory and then test your hard drive. We’ve saved most of the hardware troubleshooting for the last step, but your computer’s memory and hard drive are easy to test and are the most likely components that could cause ssleay32.dll errors as they fail.
If the hardware fails any of your tests, replace the memory or replace the hard drive as soon as possible.
- Repair the Windows installation. If the individual ssleay32.dll file troubleshooting tips above are unsuccessful, performing a startup repair or repair install should restore all Windows DLL files to their working versions.
- Use a free registry cleaner to repair ssleay32.dll related problems in the registry. A free registry cleaner program may be able to help by removing invalid ssleay32.dll registry entries that could be causing the DLL error.
We rarely recommend the use of registry cleaners. We have included the option here as a “last resort” attempt before the next destructive step.
- Do a clean install of Windows. A clean install of Windows will erase everything from your hard drive and install a fresh copy of Windows. If none of the above steps fix the ssleay32.dll error, this should be your next step.
All information on your hard drive will be erased during a clean install. Make sure you’ve tried your best to fix the ssleay32.dll error by using a troubleshooting step prior to this one.
- Troubleshoot a hardware problem if ssleay32.dll errors persist. After a clean install of Windows, the DLL problem can only be hardware related.
Need more help?
See Get More Help for information on how to contact me on social media or by email, post in support forums, and more. Be sure to let me know the exact ssleay32.dll error message you’re seeing and what steps, if any, you’ve already taken to fix the problem.
If you’re not interested in fixing this problem yourself, even with help, see How do I fix my computer? for a complete list of support options, plus help with everything related to the process, like calculating repair costs, removing files, choosing a repair service, and more.
