– Platforms like Steam, Epic, and GOG often bundle redistributables with games. If you see an option to “Install DirectX/VC++ Redist,” do it.

A mismatched or partially installed older version.

The Visual C++ 2015 Redistributable is binary compatible with the 2017 and 2019 versions. This means if you install the 2015 package, it effectively covers programs built with the 2015, 2017, and 2019 toolsets. However, many older installers still specifically look for the "2015" tag, making it a frequent requirement for legacy and semi-modern apps.

In practice, you’ll often see a combined “Visual C++ 2015-2022 Redistributable” package. Installing that one covers all apps built with any of those four Visual Studio versions.