How-To

How to Fix Class Not Registered Error on Windows 11

By Brian Burgess

Published May 29, 2023

If you see a Class Not Registered error on Windows 11 while you’re launching an app or File Explorer, we’ll show you the steps for fixing it in this guide.

Do you see a “Class Not Registered” error message on Windows? You might see this error when launching File Explorer or opening other apps. The message is vague, and you’ll want to fix a Class Not Registered error to get things done.

Unlike some error codes, this one doesn’t have a workaround, and you can’t get past the message to use the app. Instead, you need to fix the issue causing it.

Different reasons for this error include damaged system files, corrupt Visual C++ Redistributable packages, or unregistered DLL files. Here are the steps you can take to fix the problem.

Relaunch File Explorer on Windows 11

To fix the problem, you can relaunch File Explorer from Task Manager. The process is simple, and in addition to a Class Not Registered error, it can fix other glitches you experience on Windows.

To relaunch File Explorer:

1. Start by opening Task Manager.
2. Select the Processes tab.
3. Right-click Windows Explorer and select Restart from the menu that appears.

Note that your screen will flicker, and desktop icons will disappear briefly and reappear, which indicates a successful restart. Once you complete the restart, check if you are still getting the error.

Reset the Windows Default Apps

A built-in Windows app could be the culprit if the error appears while using File Explorer. To fix this, you can reset all of the default apps on Windows.

To reset default apps:

1. Press Windows key + I to open Settings.
2. Select Apps from the left panel.
3. Click the Default apps option on the right.
4. Scroll to the bottom, and click the Reset button next to the Reset all default apps option.

Once you reset the default apps, try to open File Explorer, and it should work error-free.

Reinstall Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable Package

The Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable packages ensure you can launch and use apps. However, if one or more packages become corrupt, it will prevent apps from launching and display the Class Not Registered error.

To reinstall Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable:

1. Press the Windows key, search for Control Panel, and click the top result.
2. Select the Programs and Features option.
3. Right-click the Microsoft Visual package and select Uninstall.
4. Click the Uninstall button when the package screen appears and follow the uninstall wizard’s onscreen instructions.
5. If you have more than one Visual C++ package installed, follow the same steps to uninstall them too.
6. Download and install the Visual C++ package from Microsoft.

Once installed, check if you can launch the problematic app without the error message.

Fix Corrupt System Files

Many apps rely on the core system files in Windows. However, if those files become corrupt or are missing, it can cause a problem. Luckily, Windows has a couple of built-in utilities that can help. Running SFC and DISM scans will detect system file troubles and fix them.

To run SFC and DISM scans:

1. Press the Windows key, search for PowerShell, and click the Run as Administrator option on the right.
2. When the terminal opens, run the following command:

   sfc /scannow

   

3. After the SFC scan completes, run the following command:

   DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

   

Re-register All DLL Files

An app’s Dynamic Link Library (DLL) file might not be registered on your system. In fact, Visual C++ Redistributable is a DLL file that’s required to run apps and games built with Visual Studio.

If the above options aren’t working, you can re-register all of the DLL files on your PC to resolve the error.

To re-register DLL files:

1. Press the Windows key and type CMD.
2. Under the Command Prompt result on the right, click Run as administrator.
3. When the prompt opens, type (or copy and paste) the following command and press Enter:

   for %1 in (*.dll) do regsvr32 /s %1

   

4. You’ll see each DLL file scroll by as it is re-registered on your system display in the prompt.
5. When the scrolling stops, close out of the Command Prompt and try to launch the problematic app.

Fixing Class Not Registered Error and More

If you get a “Class Not Registered” error message while trying to launch an app or File Explorer, one of the options above should get things working again. It’s also important to note that while this article uses Windows 11 as the test case, these troubleshooting steps will work on Windows 10 too.

As a Windows user, error messages are unfortunate, and some are easier to fix than others. For example, you might need to fix a VCRUNTIME140.DLL is missing error. Or, if Windows cannot read files, you can fix a 0x8007045d error message on your PC.

And if you are a gamer, check out how to fix the problematic Failed to Load Steamui.dll error or fix a Steam Service error while using the gaming service. Also, if you get a BSOD error, you might be interested in learning to fix a Ntoskrnl.exe BSOD error on Windows 11.