DirectX 12 for Windows 11: Download the Latest Version

If you’re looking for ways to download DirectX 12 in Windows 11, this guide will help you. DirectX 12 is currently the latest version and offers the best performance, and in case you want to enable DirectX 12 Ultimate, we have a separate article on this topic. The previous versions include DirectX 9, 10, 11, 11.1, 11.2, and others.

Does Windows 11 have DirectX 12? Yes, DirectX 12 comes built-in with Windows 11. This is a significant move by Microsoft since Windows 11 has been built as the ultimate OS for gaming.

DirectX 12 is the exclusive software component of Windows 11 OS. So, to keep it up to date, you need to ensure that you have installed the latest version of the OS.

How do I download DirectX 12 for Windows 11?

1. First, press Windows + I to launch the Settings app.
2. Select Windows Update from the tabs listed in the navigation pane on the left.
3. Next, click on Check for updates on the right.
4. If an update for DirectX 12 is listed after the scan, download and install it in Windows 11.
5. Once done, restart the computer for the changes to come into effect.

So, once you have followed the steps to download DirectX 12 in Windows 11 and have it installed, you should have a better gaming experience.

How do I check the version of DirectX installed on the computer?

1. Press Windows + R to launch the Run command.
2. Type dxdiag in the text field, and either hit Enter or click on OK to launch the DirectX Diagnostic Tool.
3. Now, locate the DirectX version entry near the bottom, and check the installed version.

That’s the easiest way to check the installed version of DirectX in Windows 11 and the previous iterations. So, if you already have the latest version installed, there’s no need to go ahead with the download process.

Read more about this topic

• Fix: Can’t install DirectX in Windows 10/11
• How to fix DirectX errors on Windows 11
• FIX: D3dx9_43.dll is missing error on Windows 10/11

Does DirectX 12 improve FPS?

In simple terms, yes. DirectX 12 does bring improvements in your FPS while you play a game. This is because DirectX 12 uses the CPU and other resources more efficiently.

This leads to fewer FPS drops when the game demands the most performance. In addition, with DirectX 12, Microsoft evenly distributed the load across all cores, making the best use of multi-core on a CPU possible.

But this does not mean you will get double FPS with DirectX 12 on your PC because FPS on your game depends on many other vital factors. For example, in a demo presented by Intel, DirectX improved the FPS by 60% and consumed 50% less power.

Is there a standalone package for DirectX 12 in Windows 11?

Unfortunately, the answer is No. DirectX 12 is released through Windows Update, and that’s the only way you can download it on your Windows 11 PC.

Don’t lose hope! Most new computers already come with DirectX 12 installed. So you wouldn’t need to download or install it manually.

Even if your computer has DirectX 11 installed, it should work fine since most applications and games requiring the tool do not specifically ask for the latest version.

But updating DirectX should fix the problem if you are having trouble with the performance or encountering errors. Though if an update is not available, you will have to wait.

The tool must work fine now that you have DirectX 12 downloaded on your Windows 11 computer. But, several users have reported facing issues with DirectX, most of which are easily fixable within a few minutes.

If you encounter the DirectX function GetDeviceRemovedReason failing with an error, updating the drivers or modifying the power settings should help.

Tell us whether you were able to update DirectX 12 and if yes, your experience of it in the comments section below.