How to find out which DirectX is installed in Windows 7. How to find out which DirectX is installed on your computer

Sometimes, in order to install and correctly play media files and run games, you need to determine whether your PC operating system meets the installation requirements, or whether you need to update software resources. To do this, you need to find out which DirectX was installed on your computer. There are several ways to do this.

Why is a DirectX update required?

For the software to work fully, you need to create an appropriate working environment: install the package of missing drivers and related programs. For example, to be able to watch videos in the browser, you need to install the Adobe Flash Player module, and to run popular games you must install DirectX 11.
Constantly monitoring the relevance of the multimedia package, as well as all software on your computer, helps to avoid incorrect system operation and installation of erroneous programs.
As a rule, when you purchase and download a certain program, it already includes DirectX or a function for updating it if it is already present on the PC. If problems arise with updating or installing DirectX, you need to independently find out the cause of the incompatibility between the application and the OS.

How to find out the DirectX version by OS name

DirectX is already built into modern operating systems. You can understand which DirectX is installed by looking at the system version:

  • Windows 7 is installed in tandem with DirectX 10.
  • Windows 8 usually contains DirectX 11.
  • Well, the latest Windows 10 is equipped with either DirectX 11 or DirectX 12.
  • If your PC has an outdated OS, for example, Windows XP, then most likely you have DirectX 9 installed. This version must be updated, otherwise most games will not even install.



Determining DirectX version using the command line

If you have previously updated DirectX or downloaded different versions bundled with applications, it will be difficult to find out its exact version just by the OS name. Therefore you need to use this method:

  • Open the Start menu and type dxdiag in the Search programs and files line.
  • Or simultaneously hold down the “Windows” + “R” key, after which a menu will open with the ability to execute commands, where you should also type dxdiag.
  • In the window that opens, you can find the necessary information about DirectX.


Finding out the DirectX version using third-party applications

  • You can find out which DirectX is installed on your computer in the control panel of the built-in video card. For example, you can take an NVidia video card. If you open the system information window, information about DirectX will also be listed there. You can find information about the graphics editor in this way: “Start” - “Control Panel” - “NVIDIA Control Panel”.


  • You can also obtain the necessary information using special utilities, for example, Aida 64 (old name Everest). You can find and download this application for free on the Internet. In addition to information about DirectX, this utility has many useful functions that you will definitely need.



Now you know how to determine the current version of DirectX that is installed on your PC. All that remains is to update it to the latest version, if necessary.

DirectX is a set of tools that was designed to make multimedia work efficiently on Microsoft Windows. Roughly speaking, a software component whose task is to “organize” all the hardware elements of the system. Most often used in the process of writing games, since it is responsible for graphics processing. For the system to work correctly, the video card requires reverse hardware support for DirectX..

This component, as well as its executable libraries, are updated during the installation of games. But how can you find out the directx version yourself and update it if necessary?

Which version of DirectX should you have?

Each version of Windows supports its own DirectX:

  • For Windows XP this is DX9;
  • for Vista – DX10;
  • for Win7 and 8/8.1 – DX11.

The release of the new “tenth” version of the OS from Microsoft brought us the new 12th version, which, according to the developers, will finally unleash the full potential of multi-core processors, making the CPU-video card combination many times more productive.

Determining Your Version

To find out what exactly you have installed, open Start and find the Run command. This is true for all versions of Windows, starting with XP.

Enter the phrase, or look for this menu item among the suggested ones. Search is still faster. Press Enter and wait for the collection of statistical data on your system as a whole and its individual components in particular.

We are interested in the “system” tab. We look at the very bottom and find that version 11 of DirectX is installed (example).

Updating DX Components

If you think that the software version is outdated and the games require a more recent package of executable libraries, update them on the official Microsoft website using the appropriate link (valid for version 11).

Then make sure that your video card supports this software version. If it can only handle DX9 and DX10, no upgrade will work. Hardware support is more important than software support, so keep that in mind.

You can find out about the specifications of the video card on the Internet.

Today, a huge number of computer games and programs require a special graphics package - DirectX, without which the games and programs will either work incorrectly or not work at all. But often, applications require the latest version of this package, otherwise they simply will not be able to start. What to do in such a situation? Should I install or check it? Today you will learn: how to check the DirectX version on your computer.

**Please note that, first of all, these instructions are intended for users of the Windows 10 operating system.

Checking the current version of DirectX manually

In order to check the version of this multimedia package, you need to do the following:

This window opens. In the input field we write the following: dxdiag and click OK:

A new window has opened. In the “System” tab, you need to find the “DirectX Version” item (usually located at the very bottom). The version will be indicated there (circled in red):

If suddenly the version turns out to be outdated (less than the ninth), then it is recommended to download and install the new version from our website:

How to diagnose DirectX?

For diagnostics, use the instructions above.

Do I have to install the latest version?

Yes, definitely. This is necessary for stable operation of programs and computer games.

DirectX, like any other software, requires periodic updates. Why is it so important not to neglect them? How to determine the product version on your computer?

What is DirectX and what is it for?

DirectX is a set of APIs (various functions, constants, etc.), designed to solve various problems associated with programming on Microsoft Windows. Direct is often bundled with computer games and is mainly used by gamers.

DirectX is a free application that is freely available on the official Microsoft website.

The program ensures interaction between the video card and the game: it directs all the computing power of the computer to high-quality graphics. Thanks to DirectX, users can enjoy beautiful landscapes, well-drawn characters and detail in games.

DirectX does not improve graphics, it only gives developers the opportunity to make the picture more beautiful. If a game was written for version 9, then installing 10 will not change anything, but a game developed for 11 will look worse in 10.

How to Check Current DirectX Version on Windows 7 PC

DirectX is one of the programs installed by default on the operating system. Each has its own version.

operating system DirectX version
Windows XP SP2DirectX 9.0c
Windows VistaDirectX 10
Windows Vista SP1DirectX 10.1
Windows Vista SP2DirectX 11
Windows 7DirectX 11.1
Windows 8DirectX 11.1
Windows 8.1DirectX 11.2
Windows 10DirectX 12

But there may be differences when updating the system. How to find out the DirectX version on a computer running Windows 7?

If Windows could not find the dxdiag command, then version 5.0 or earlier is installed on your computer, in which case, install the latest version of DirectX through Windows Update.

How to find out the DirectX version (video)

DirectX is software built into the Windows operating system that affects graphics in computer games. If you want to enjoy realistic landscapes with well-drawn details, we recommend regularly updating the product to the latest version.

This technology was developed by Microsoft to simplify programming for the Windows operating system. DirectX is most often used to create computer games, as well as other programs related to 3D graphics.

To run many games, you need to install DirectX at least a certain version. For example, a game may require DirectX 9 or higher. Faced with such a requirement, users are wondering how to find out the version of DirectX that is installed on the computer. This is exactly the question we will examine in this article.

The easiest way to find out the DirectX version is to run the dxdiag command. This can be done by searching in or on the Start screen (tiled screen). To do this, simply enter the dxdiag command into the search and open the found program.

You can also use the Run menu. To do this, press the Windows-R key combination and enter the dxdiag command in the window that opens.

After running the dxdiag command, a window called “DirectX Diagnostic Tool” will open in front of you. Here at the very bottom of the window the version of DirectX that is installed on your computer will be indicated.

You can also use a special computer. For example, you can use a free program.

In this program you need to open the “Configuration - DirectX” section. Here at the very top of the window the installed version of DirectX will be indicated.

How to update DirectX to the latest version

If you have determined the version and want, then you need to download the web installer from the official website. To do this, go to , select the desired language and click on the “Download” button.

After this, the site will offer additional downloads of update packages for other Microsoft products. Click “Cancel and continue.” After this, the web installer should start downloading. Once the download is complete, launch it and then follow the instructions that appear on the screen.