If trying to get installed on Windows (I was using Windows 10, Apache 2.4, PHP 8.1) and the curl module isn't loading and PHP is showing/logging the following error but <phpPath>\ext\php_curl.dll does exist:
[14-Apr-2022 23:41:36 UTC] PHP Warning: PHP Startup: Unable to load dynamic library 'curl' (tried: <phpPath>\ext\curl (The specified module could not be found), <phpPath>\ext\php_curl.dll (The specified module could not be found)) in Unknown on line 0
The problem is not that it can't find the module but that it can't find its dependencies (ie <phpPath>\libcrypto-1.1.dll and libssl-1.1.dll or similar). As described in other comments, you need to add <phpPath> to the Systerm Variables, PATH variable.
But, if you are starting Apache as a service, the default is for the service to run under the Local System account. In that case, ****YOU NEED TO REBOOT**** for the change in the PATH variable to be updated for the Local System account (see the following for reference:
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/32068893/how-to-change-path-value-for-local-system-account-in-ms-windows)