How to check directx version

What is DirectX in Windows? How to Check DirectX Version?

If you have installed and

on your Windows computer, just before you complete the setup of a game you might have come across a screen that asks you to install DirectX on your computer. I first encountered this screen in the days of Windows XP while installing

. Back then I didn’t care much about what DirectX is and thought that it’s only required to play the game.

However today we have decided to take a deeper look into what exactly is the significance of DirectX for Windows. Knowledge is power when it comes to these complex computing terms, so better to equip ourselves with its understanding. Of course, it goes without saying that like all Guiding Tech articles, this one too attempts to explain everything in the simplest manner possible. So no need to put your nerd cloak on.

In this article we will see answers to three questions regarding DirectX:

So let’s take them up one by one.

What is DirectX?

Microsoft DirectX is a set of programs which takes care of multimedia related tasks like gaming, video rendering, 3D modeling and others like that. DirectX acts as a bridge between your computer’s multimedia hardware like the sound and video card, and the software that are trying to access it. DirectX libraries help not only with graphics but also with complex sound and moving images.

Now that we have seen what DirectX is, let’s have a look at the need for it.

What’s the Need for DirectX for Windows?

DirectX is a Windows program and as long as you are working on a Windows PC and doing multimedia related tasks, you need it. Most of us believe that DirectX is only required to play games but that’s not the case. As I already mentioned, most of the complex programs which uses 3D modeling with complex sounds or moving images will need DirectX library files on the computer to function properly.

All the programs that require DirectX mention it on their system requirements page but sometimes it’s not documented straightaway as DirectX. Instead of directly mentioning that DirectX 9 or DirectX 10 is required, program might say that Direct3D 10 technology, Direct3D 9 technology is required. As Direct3D is a part of the DirectX APIs along with DirectDraw, DirectMusic, DirectPlay, DirectSound and few more, installing DirectX would solve the purpose.

Which Version Am I Using and Why the need to Keep it Up-to-date?

Every version of Windows starting from Windows XP comes with a version of DirectX bundled with it. The latest version that Windows 8 comes with is DirectX 11. To check the version of DirectX that you are using, open the Run command box using the hotkey Windows+R, type in DXDIAG and press enter. After you execute the command the DirectX Diagnostic Tool will open up.

Here you can see the version of DirectX you are using under System Information in System tab.

Different programs require different versions of DirectX to function, and if a program requires an updated version then you must install it for proper functionality. Most of the times these updates are bundled with the program you are trying to install on your computer. You can also download the latest version of DirectX from this page. The page contains links to both online and redistributable version and can be installed like any other Windows application.

However there’s a limitation to that. The last version of DirectX that can be installed on Windows XP Service Pack 3 is 9.0b. For Windows Vista and 7 the limit is DirectX 11. If you are a Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 user, the DirectX update 11.1 is exclusive for you as it cannot be installed on previous versions of Windows.

You must also remember that the DirectX update alone doesn’t always work. From what we have seen, DirectX is required for smooth multimedia performance on your computer. But that’s only possible if your computer’s hardware supports the DirectX version you are using. For example, to use the full potential of DirectX 11 your computer must have the supporting hardware like compatible video card, etc.

If you have any additional questions regarding DirectX you would like me to clear, post them as a comment.

Last updated on 02 February, 2022

The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.

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How to install the latest version of DirectX

What is DirectX?

DirectX is a set of components in Windows that allows software, primarily and especially games, to work directly with your video and audio hardware. Games that use DirectX can use multimedia accelerator features built-in to your hardware more efficiently which improves your overall multimedia experience.

Check which version of DirectX is installed

The DxDiag tool reports detailed information about the DirectX components and drivers installed on your system and can be used.

From Start, type dxdiag in the Search box, and then press enter.

Tap or click on dxdiag from the results.

Check DirectX Version on the first page of the report in the System Information section.

Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Search. Type dxdiag in the search box. Or, just type dxdiag from Start.

Tap or click on dxdiag from the results.

Check DirectX Version on the first page of the report in the System Information section.

Click Start, type dxdiag in the search box.

Tap or click on dxdiag from the results.

Check DirectX Version on the first page of the report in the System Information section.

DirectX versions and updates by Operating System

DirectX 11.3 and 12 are included with these Windows versions.

Updates will be available through Windows Update. There is no stand-alone package for these versions of DirectX.

DirectX 11.1 is included in Windows 8, Windows RT, and Windows Server 2012. There is no stand-alone update package for DirectX 11.1. You can only install this DirectX version through Windows Update in Windows 8, Windows RT and Windows Server 2012.

DirectX 11.2 is included in Windows 8.1, Windows RT 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2. There is no stand-alone update package for DirectX 11.2. You can only install this DirectX version through Windows Update in Windows 8.1, Windows RT 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2.

Note To upgrade DirectX further, you will need to upgrade your operating system.

DirectX 11.0 is included in Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2. There is no stand-alone update package for this version. You can update DirectX by installing the service pack and update listed below.

DirectX 11.1 is available for Windows 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008 RS SP1, with Platform Update for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 (KB2670838).

Note To upgrade DirectX further, you will need to upgrade your operating system.

DirectX 10 is included in Windows Vista. There is no stand-alone update package for this version. You can update DirectX by installing the service pack and update listed below.

DirectX 10.1 is included in Windows Vista SP1 or later, and Windows Server SP1 or later. There is no stand-alone update package for this version. You can update DirectX by installing the service pack and update listed below.

DirectX 11.0 is available for Windows Vista SP2 and Windows Server 2008 SP2, with KB971512 installed.

Note To upgrade DirectX further, you will need to upgrade your operating system.

DirectX 9.0c is available for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 by installing the DirectX 9.0c End-User Runtime.

Some applications and games require DirectX 9. However, your computer includes a more recent version of DirectX. If you install and then run an application or game that requires DirectX 9, you might receive an error message such as «The program can’t start because d3dx9_35.dll is missing from your computer. Try reinstalling the program to fix this problem.»

To resolve this issue, install DirectX End-User Runtime.

When you run this package, no change is made to your version of DirectX, Direct3D 9, Direct3D 10.x, Direct3D 11.x, DirectInput, DirectSound, DirectPlay, DirectShow, or DirectMusic.

To upgrade DirectX further, you will need to upgrade your operating system.

How to install the latest version of DirectX

What is DirectX?

DirectX is a set of components in Windows that allows software, primarily and especially games, to work directly with your video and audio hardware. Games that use DirectX can use multimedia accelerator features built-in to your hardware more efficiently which improves your overall multimedia experience.

Check which version of DirectX is installed

The DxDiag tool reports detailed information about the DirectX components and drivers installed on your system and can be used.

From Start, type dxdiag in the Search box, and then press enter.

Tap or click on dxdiag from the results.

Check DirectX Version on the first page of the report in the System Information section.

Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Search. Type dxdiag in the search box. Or, just type dxdiag from Start.

Tap or click on dxdiag from the results.

Check DirectX Version on the first page of the report in the System Information section.

Click Start, type dxdiag in the search box.

Tap or click on dxdiag from the results.

Check DirectX Version on the first page of the report in the System Information section.

DirectX versions and updates by Operating System

DirectX 11.3 and 12 are included with these Windows versions.

Updates will be available through Windows Update. There is no stand-alone package for these versions of DirectX.

DirectX 11.1 is included in Windows 8, Windows RT, and Windows Server 2012. There is no stand-alone update package for DirectX 11.1. You can only install this DirectX version through Windows Update in Windows 8, Windows RT and Windows Server 2012.

DirectX 11.2 is included in Windows 8.1, Windows RT 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2. There is no stand-alone update package for DirectX 11.2. You can only install this DirectX version through Windows Update in Windows 8.1, Windows RT 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2.

Note To upgrade DirectX further, you will need to upgrade your operating system.

DirectX 11.0 is included in Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2. There is no stand-alone update package for this version. You can update DirectX by installing the service pack and update listed below.

DirectX 11.1 is available for Windows 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008 RS SP1, with Platform Update for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 (KB2670838).

Note To upgrade DirectX further, you will need to upgrade your operating system.

DirectX 10 is included in Windows Vista. There is no stand-alone update package for this version. You can update DirectX by installing the service pack and update listed below.

DirectX 10.1 is included in Windows Vista SP1 or later, and Windows Server SP1 or later. There is no stand-alone update package for this version. You can update DirectX by installing the service pack and update listed below.

DirectX 11.0 is available for Windows Vista SP2 and Windows Server 2008 SP2, with KB971512 installed.

Note To upgrade DirectX further, you will need to upgrade your operating system.

DirectX 9.0c is available for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 by installing the DirectX 9.0c End-User Runtime.

Some applications and games require DirectX 9. However, your computer includes a more recent version of DirectX. If you install and then run an application or game that requires DirectX 9, you might receive an error message such as «The program can’t start because d3dx9_35.dll is missing from your computer. Try reinstalling the program to fix this problem.»

To resolve this issue, install DirectX End-User Runtime.

When you run this package, no change is made to your version of DirectX, Direct3D 9, Direct3D 10.x, Direct3D 11.x, DirectInput, DirectSound, DirectPlay, DirectShow, or DirectMusic.

To upgrade DirectX further, you will need to upgrade your operating system.

How To Check Directx Version On Windows 10?

How to Check Direct X Version in Windows 10

How can I see my DirectX version?

To use the DirectX Diagnostic Tool to determine the version of DirectX that is installed on your computer, follow these steps:

How do I know if I have DirectX 9 on Windows 10?

In the search box on the toolbar, enter dxdiag. Then select dxdiag Run command. In the DirectX Diagnostic Tool, select the System tab, then check the DirectX version under System Information.

Is DirectX already installed on Windows 10?

Windows 10 has DirectX 12 installed. To confirm and check which version of DirectX you have installed on your computer, this is what you will need to do on your Windows 10/8 computer. Go to Start Screen, type dxdiag and hit Enter. Under the System tab, you will see the DirectX version installed on your computer.

Does Windows 10 have DirectX?

Don’t take my word for it! Install the Windows 10 Preview and run dxdiag.exe, then look for the DirectX Version Info at the bottom of the System tab. Boom! DXDiag.exe in Windows 10 build 9926.

What is the latest DirectX version for Windows 10?

DirectX 11.0 is supported in Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7. Support for Windows Vista is available but only after a platform update. Get the 32-bit version here or the 64-bit one here. DirectX 10 is supported in Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista.

What is the difference between DirectX 11 and 12?

The most obvious difference that DirectX 12 requires Windows 10, while DirectX 11 requires Windows 7 or later. DirectX 12 also requires that your video card driver supports it as well. Its main improvement is that it lets more than one CPU core to submit commands to the graphic card at the same time.

Should I install DirectX 9 Windows 10?

The DirectX built into Windows 10 is compatible with DirectX 9, 10 and 11. So you shouldn’t try to install an older DirectX version manually at all. You can really screw up your Windows installation that way. Sometimes it helps to run the installer in “compatibility mode” for XP-SP3.

Can I install an older version of DirectX?

The short answer is that DirectX installation is a mess. There isn’t just a single DirectX Direct3D library games depend on, or even just a handful. Even if you’ve run the latest DirectX installer, there’s no guarantee it will install all the old minor versions of the DirectX libraries on you system.

How do I update DirectX?

3 steps to update DirectX

How do I get DirectX 12 for Windows 10?

Although, In Windows 10 the DirectX 12 is pre-installed on all the Windows 10 OS. But, in order to verify, here’s the procedure: Open Run and type ‘dxdiag’ and press ‘OK’ Now, a new dialogbox will open and in which under the ‘System’ tab find your DirectX version.

How do I reinstall DirectX on Windows 10?

Fix: DirectX installation problems in Windows 10

How do I switch to DirectX 11?

Log into the game to character select and open the Options menu. Click “Graphics” on the right. Click the drop-down next to “Graphics Hardware Level” and choose either DirectX 9, 10 or 11 mode. (Click “Accept” and restart the game to have it apply the change.)

Which DirectX does Windows 10 have?

How to Check Direct X Version in Windows 10

How do I install the latest DirectX?

Method 1 Determine the Version of DirectX Installed on Your Computer

Which is the latest DirectX version?

What is d3d11?

D3D11 is a more modern version of the library with newer features, and can provide improved visual fidelity. It may also affect performance (positively or negatively, depending on how the game uses it and what hardware you have). To use D3D11 features you need Vista or better and a D3D11-capable graphics card.

Is dx12 backwards compatible?

Enter DX12. Even better, DirectX 12 (and D3D 12) are backwards compatible with virtually every single GPU from the GTX 400 to the present day. At present, only Nvidia’s Kepler and Maxwell cards are DX12 compatible, but the company has promised that Fermi compatibility is coming in a future update.

Is Microsoft DirectX safe?

You won’t need to download it from MS, even though it is safe to do that. DirectX 10 features advanced 3-D graphics-rendering capabilities and helps improve your computer’s performance in games and high-end 3-D applications.

Can I use DirectX 12?

You won’t actually need a new graphics card to run Microsoft’s new DirectX 12 API, which will be baked into Windows 10 later this year. Microsoft has formally confirmed that modern GPUs will indeed work with DX12 after all.

What are the benefits of DirectX 12?

DirectX 12. DirectX 12 (DX12) enables developers to add amazing graphics effects to Microsoft Windows-based PC games. GeForce graphics cards deliver advanced DX12 features such as ray tracing and variable rate shading, bringing games to life with ultra-realistic visual effects and faster frame rates.

What’s DirectX 11?

DirectX 11. Microsoft DirectX is the graphics technology powering today’s most impressive games. The latest version, DirectX 11, enables the addition of advanced effects and features in NVIDIA-enhanced titles, ranging from tessellation and HBAO+, to Percentage Closer Soft Shadows and NVIDA HairWorks.

What is the latest version of DirectX 12?

How to install the latest version of DirectX 12 Latest? Updates will be available through Windows Update. There is no stand-alone package for these versions of DirectX. DirectX 12 is only available on PC and is developed exclusively by Microsoft.

What does dx11 feature level 10.0 mean?

There’s a common error message that users experience when they’re playing games like Fortnite, PUBG or ARK: DX11 feature level 10.0 is required to run the engine. This error message is usually caused by a missing or outdated graphics card driver, or an issue with DirectX.

How do I enable DirectX?

Ensure that DirectX is enabled for DirectDraw and Direct3D by performing the following steps:

How do I fix DirectX 11?

Update DirectX

How do I uninstall and reinstall DirectX?

Steps

How do I reinstall DirectX on Windows 7?

To find out more about your graphics card:

How do I update DirectX libraries?

Check which version of DirectX is installed

How do I know my DirectX version?

To use the DirectX Diagnostic Tool to determine the version of DirectX that is installed on your computer, follow these steps:

What is DirectX 11 download?

DirectX 11 Review. Note: This file contains a collection of DirectX libraries including 9.0c, 10 and DirectX 11. It will update the version of of DirectX that your system is running. DirectX 11 Update 11 is available to all software users as a free download (Freeware).

How to install the latest version of DirectX

What is DirectX?

DirectX is a set of components in Windows that allows software, primarily and especially games, to work directly with your video and audio hardware. Games that use DirectX can use multimedia accelerator features built-in to your hardware more efficiently which improves your overall multimedia experience.

Check which version of DirectX is installed

The DxDiag tool reports detailed information about the DirectX components and drivers installed on your system and can be used.

From Start, type dxdiag in the Search box, and then press enter.

Tap or click on dxdiag from the results.

Check DirectX Version on the first page of the report in the System Information section.

Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Search. Type dxdiag in the search box. Or, just type dxdiag from Start.

Tap or click on dxdiag from the results.

Check DirectX Version on the first page of the report in the System Information section.

Click Start, type dxdiag in the search box.

Tap or click on dxdiag from the results.

Check DirectX Version on the first page of the report in the System Information section.

DirectX versions and updates by Operating System

DirectX 11.3 and 12 are included with these Windows versions.

Updates will be available through Windows Update. There is no stand-alone package for these versions of DirectX.

DirectX 11.1 is included in Windows 8, Windows RT, and Windows Server 2012. There is no stand-alone update package for DirectX 11.1. You can only install this DirectX version through Windows Update in Windows 8, Windows RT and Windows Server 2012.

DirectX 11.2 is included in Windows 8.1, Windows RT 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2. There is no stand-alone update package for DirectX 11.2. You can only install this DirectX version through Windows Update in Windows 8.1, Windows RT 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2.

Note To upgrade DirectX further, you will need to upgrade your operating system.

DirectX 11.0 is included in Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2. There is no stand-alone update package for this version. You can update DirectX by installing the service pack and update listed below.

DirectX 11.1 is available for Windows 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008 RS SP1, with Platform Update for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 (KB2670838).

Note To upgrade DirectX further, you will need to upgrade your operating system.

DirectX 10 is included in Windows Vista. There is no stand-alone update package for this version. You can update DirectX by installing the service pack and update listed below.

DirectX 10.1 is included in Windows Vista SP1 or later, and Windows Server SP1 or later. There is no stand-alone update package for this version. You can update DirectX by installing the service pack and update listed below.

DirectX 11.0 is available for Windows Vista SP2 and Windows Server 2008 SP2, with KB971512 installed.

Note To upgrade DirectX further, you will need to upgrade your operating system.

DirectX 9.0c is available for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 by installing the DirectX 9.0c End-User Runtime.

Some applications and games require DirectX 9. However, your computer includes a more recent version of DirectX. If you install and then run an application or game that requires DirectX 9, you might receive an error message such as «The program can’t start because d3dx9_35.dll is missing from your computer. Try reinstalling the program to fix this problem.»

To resolve this issue, install DirectX End-User Runtime.

When you run this package, no change is made to your version of DirectX, Direct3D 9, Direct3D 10.x, Direct3D 11.x, DirectInput, DirectSound, DirectPlay, DirectShow, or DirectMusic.

To upgrade DirectX further, you will need to upgrade your operating system.