VScode ffmpeg.dll missing

Question

When I tried to open VScode, I got an error popup saying "The code execution cannot proceed because ffmpeg.dll was not found. Reinstalling the program may fix this problem". Reinstalling VScode solved the issue, but I'm wondering what caused it in the first place, as apparently it's a video/audio file .dll, and I don't know what VScode has to do with it.

The error

Glorification

Please clarify your specific problem or provide additional details to highlight exactly what you need. As it's currently written, it's hard to tell exactly what you're asking. – Hexa

Answer 1

IIRC, ffmpeg.dll is included as a part of electron.js which is what VScode is built on. Apparently, getUserMedia API of Chromium (which drives the frontend of electron) performs poorly, and they used ffmpeg as an alternative.

This was what I remembered from the time I was working on electron a few years back, but I found this bit on their website. Recent electron versions use Swift for getUserMedia API, so maybe ffmpeg.dll is no longer used and your issue may be related in some sort of version compatibility? (just speculating)

Trouveur

Answer 2

I had a similar situation. As it turned out, it was because the update process didn't go properly and C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Programs\Microsoft VS Code directory really didn't have most of the files. Installing VSCode again from MS Store solved the problem (it was there as not installed).

Heti

Answer 3

I had this issue happen today. The root cause appears to be a failed update. As kesh mentioned in their answer, ffmpeg.dll is included with electron, which is why it is present in VScode.

For any future visitors that have this problem, the solution is pretty simple. Just go to the visualstudio website and download the installer, then run it. You shouldn't have to uninstall it first.

Disesteem

Answer 4

I have also encountered the same problems when invoke code . in cmd. And I found I have a symbolic code.exe -> C:/Users/Liu.D.H/AppData/Local/Programs/Microsoft VS Code/Code.exe, I removed it then it's ok now.

Lisabeth