The most common reason for this error is damaged or incorrect file permissions, usually with important system files like ntdll.dll or kernel32.dll. Other possible reasons include turned-off Windows features (like DirectPlay), problems caused by your antivirus, or missing software files the app depends on.
1. Repair Microsoft Visual C++ 2013 Redistributable
Most applications rely on Microsoft’s Visual C++ redistributable packages to function properly on Windows, and Acrobat Reader is no different. Several users have reported getting the 0xc0000022 error with an Adobe product after Windows performed an automatic update. Luckily, you can usually resolve this by repairing the Microsoft Visual C++ 2013 Redistributable packages that the Adobe suite uses. Note: This guide can also help with other Adobe products displaying the 0xc0000022 error, not just Acrobat Reader. If the error still appears, go back to Programs and Features and uninstall all Microsoft Visual C++ 2013 packages. Then restart your computer. Download and install the packages again from this official Microsoft link.
2. Enable DirectPlay in Legacy Components
DirectPlay is an old part of Microsoft’s DirectX API. It was mostly used for networking in older computer games, but some other programs also relied on it. You might see the 0xc0000022 error when trying to open an older game or application because it needs a .dll file that’s no longer included by default in new versions of Windows. While DirectPlay is considered obsolete in Windows 8.1 and Windows 10, you can still enable it through Windows settings. If you are using Windows 8.1 or Windows 10, DirectPlay will be turned off by default.
