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Ammad Hassan···7 min read

How To Resolve Windows Shell Common DLL Has Stopped Working [2024]

Still stuck with the Windows Shell Common DLL Has Stopped Working Recording Devices error? We got you covered!

The “Windows Shell Common DLL has stopped working” error can occur when attempting to configure recording or playback devices. This error indicates that the Windows Shell Common DLL, a critical component utilized by various Windows processes, has crashed due to an error. Typically, users encounter this crash while making adjustments to their audio device settings.

It is a quite common error and multiple users from the Microsoft Community have also reported it. It typically arises due to faulty drivers, interference from third-party apps, or corrupted system files. But fear not, I will provide you the easiest fixes to resolve this issue.

Windows Shell Common DLL Has Stopped Working Recording Devices Error Screen
Windows Shell Common DLL Has Stopped Working Recording Devices Error Screen – Image Credit (Emopulse)

Key Takeaways

  • The “Windows Shell Common DLL has stopped working” error disrupts tasks related to configuring recording or playback devices on Windows systems.
  • Common causes of this error include faulty drivers, interference from third-party apps, or corrupted system files.
  • To fix this error, users can try several fixes including updating audio drivers, changing security permissions, repairing corrupted system files using SFC and DISM tools, configuring Windows to accept certificates, registering DLL files again, etc.

I have gone through the hassle to find the best fixes to resolve this issue. Follow these methods step by step and you will get rid of this error in no time.

Update Audio Drivers

After some research, I’ve found that outdated or corrupted audio drivers could be contributing to the “Windows Shell Common DLL has stopped working” error. By updating your audio drivers through Device Manager, you can ensure that they are compatible with your system. This method has also worked for a number of Reddit users. To do this, follow these steps:

  1. Open Device Manager: Press Windows + X on your keyboard and select “Device Manager” from the menu.
    Opening Device Manager in Windows
    Opening Device Manager in Windows – Image Credit (Emopulse)
  2. Locate the Device: In Device Manager, find the “Sound, video, and game controllers” category. Right-click on the device you want to update and select “Update driver” from the context menu.
    Updating Sound Driver from Device Manager
    Updating Sound Driver from Device Manager – Image Credit (Emopulse)
  3. Choose Update Method: In the Update Driver window, you’ll have two options. Either you can search automatically for updated driver software or browse your computer for driver software
    Windows Driver Update Options
    Windows Driver Update Options – Image Credit (Emopulse)
  4. Follow On-Screen Instructions: Depending on the option you choose, follow the on-screen instructions to complete the driver update process.
  5. Restart Your Computer: After the update is complete, restart your computer to apply the changes.

Register DLL Files Again

Another fix to this issue can be to register your system DLL files again. By doing this you can correct any issues with the DLL registrations. I found on Reddit that many other users have also benefitted from this. You can also try it by following these simple steps:

  1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator: Press the Windows key on your keyboard and type “Command Prompt” in the search bar. “Command Prompt” will appear in the search results. Select “Run as administrator” from the context menu.
    Running CMD as an Administrator
    Running CMD as an Administrator – Image Credit (Emopulse) – Image Credit (Emopulse)
  2. Navigate to the System32 Directory: In the Command Prompt window, type the following command and press Enter. This command will change the directory to System32 where the DLL files are located.
    cd %WINDIR%\System32
  3. Register DLL Files: Type the following command and press Enter to re-register all DLL files in the System32 directory.
    for /f %s in (‘dir /b *.dll’) do regsvr32 /s %s

    Registering System DLL files again
    Registering System DLL files again – Image Credit (Emopulse)
  4. Restart Your Computer: After registering the DLL files, restart your computer to apply the changes.

Change UserChoice Key Security Permissions

During our research, our team also found that incorrect security permissions on the UserChoice key in the Windows Registry may lead to this error. By adjusting the permissions to ensure that administrators have full control, you can resolve this conflict. To do this, follow these steps:

  1. Open Registry Editor: Press the Windows key + R, type “regedit,” and click OK to open Registry Editor.
    Opening Windows Registry Editor using Run
    Opening Windows Registry Editor using Run – Image Credit (Emopulse)
  2. Navigate to UserChoice Key: In Registry Editor, navigate to the following path in the left pane: Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts.txt\UserChoice
    UserChoice Directory in Registry Editor
    UserChoice Directory in Registry Editor – Image Credit (Emopulse)
  3. Access UserChoice Key Permissions: Right-click on the UserChoice key and select “Permissions” from the menu.
    Opening Permission for UserChoice Key
    Opening Permission for UserChoice Key – Image Credit (Emopulse)
  4. Check for Missing Security Permissions: If the Group or User Names section is empty, proceed to add missing permissions. Click the “Add” button in the Permissions window. Otherwise, skip to step 7.
    Adding a new Group or username to UserChoice Key Permissions
    Adding a new Group or username to UserChoice Key Permissions – Image Credit (Emopulse)
  5. Enter Object Names: In the “Enter the object names to select” field, enter “Administrators” and click “Check Names.” Once verified, click OK.
    Entering Object Names for a new User or Group
    Entering Object Names for a new User or Group – Image Credit (Emopulse)
  6. Grant Full Control: Select “Administrators” from the list and check “Full Control” in the Allow column.
    Allowing Full Control to Administrators
    Allowing Full Control to Administrators – Image Credit (Emopulse)
  7. Save Changes: Click “Apply” and then “OK” to save the changes to the security permissions.

Copy Mandatory Files To System32 Directory

I also found that missing or corrupted files in the System32 directory could trigger this error. By copying essential files, such as “joy.cpl,” from the SysWOW64 directory to System32, you can ensure that the necessary components are in place, thus solving this error. To do this:

  1. Locate “joy.cpl”: Open File Explorer and navigate to the following directory and find the joy.cpl file:
    C:\Windows\System32

    joy.cpl file in System32 directory
    joy.cpl file in System32 directory – Image Credit (Emopulse)
  2. Copy “joy.cpl” to Desktop: Right-click on “joy.cpl,” choose “Copy,” and paste it onto your Desktop.
  3. Delete the Original “joy.cpl”: Return to your Desktop, right-click on the copied “joy.cpl” file, and select “Delete” to remove it.
  4. Copy “joy.cpl” to System32 Directory: Navigate to C:\Windows\SysWOW64. Find the original “joy.cpl” file, copy it, and paste to:
    C:\Windows\System32

    joy.cpl file in SysWOW64 directory
    joy.cpl file in the SysWOW64 directory – Image Credit (Emopulse)

Confirm Windows Certificate Acceptance Configuration

The misconfiguration of Windows certificate acceptance settings may also lead to this error. By confirming and adjusting the Windows certificate acceptance configuration through PowerShell, users can ensure that certificates are properly recognized and accepted by the system, potentially resolving this error. To do this:

  1. Open PowerShell as Administrator: Press the Windows key + S to open the search bar. Type “PowerShell” and select “Run as administrator” under Windows PowerShell in the search results.
    Running Windows PowerShell as an Administrator
    Running Windows PowerShell as an Administrator – Image Credit (Emopulse)
  2. Run the PowerShell Command: In the PowerShell window that opens, type the following command and press Enter. This command sets the execution policy to unrestricted for the current user, allowing PowerShell scripts to run without restrictions.
    Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Scope CurrentUser

    Confirm Windows Certificate Acceptance Configuration in Windows PowerShell
    Confirm Windows Certificate Acceptance Configuration in Windows PowerShell – Image Credit (Emopulse)
  3. Allow All: When prompted about if you want to change the execution policy, press “A” and then press the Enter key to allow all.

Final Verdict

In conclusion, the “Windows Shell Common DLL has stopped working” error can significantly disrupt tasks related to configuring recording or playback devices on Windows systems. This error commonly arises due to faulty drivers, interference from third-party apps, or corrupted system files. Although this error is widespread and multiple users on Microsoft Community are reporting it, users can resolve this issue by following a series of troubleshooting steps, including updating audio drivers, adjusting security permissions, repairing corrupted system files, and performing a clean boot.

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