DLL load failed error when importing cv2

Question

I have installed opencv on my windows machine using python 3.6 without any issues, using:

pip install opencv-python

but when I try to import cv2 I get the following error

ImportError: DLL load failed: The specified module could not be found.

I have seen this post

It says cv2 doesn't work with python 3 I was wondering if this has been fixed or if there is a way around it

Solution 1

You can download the latest OpenCV 3.2.0 for Python 3.6 on Windows 32-bit or 64-bit machine, look for file starts withopencv_python‑3.2.0‑cp36‑cp36m, from this unofficial site. Then type below command to install it:

• pip install opencv_python‑3.2.0‑cp36‑cp36m‑win32.whl (32-bit version)
• pip install opencv_python‑3.2.0‑cp36‑cp36m‑win_amd64.whl (64-bit version)

I think it would be easier.

Update on 2017-09-15:

OpenCV 3.3.0 wheel files are now available in the unofficial site and replaced OpenCV 3.2.0.

Update on 2018-02-15:

OpenCV 3.4.0 wheel files are now available in the unofficial site and replaced OpenCV 3.3.0.

Update on 2018-06-19:

OpenCV 3.4.1 wheel files are now available in the unofficial site with CPython 3.5/3.6/3.7 support, and replaced OpenCV 3.4.0.

Update on 2018-10-03:

OpenCV 3.4.3 wheel files are now available in the unofficial site with CPython 3.5/3.6/3.7 support, and replaced OpenCV 3.4.1.

Update on 2019-01-30:

OpenCV 4.0.1 wheel files are now available in the unofficial site with CPython 3.5/3.6/3.7 support.

Update on 2019-06-10:

OpenCV 3.4.6 and OpenCV 4.1.0 wheel files are now available in the unofficial site with CPython 3.5/3.6/3.7 support.

Solution 2

I took a lot of time to solve this error! Run command

pip install opencv-contrib-python

Solution 3

If you are using Anaconda with python 3.5, this is a problem in the Anaconda release. (Refer this issue)

You can fix this issue by copying python3.dll file to Anaconda3 folder (where python.exe is located)

How to get "python3.dll"

• In cmd, type python --version to find whether your installation is 64-bit or 32-bit
• download python 3.x embeddable zip file from here
• Extract the zip file and copy python3.dll file to Anaconda3 folder

But if you can move to Anaconda with python 3.6 you will not face this issue. If it is possible for you, then it is the recommended way..

Solution 4

Recently I have faced the similar issue in Azure Windows Server 2012 r2 . Tried all option with and without Anaconda but none of them helped. After lot of findings I found that mfplat.dll was missing which is related to Window Media Service.

Hence you have to manually install the features so that you can get dll related to window media service.

1.Turn windows features on or off

2.Skip the roles screen and directly go to Feature screen

3.Select "Desktop Experience" under "User Interfaces and Infrastructure"

After this all required dll of media services for opencv would be available.

So if you are planning to run your code in cloud(Window Server) then please dont forget to select Desktop Experience feature.

Solution 5

I ran into this problem on Windows 10 (N) with a new Anaconda installation based on Python 3.7 (OpenCV version 4.0). None of the above advice helped (such as installing OpenCV from the unofficial site nor installing VC Redistributable).

I checked DLL dependencies of ...\AppData\Local\conda\conda\envs\foo\Lib\site-packages\cv2\cv2.cp37-win_amd64.pyd using dumpbin.exe according to this github issue. I noticed a library MF.dll, which I figured out belongs to Windows Media Foundation.

So I installed Media Feature Pack for N versions of Windows 10 and voilà, the issue was resolved!

View more solutions

Comments

[thewaywewere]

AN UPDATE: opencv3.2.0 with opencv_contrib binaries for Python 3.5 and 3.6 are now available for download from the unoffice site. Look for entry consists of +contrib in the file name. For example, opencv_python‑3.2.0+contrib‑cp35‑cp35m‑win_amd64.whl.

[thewaywewere]

cv2 doesn't mean OpenCV 2.x.x. To use OpenCV 3.x.x, has to import cv2. OpenCV2.x.x is relatively old, seems no one compiled it for Python 3.x and upload to Anaconda Repository. Refer to this post on the file page to find out the OpenCV and supported Python version.

[Stepan Yakovenko]

Requirement 'opencv_python-3.2.0-cp36-cp36m-win_amd64.whl' looks like a filename, but the file does not exist

[thewaywewere]

It looks that opencv 3.2 for python 3.x are removed after my UPDATE. You may use opencv 3.3.

[Vasif]

I think the right answer is open cv isn't supported in py-3.6. (based on comment on the question). Also, there is lot of formatting options out here.. for example, you could say import cv2 instead of "import cv2". just use ` for quotes.. welcome to SO.

[bommina]

it works great... after spending 4 hrs, came to this post... helped me alot. currently using Anaconda3-4.1.1-Windows-x86_64 with Python 3.5.2 :: Continuum Analytics, Inc.

[Stefan Monov]

A note for those who don't know, like I didn't: the cp in filenames there stands for CPython, so the number after that is your Python version.

[Georgii Oleinikov]

None of the other answers helped but this one did. Rolling back opencv-python from 3.4 to 3.1.0.5 worked

[Nicky Manali]

Thanxx brother this is the best solution. Those who got the same error don't degrade the version just paste this dll file in system32 and systemWOW64

[roachsinai]

There are several issue about this question, but I find it's platform is not Windos10 + Python3.7.0. And your answer is works for me. Thanks a lot.

[Matthew]

It worked for me on Windows Server 2012. Thanks a lot

[p0w3r]

thanks for this answer! You saved me a lot of time and it worked perfectly on my Win2012R2!

[Lassi Kinnunen]

worked for me. I had installed opencv-python and some else, but this was the final thing.

[Ondra]

Thanks. Worked for me (Python 3.6 + OpenCv 3.4). I think the Media Feature Pack might be uninstalled during some major windows update

[Deepak Rao]

Running Windows Server 2012 R2 on AWS, and this fixed the problem.

[FraWa]

Works for win7 pyhton3.7.3 (Anaconda) - Thanks

[Gunner Stone]

Worked for me in a conda environment with python = 3.7.10

[prosti]

Anaconda bug has been resolved. Best feedback I found on opencv and I wrote the troubleshooting of opencv-dll-load-failed afterwords.

[swasher]

Installed sucessfully, but got same error. File name opencv_python-4.5.3-cp310-cp310-win_amd64.whl, python 3.10.0, win11x64

[user5541269]

This was my issue and I don't use Anaconda. There's about 5 missing DLLs if the Media feature pack is not installed. You can go to Settings -> Apps -> Apps & Features then click on "Optional Features" and "+ Add a feature" to install the Media Feature Pack.

[A.K]

Thanks for this answer! perfectly worked in Win2012R2 edition.