Resolving the ImportError: DLL load failed while importing _AES in Pycryptodome

Learn how to fix the `ImportError: DLL load failed while importing _AES` error in Pycryptodome with a simple solution in Windows 64-bit environments. --- This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/65743181/ asked by the user 'FlappyMagikarp' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/15015210/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/65744241/ provided by the user 'FlappyMagikarp' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/15015210/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions. Visit these links for original content and any more details, such as alternate solutions, latest updates/developments on topic, comments, revision history etc. For example, the original title of the Question was: Pycryptodome: ImportError: DLL load failed while importing _AES: %1 is not a valid Win32 application Also, Content (except music) licensed under CC BY-SA https://meta.stackexchange.com/help/l... The original Question post is licensed under the 'CC BY-SA 4.0' ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... ) license, and the original Answer post is licensed under the 'CC BY-SA 4.0' ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... ) license. If anything seems off to you, please feel free to write me at vlogize [AT] gmail [DOT] com. --- Troubleshooting the ImportError in Pycryptodome If you're encountering the ImportError: DLL load failed while importing _AES: %1 is not a valid Win32 application error while trying to use Pycryptodome, you're not alone. This issue often pops up when working with Python, particularly on Windows systems. In this guide, we'll break down why this error occurs and how to fix it efficiently. Understanding the Error The error message you're seeing indicates a problem when attempting to import the _AES module from the Pycryptodome library. This DLL import failure typically stems from a mismatch between architecture types (32-bit vs. 64-bit) or version compatibility issues in libraries. Context of the Problem Here's a quick summary of the conditions leading to the error: Operating System: Windows 64-bit Python Version: 64-bit Python 3.8.7 Pycryptodome Version: Installed the latest version (3.9.9) using pip The stack trace essentially reveals that your Python interpreter could not load the required DLL for the _AES module, which is crucial for AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) operations in cryptographic tasks. The Simple Solution After encountering this error, the response provided was straightforward yet effective: installing the compatible version. The specific version needed to resolve the error is Pycryptodome 3.8.2. Steps to Resolve the Issue Here's a quick guide to uninstall the problematic version and install the correct one: Open Your Command Prompt: Search for cmd in your Windows search bar and open it. Uninstall the Current Version: [[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]] Install the Compatible Version: [[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]] Verify the Installation: After installation, try running your script again to ensure the error is resolved. Why Version Matters This issue is a good reminder of the importance of compatibility between your Python version and the libraries you use. Always check for the recommended library versions for your specific Python installation, especially on Windows where architecture mismatches are common. Additional Tips Ensure that you are not mixing 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Python and your libraries. Regularly update your packages, but when encountering issues, try reverting to stable or older versions that are known to work. Refer to the official documentation or community forums (e.g., Stack Overflow) for help with specific libraries. Conclusion Dealing with DLL import errors can be frustrating, but often they can be easily solved by ensuring that you are using compatible versions of libraries. By reverting to Pycryptodome 3.8.2, you should be able to continue your cryptographic implementations without further issues. Happy coding!