Even if you have a 64-bit PC, you still need the x86 version because many apps (especially older or hybrid ones) run as 32-bit processes.

The year was 2019, and the digital landscape of "User-PC" was in a state of quiet chaos. Dozens of high-end games and complex engineering suites sat frozen, their entryways blocked by a cold, recurring error message: “The code execution cannot proceed because MSVCP140.dll was not found.” Deep within the System32 folder, the older libraries—the 2010 and 2013 veterans—looked on with pity. They couldn't help; the new software spoke a dialect of C++ they simply didn't understand. The system needed a translator, a bridge between the raw code of the developers and the hardware of the machine. Then, they arrived:

Many Windows applications (games, utility software, and business tools) are written in C++. When developers compile these applications, they rely on standard library code. Rather than including this code in every single program installer (which would waste space), developers rely on this central "Redistributable" package provided by Microsoft.

Essential for running 32-bit applications. Many legacy programs and even some modern software are still built on 32-bit architecture to ensure maximum compatibility.

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The is a critical system component for thousands of Windows applications. Having both versions ensures compatibility with 32-bit and 64-bit software, preventing common runtime errors.

The 2022 redistributable is backwards compatible with 2019, but some legacy apps still specifically check for 2019. It’s safe to keep both.