Drivers for directx games. How to find out the DirectX version on Windows. Different Windows and DirectX versions
Quite often this term is used when referring to games and graphics in them. Directx is a unique set of APIs that was created in order to solve multiple problems related to the programming segment. It was created specifically for Microsoft products - different versions of Windows, and is mainly effective when writing any games for computers. Directx is not only associated with graphics processing, it manages audio streams and is responsible for processing data coming from input devices - this could be a joystick or a standard keyboard. Modern versions require hardware support from devices - for example, those users who have more modern computers and a video card that supports Shader Model 4.0 can install Directx 10.
Features of new versions of Directx for Windows 7, 8, 10 you should know:
- Versions "7" and "8" do not support Directx 12 natively;
- Productivity will increase by 7-10 times;
- Older video cards will be able to partially support Directx 12.
If you are interested in improving the performance of your video card and more beautiful graphics in your favorite games, try downloading Directx for free, installing the latest version will improve the situation. The main thing is to make sure that your OS and video card are compatible with the new software, otherwise the updates will have no effect and you will simply waste your time.
Quite often, users of outdated versions experience a Directx error (missing certain files); to avoid such problems, you should constantly monitor updates. In most cases, you can update Directx by installing one of the modern games or downloading the version you need from our resource.
By updating/installing DirectX, you can fix many errors when installing games and programs
Select and install the version of DirectX you need for your operating system
Download DirectX 9 for Windows 2003/XP
Download DirectX 10 for Windows XP/Vista
Download DirectX 11(SDK) for Windows Vista/Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10
Download DirectX 12 for Windows 10
Download DirectX web installer- The program will determine which components are missing and install them itself
We will be glad to hear your feedback, we will also help you install components and correct errors. Write everything in the comments below
"DirectX" is a set of various software, which includes a wide range of technologies that ensure the functionality of computer programs. The software also generates certain gameplay and other multimedia-related applications. Such a program is sometimes supplied with the games themselves or other applications, which allows it to be updated from time to time. However, this does not always happen, and at the most inopportune moment the need for an up-to-date version may arise. Therefore, it is very important to always know in advance which version of DirectX is already installed on your PC.
DirectX itself helps applications interact with personal computer hardware, while easing not only the workload of the device. Without it, previously, for various multimedia applications, it was necessary to directly download special drivers that helped the same video card interact with the application. “DirectX” combines the functions of similar drivers, which makes the work easier for both developers and users.
Determining the available version of "DirectX" on a Windows XP PC
In order to determine the version of “DirectX” on Windows XP, you will need:
Important! If necessary, you can update to the latest current version using the official Microsoft website. Also on the site the user can find and download almost any of the previously published versions.
Determining the available version of "DirectX" on a Windows 7 PC
To find the necessary information about the version of “DirectX” on a given OS, you need to:
Determining the version of “DirectX” on Windows 8.1
On this OS, the algorithm for determining the version of this software has not changed. To learn more about DirectX, you will need:
How can you easily find out the version of DirectX you have in Windows 10?
This version of the OS assumes the ability to use the above-described algorithm of actions to determine information about such software. But there are cases when the "dxdiag" command does not work. In such cases, you should resort to this method:
- Launch the Explorer program. Right-click on the “Start” icon, left-click on the “Explorer” line.
On a note! The same menu can be called up by pressing the key combination “Win+X” on the keyboard.
- Then go to drive “C”.
- On drive “C”, open the folder called “Windows”.
- Next - “System32”.
- Find the “dxdiag.exe” program in the list of files and double-click the left mouse button to launch it. The well-known “DirectX Diagnostic Tool” will open, in which you can find the “DirectX Version” item.
On a note! The original Windows 10 software comes with "DirectX 12" pre-installed, but other than that, there are no earlier versions used for many programs and computer games. On the company's official website, the user can install any library required for the functioning of various applications and multimedia.
There are problems with DirectX when installing or using some computer games. Some games require more modern versions, while others require older versions. In this case, you should either reinstall the application itself or update the DirectX version.
Video - How to find out the DirectX version on your PC or laptop?
The best way to update DirectX 11 - 9 for Windows XP, 7, 8, 10 is to download the distribution from the official Microsoft website. And update DirectX to the latest version, no problem, and you won’t catch any infection. There are two ways to update the Direct X driver; they are simple and effective.
How to update and install DirectX libraries.
Update #1. The first option is a way to update Direct X for any version of Windows from XP to 10, provided by Microsoft in the form of a small web installer. An uninterrupted Internet connection is required for the update. Click on the button just below - “web installer”, download the file “dxwebsetup.exe” (285.3Kb).
Installation is extremely simple. Go to the download folder, double click on the downloaded file and start the installation. Take note of the standard agreement, tick it, click next.
In the next window, remove the checkbox from the Bing search engine so that your usual start page in the browser does not change.
Click on “next”. If you have an Internet connection, the installer will check your PC for libraries, then update DirectX to the latest version. When the updates are installed, do not run anything - first restart your computer.
Update #2. The second option - in my opinion, is the best way to update DirectX Windows 7, 8 from the official website - because it is more practical. The update does not require an Internet connection, it is always at hand, indispensable when reinstalling Windows, you can transfer it to a flash drive, and “treat” the PCs of friends and acquaintances.
A package of multimedia libraries - DirectX, is natively built into the Windows operating environment. The software product contains interfaces for sound playback, 2D and 3D graphics output. Therefore, DirectX is often included with computer games. Alternatively, you can download the latest package from Windows Update. But first, it is better to determine which edition of the product is installed on the system. Let's look at ways to find out the DirectX version using Windows tools, as well as specialized software.
Method 1 - system tools for diagnosing the DirectX version
An effective and simple method for obtaining information about a multimedia library package is provided by an internal Windows utility. To start the service, you must:
Note. When you first start the service, a warning will appear indicating that you agree to verify digital signatures for installed drivers. You can ignore the message by clicking “Yes”. In the dialog that opens, two tabs are of interest: “System” and “Screen” (Monitor). The first (look at the bottom line) displays the version of DirectX installed on the system.
Important! It remains to make sure that it is compatible with the computer’s video card. Because if the GPU does not support the latest update, then for games, other graphics and video operations, the earlier release of the product will be used.
The hardware compatibility of the API package is displayed in the “Display” tab. The Drivers section indicates which versions are supported by the GPU. The required information is in the “Function Levels” field. On computers with two video cards, GPU hardware compatibility with the API set is also displayed on the “Converter” tab.
Method 2 – directly launch dxdiag
It is extremely rare that a situation arises when the dxdiag system utility does not open using the above method. Then you need to act directly:
The sequence of further actions is similar to the previously described method. We use third-party utilities to find out the DirectX version
Along with built-in system utilities, there are special diagnostic packages that display more detailed information about the hardware and software components of the PC. The first application has a Russian-language interface, but requires a license. The second program is free, but provides information exclusively in English.AIDA64
The utility from FinalWire Ltd is distributed free of charge, with a 30-day trial period. During the trial period, some information is not displayed, but information on DirectX remains available. You can install any edition of AIDA64: Extreme or Engineer.
The program displays three options for information about the media library package:
- The installed version is in the “Computer/Summary information” section;
- hardware support – “Display/GPU” section;
- Direct3D properties.
The third block of data about the set of multimedia libraries is located in the DirectX section of the same name. In relation to computer games, working with graphics, watching movies, only one section is important. This is "DirectX - Video/Direct3D Properties". It contains interface parameters for displaying three-dimensional graphic objects, which is especially important for modern computer games.
As can be seen from the specific example in the screenshot, with driver version 12.0 installed, full hardware support is provided at the level of version 11.1.
GPU-Z
This is a software product from TechPowerUp, distributed free of charge. The application's working window has four tabs, where useful information on DirectX is presented in the “Graphics Card” and “Advanced” sections. Compared to AIDA64, the utility organizes data worse, which complicates its visual perception.
The version of DirectX supported by the GPU is displayed in the Graphics Card tab as shown in the screenshot.
The “Advanced” section allows you to analyze the hardware capabilities for API packages in the release range 9.0 – 12.0.
You can find out which version of DirectX is installed on your computer through the dxdiag system service and specialized utilities AIDA64, GPU-Z. The apps display both the software version of the API package and its GPU compatibility.
DirectX is a set of libraries for the full operation of Windows. Includes drivers and utilities necessary to connect the computer hardware with the system shell. DirectX is needed for applications in Windows 7, 8 or Xp to work fully. And some very demanding programs, in particular games, refuse to start at all in the absence of an updated utility. In this case, you should download DirectX 11 for free and without registration from our website and install it on your computer.
In modern games, Direct X implements many effects that make the image much more realistic. Shadows become softer as they move away from the object, just like in the real world. Thanks to the new DirectX 11, it has become possible to implement higher-quality blur, and only those parts that are in motion.
The picture comes to life. In addition, the reflection of objects and light has been improved. All these and many other effects are implemented in the utility. Download DirectX 11 for free and you can fully enjoy the immersion in the virtual world.
