DirectX is a set of components in Windows that allows software and 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 to check DirectX version, installed on your computer.
| Windows 10 | 1. From Start, type dxdiag in the Search box, and then press enter. 2. Tap or click on dxdiag from the results. 3. Check DirectX Version on the first page of the report in the System Information section. |
| Windows 8.1 or 8 | 1. Swipe left and tap Search. Type dxdiag in the search box. Or, just type dxdiag from Start. 2. Tap or click on dxdiag from the results. 3. Check DirectX Version on the first page of the report in the System Information section. |
| Windows 7 or earlier | 1. Click Start, type dxdiag in the search box. 2. Tap or click on dxdiag from the results. 3. Check DirectX Version on the first page of the report in the System Information section. |
DirectX versions and updates by Operating System
The new Windows operating system includes the latest version of DirectX. There is no stand-alone package for any DirectX version. You can only install and update DirectX version through Windows Update.
| Operating System | DirectX Version | DirectX Updates |
|---|---|---|
| Windows 11 | DX 12 Ultimate | By installing Graphic Tools as optional feature |
| Windows 10 | DX 11.3 / DX 12 | |
| Windows 8 | DX 11.1 | DX 11.2 with 8.1 update |
| Windows 7 | DX 11.0 | DX 11.1 with SP1 Platform Update (KB2670838) |
| Windows Vista | DX 10 | DX 10.1 with SP1 and DX 11 with SP2 (KB971512) |
| Windows XP | DX 9.0c | By installing the DirectX 9.0c End-User Runtime |
To upgrade DirectX further, you will need to upgrade your operating system.
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.
