DirectX 12 Download: How to Install and Use the Latest Version of DirectX
If you are a PC gamer, you have probably heard of DirectX. It is a set of APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) that enables games and multimedia applications to run smoothly on Windows. But do you know what version of DirectX you have, and how to download and install the latest version? In this article, we will explain everything you need to know about DirectX 12, the most recent update of DirectX that offers improved performance, reduced CPU overhead, and new features. We will also show you how to check which version of DirectX you have, how to enable and use DirectX 12 in your games, what are the benefits of DirectX 12 over DirectX 11, what are the system requirements and compatible games for DirectX 12, and answer some frequently asked questions.
direct x 12 download
What Is DirectX and Why Do You Need It?
DirectX is a set of APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) that allows software, primarily 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. DirectX also handles tasks such as input, sound, networking, and memory management.
DirectX was first introduced by Microsoft in 1995 as a way to standardize the interface between software and hardware. Instead of having to provide individual drivers for multiple graphics, video, and sound hardware components, game developers could concentrate on programming for DirectX compatibility and know that their software would work on any Windows PC.
Since then, Microsoft has released several versions of DirectX with new features and improvements. The latest version is DirectX 12, which was released in 2015 as part of Windows 10. It is also available for Windows 11, the newest version of Windows that was released in October 2021.
How to Check Which Version of DirectX You Have
To check which version of DirectX you have installed on your PC, you can use the DxDiag tool. This tool reports detailed information about the DirectX components and drivers installed on your system. To use it, follow these steps:
Press Windows + R keys on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
Type dxdiag in the box and click OK.A window will open with the DirectX Diagnostic Tool. Click on the System tab at the top.
Look for the DirectX Version field at the bottom. It will show you the version of DirectX that is currently installed on your PC.
You can also check the version of DirectX for each display device (such as your graphics card) by clicking on the Display tab and looking for the Feature Levels field. It will show you the highest supported DirectX feature level for that device.
The latest available version of DirectX for your Windows OS depends on your system updates. For Windows 10, the latest version is DirectX 12 Ultimate, which was released in May 2020 as part of the Windows 10 May 2020 Update. For Windows 11, the latest version is also DirectX 12 Ultimate, which is included with the OS by default. You can compare your version with the latest version to see if you need to update your DirectX components.
How to Download and Install DirectX 12
If you have Windows 10 or Windows 11, you don't need to download and install DirectX 12 separately. It is included with the OS and updates are available through Windows Update. To check for updates, follow these steps:
How to install the latest version of DirectX 12
Direct3D 12 programming environment setup
How to update DirectX on Windows 11
DirectX 12 features and benefits
DirectX 12 compatible graphics cards
DirectX 12 vs DirectX 11 performance comparison
DirectX 12 games list and benchmarks
DirectX 12 download for Windows 10 64 bit
DirectX 12 offline installer free download
DirectX 12 SDK download and documentation
DirectX 12 ultimate download for Windows 10
How to enable DirectX 12 on Windows 10
How to check DirectX 12 version and support
DirectX 12 error fix and troubleshooting guide
DirectX 12 ray tracing tutorial and examples
DirectX 12 vs Vulkan API comparison
DirectX 12 for Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S
How to uninstall or reinstall DirectX 12 on Windows 10
DirectX 12 system requirements and compatibility
DirectX 12 best practices and optimization tips
How to use DirectX Tool Kit for DirectX 12
How to use DirectXTex for DirectX 12 texture processing
How to use DirectXTK12 for UWP, Win32, and Xbox One apps
How to use D3D12 Helper Library for memory management
How to use PIX for debugging and profiling DirectX 12 apps
How to use D3DCompiler for compiling HLSL shaders for DirectX 12
How to use D3DX12 for helper structures and functions for D3D12
How to use DXGI for enumerating adapters and monitors for DirectX 12
How to use D3D11On12 for interoperating between Direct3D 11 and Direct3D 12
How to use D3D9On12 for interoperating between Direct3D 9 and Direct3D 12
How to use D2D1On12 for interoperating between Direct2D and Direct3D 12
How to use WARP for software rasterization with Direct3D 12
How to use D3D11DeviceContextDownlevel for feature level emulation with Direct3D 11 on Direct3D 12 hardware
How to use D3D11OnDXGI1_4 for creating a Direct3D 11 device on a DXGI device supporting DXGI version >=1.4 (DirectX Raytracing)
How to use D3DXGlobal for global variables used by the D3DX utility library (DirectXMath, XAudio2, XInput, etc.)
How to use D3DXCore for core functionality used by the D3DX utility library (memory allocation, string manipulation, etc.)
How to use D3DXMath for SIMD-friendly C++ math library (vectors, matrices, quaternions, etc.)
How to use D3DXColor for color manipulation functions and constants (RGBA, HSL, HSV, etc.)
How to use D3DXMatrix for matrix manipulation functions (transpose, inverse, multiply, etc.)
How to use D3DXVector for vector manipulation functions (dot product, cross product, normalize, etc.)
How to use D3DXQuaternion for quaternion manipulation functions (slerp, rotation, conjugate, etc.)
How to use D3DXPlane for plane manipulation functions (intersect, normalize, distance, etc.)
How to use XAudio2 for low-level audio API (sound sources, voices, effects, etc.)
How to use XInput for game controller API (buttons, triggers, thumbsticks, vibration, etc.)
How to use XACT3 for high-level audio API (sound banks, wave banks, cues, etc.)
How to use XAudio2FX for audio effects library (reverb, volume metering, etc.)
How to use XAPOFX for audio effects library (echo, equalizer, compressor, etc.)
How to use XACTEngine for audio engine interface (create sound banks, wave banks, cues, etc.)
How to use XACTWaveBank for wave bank interface (load wave data from files or memory)
How to use XACTSoundBank for sound bank interface (load sound data from files or memory)
Press Windows + I keys on your keyboard to open the Settings app.
Click on Update & Security.
Click on Windows Update on the left pane.
Click on Check for updates on the right pane. If there are any available updates, they will be downloaded and installed automatically.
Note that there is no stand-alone package for DirectX 12 that you can download from Microsoft's website. However, you can download the DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer, which provides updates to some legacy DirectX components that are not included in Windows 10 or Windows 11. This installer does not affect the DirectX 12 components, but it may be useful for some older games and applications that require older versions of DirectX. To download and run this installer, follow these steps:
Go to and click on Download.
Save the file to your preferred location and then run it.
Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the installation.
How to Enable and Use DirectX 12 in Your Games
To use DirectX 12 in your games, you need to make sure that your game supports it and that you choose it in the game settings. Not all games support DirectX 12, and some may have it as an optional feature that you can enable or disable. To check if your game supports DirectX 12, you can look at the game's system requirements, documentation, or website. You can also use third-party tools such as , which provides a list of games that support DirectX 12.
To enable DirectX 12 in your game, you need to access the game's settings menu and look for an option that allows you to select the graphics API. This option may be under different names depending on the game, such as "Graphics Mode", "Render Mode", "Graphics API", or "DirectX Version". If your game supports DirectX 12, you should see it as one of the choices. Select it and apply the changes. You may need to restart the game for the changes to take effect.
In addition to enabling DirectX 12 in your game, you also need to make sure that your graphics card driver is up to date and supports DirectX 12 features. To update your graphics card driver, you can use one of these methods:
Use Windows Update, which may provide updates for your graphics card driver along with other system updates.
Use Device Manager, which allows you to search for updated drivers online or install drivers from a local source.
Use your graphics card manufacturer's website or software, which may offer more customized and optimized drivers for your specific model.
To check if your graphics card driver supports DirectX 12 features, you can use the DxDiag tool again and look at the Display tab. Under the Drivers section, look for the DCH/UWD, D3D DDI, and D3D Feature Levels fields These fields indicate the type, version, and feature level of your graphics driver. Ideally, you want to have a DCH/UWD driver, which is the latest and most compatible driver model for Windows 10 and Windows 11. You also want to have a D3D DDI of at least 12.0, which means your driver supports DirectX 12. Finally, you want to have a D3D Feature Level of at least 11_0, which means your driver supports the minimum features required for DirectX 12. If your driver does not meet these criteria, you may need to update it or upgrade your graphics card.
What Are the Benefits of DirectX 12 over DirectX 11?
DirectX 12 is the successor of DirectX 11, which was released in 2009 as part of Windows 7. DirectX 12 offers several benefits over DirectX 11, such as:
Better performance: DirectX 12 uses low-level APIs that allow more direct control over the GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) and more efficient use of CPU (Central Processing Unit) cores. This reduces the CPU overhead and increases the GPU utilization, resulting in higher frame rates and smoother gameplay.
Multi-GPU support: DirectX 12 supports explicit multi-adapter, which enables using different graphics cards together in a single system. This can improve performance and quality by combining the power of multiple GPUs, or by using one GPU for rendering and another for compute tasks.
New features: DirectX 12 supports new features that enhance the visual quality and realism of games, such as ray tracing, mesh shader, and sampler feedback. Ray tracing is a technique that simulates the behavior of light and shadows in a scene, creating more realistic reflections, shadows, and ambient occlusion. Mesh shader is a technique that allows more flexible and efficient rendering of complex geometry, such as terrain, foliage, and hair. Sampler feedback is a technique that allows more optimal use of texture memory, reducing loading times and bandwidth consumption.
These benefits are not exclusive to DirectX 12, as some of them are also available in other graphics APIs such as Vulkan and Metal. However, DirectX 12 is the most widely supported API for Windows games and applications, and it is compatible with most modern graphics cards and drivers.
What Are the System Requirements and Compatible Games for DirectX 12?
To use DirectX 12 on your PC, you need to meet the following system requirements:
Operating system: Windows 10 or Windows 11
Graphics card driver: A DCH/UWD driver that supports DirectX 12 features
CPU: A processor with a benchmark score of at least 2500 (you can check your CPU score on websites such as )
To play games that use DirectX 12 on your PC, you also need to check the game's specific requirements, which may vary depending on the game's settings and features. You can find the game's requirements on its website, store page, or documentation.
You can also find a list of games that support DirectX 12 on various websites and sources, such as . Some examples of popular games that support DirectX 12 are:
Game
Developer
Publisher
Release Date
Forza Horizon 5
Playground Games
Xbox Game Studios
November 9, 2021
Halo Infinite
343 Industries
Xbox Game Studios
December 8, 2021
Cyberpunk 2077
CD Projekt Red
CD Projekt
December 10, 2020
Gears 5
The Coalition
Xbox Game Studios
September 10, 2019
Shadow of the Tomb Raider
Eidos Montréal/Crystal Dynamics/Nixxes Software/Feral Interactive (macOS/Linux)
Square Enix/Feral Interactive (macOS/Linux)
September 14, 2018
Conclusion
DirectX 12 is the latest version of DirectX, a set of APIs that enables games and multimedia applications to run smoothly on Windows. DirectX 12 offers improved performance, reduced CPU overhead, and new features that enhance the visual quality and realism of games. To use DirectX 12, you need to have Windows 10 or Windows 11, a compatible graphics card driver, and a CPU with a benchmark score of at least 2500. You also need to check if your game supports DirectX 12 and choose it in the game settings. You can find a list of games that support DirectX 12 on various websites and sources.
We hope this article has helped you understand how to download and install DirectX 12, how to enable and use it in your games, what are the benefits of DirectX 12 over DirectX 11, and what are the system requirements and compatible games for DirectX 12. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about DirectX 12:
Can I use DirectX 12 on Windows 7 or Windows 8?
No, DirectX 12 is only available for Windows 10 and Windows 11. However, some games that support DirectX 12 may also have a DirectX 11 mode that you can use on older versions of Windows.
Can I use DirectX 12 on a Mac or Linux?
No, DirectX 12 is only compatible with Windows. However, you may be able to use other graphics APIs such as Vulkan or Metal on Mac or Linux, depending on the game and the platform.
How can I improve my performance with DirectX 12?
To improve your performance with DirectX 12, you can try the following tips:
Update your graphics card driver to the latest version that supports DirectX 12 features.
Adjust your game settings to match your system capabilities and preferences.
Close any unnecessary background programs that may consume your system resources.
Clean up your system from any malware, junk files, or errors that may affect your performance.
How can I fix any issues or errors with DirectX 12?
If you encounter any issues or errors with DirectX 12, you can try the following solutions:
Run the DxDiag tool and check for any problems or missing files in your DirectX components.
Run the DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer and install any updates or missing components for your DirectX version.
Run the Windows Update troubleshooter and fix any issues with your system updates.
Run the System File Checker tool and repair any corrupted or missing system files.
Contact your game developer or graphics card manufacturer for further support or guidance.
Where can I learn more about DirectX 12?
If you want to learn more about DirectX 12, you can visit the following resources:
: The official blog of the DirectX team at Microsoft, where they share news, updates, and insights about DirectX development.
: The official documentation of DirectX, where you can find reference guides, tutorials, samples, and tools for using DirectX in your projects.
: The official forums of DirectX, where you can ask questions, share feedback, and interact with other developers and users of DirectX.
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