# Kernel Error: Failed to start - ImportError: DLL load failed while importing win32api

**URL:** <https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/kernel-error-failed-to-start-importerror-dll-load-failed-while-importing-win32api/4359>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [May 12, 2020, 7:43pm UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/kernel-error-failed-to-start-importerror-dll-load-failed-while-importing-win32api/4359 "2020-05-12T19:43:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![jroo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d2c977/32.png) [@jroo](https://discourse.jupyter.org/u/jroo)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2020, 7:43pm UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/kernel-error-failed-to-start-importerror-dll-load-failed-while-importing-win32api/4359/1 "2020-05-12T19:43:56Z")

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I did a decent amount of searching before posting, and I can’t seem to find anyone with the same exact problem, or at least a similar problem with a solution that works for me.

My Kernel is failing to start. I’m getting this error:  
**ImportError: DLL load failed while importing win32api: %1 is not a valid Win32 application.**

These are all of my version numbers:  
jupyter core : 4.6.3  
jupyter-notebook : 6.0.3  
qtconsole : 4.7.3  
ipython : 7.14.0  
ipykernel : 5.2.1  
jupyter client : 6.1.3  
jupyter lab : 2.1.1  
nbconvert : 5.6.1  
ipywidgets : 7.5.1  
nbformat : 5.0.6  
traitlets : 4.3.3

And Python 3.8.2.

I’m on windows 10, and have try running Jupyter Notebook from cmd, and also the powershell in VS Code with the same results.

Thank you

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**Author:** ![Sabarish\_S](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/discourse.jupyter.org/sabarish_s/32/2426_2.png) [@Sabarish\_S](https://discourse.jupyter.org/u/Sabarish_S)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2020, 6:57am UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/kernel-error-failed-to-start-importerror-dll-load-failed-while-importing-win32api/4359/2 "2020-07-19T06:57:06Z")

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@jroo I am also facing the same issue. Did you get it solved?

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**Author:** ![SuperHaas](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/discourse.jupyter.org/superhaas/32/2491_2.png) [@SuperHaas](https://discourse.jupyter.org/u/SuperHaas)\
**Post date:** [July 30, 2020, 6:59am UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/kernel-error-failed-to-start-importerror-dll-load-failed-while-importing-win32api/4359/3 "2020-07-30T06:59:51Z")

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Try and reinstall `pywin32`

Worked for me

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**Author:** ![Aditya\_Jindal](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/discourse.jupyter.org/aditya_jindal/32/2660_2.png) [@Aditya\_Jindal](https://discourse.jupyter.org/u/Aditya_Jindal)\
**Post date:** [September 2, 2020, 5:30am UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/kernel-error-failed-to-start-importerror-dll-load-failed-while-importing-win32api/4359/4 "2020-09-02T05:30:47Z")

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hey I get the same error but installing pywin32 does not works for me , any other suggestions regarding the same!!

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**Author:** ![Aditya\_Jindal](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/discourse.jupyter.org/aditya_jindal/32/2660_2.png) [@Aditya\_Jindal](https://discourse.jupyter.org/u/Aditya_Jindal)\
**Post date:** [September 2, 2020, 5:36am UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/kernel-error-failed-to-start-importerror-dll-load-failed-while-importing-win32api/4359/5 "2020-09-02T05:36:03Z")

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a pro tip , and thanks i’m able to resolve this as , just by uninstalling pywin32 and install again!!!

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**Author:** ![jroo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d2c977/32.png) [@jroo](https://discourse.jupyter.org/u/jroo)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2020, 7:28pm UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/kernel-error-failed-to-start-importerror-dll-load-failed-while-importing-win32api/4359/6 "2020-09-21T19:28:00Z")

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@Sabarish_S nope. Nothing I see online resolves this issue.

I’m just now returning to it and trying to fix it again with no results.

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**Author:** ![Amirhosein\_Soleimani](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/discourse.jupyter.org/amirhosein_soleimani/32/3015_2.png) [@Amirhosein\_Soleimani](https://discourse.jupyter.org/u/Amirhosein_Soleimani)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 4:34am UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/kernel-error-failed-to-start-importerror-dll-load-failed-while-importing-win32api/4359/7 "2020-11-12T04:34:14Z")

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This worked you just have to reinstall pywin32