What Is DirectX 12 | Fix Errors in Windows 10

Last update: 04/10/2024
DirectX 12

DirectX 12 Ultimate is a major update to Microsoft's well-known API. The Redmond giant has taken an important step to simplify, standardize next-generation PC game developments and Xbox Series X, as four important next-generation technologies for the sector come together under one banner. However, it may present some issues that lead you to want to uninstall Directx 12.

In this article we will talk about what Directx 12 is, how to solve some of its problems, and in case there is no other alternative, how to uninstall Directx 12 from your PC.

What is Directx 12?

Directx 12DirectX 12 is Microsoft's new software interface for games and an exclusive component of Windows 10The main advantage of DirectX 12 compared to its previous versions is that it uses the hardware integrated into the computer much more efficiently.

Multi-core CPUs are treated better, performance is increased, and new DirectX graphics cards also benefit from asynchronous shading technology (parallel processing of graphics tasks). But the graphics card must be compatible with DirectX 12.

It is a collection of interfaces of programming Of applications (API) for handling multimedia-related tasks, especially game and video programming, on Microsoft platforms. It first appeared in Windows 95 and now it would be hard to find a game that doesn't use DirectX on Windows.

To create programs that use DirectX, software developers must use the DirectX Software Development Kit, available from Microsoft.

The DirectX Software Development Kit (SDK) consists of runtime libraries in redistributable binary format, along with accompanying documentation and headers for use in coding.

Originally, runtimes were only installed by games or explicitly by the user. This SDK is available for download for free.

The first versions of the OS Windows (XP and earlier) had several versions of DirectX that had to be installed separately. Later versions of Windows included DirectX and some of them had the ability to update. The latest version of DirectX for Windows 10 is DirectX 12.

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How to fix DirectX 12 errors

So, as you may already know, DirectX is an important part of the Windows operating system and is required for many programs and hypermedia applications. Sometimes, users encounter various issues such as DirectX errors on their computers which can be quite annoying. Before you decide to uninstall Directx 12, you can try to fix the errors with some of these options.

1.- Reinstall the video drivers

A graphics (video) driver is the software that allows your operating system and programs to use your computer's graphics hardware. Updated graphics drivers are important and often provide better performance. Driver updates typically provide bug fixes and compatibility with newer software.

In some cases, simply reinstalling the video drivers helps to fix DirectX 12 errors. To reinstall the video drivers, you must first uninstall them. To do so, follow these steps:

  • Go to Device administrator (type “device manager” in Search and open it).
  • Expand your video hardware device section, select the controller and right click on it
  • Then choose "Uninstall device"

DirectX 12

  • Make sure the check box “Remove the driver software for this device” is checked when uninstalling the device. The drivers will now be uninstalled.
  • To reinstall them, you must restart your computer and Windows will automatically install the missing drivers.

2.- Install an older version of DirectX

Various versions of Windows have included and supported multiple versions of DirectX, allowing newer versions of the operating system to continue running applications designed for older versions of DirectX until those versions can be phased out in favor of newer APIs, drivers, and hardware.

If you have DirectX 12 errors, Try installing the older version of DirectX on your computer. Since some applications require older versions of DirectX to run properly, installing an older version may help you fix errors. Click this link to download the installer.

DirectX 12

Once you have finished installing it, restart your computer and see if you still have DirectX errors on your computer.

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3.- Download Visual C++ Redistributable Package

Visual C++ Redistributable Packages install runtime components of Visual C++ libraries on a computer that does not have Visual C++ installed. Many applications require Visual C++ Redistributable Packages to function properly. These packages are often installed independently of applications, allowing multiple applications to make use of the package and only need to install it once.

Sometimes installing these packages helps fix DirectX 12 errors, so you might want to try this one as well. Go to this website and download Visual C++ Redistributable.

Make sure you download the correct version of the Visual C++ Redistributable file.

4.- Use the DirectX diagnostic tool

The DirectX Diagnostic Tool is a tool designed to help you troubleshoot issues related to DirectX 12 and earlier versions. To launch this diagnostic tool, do the following:

  • Type “run” in Search and open Run.
  • In the Run dialog box, type «dxDiag» and press Enter on the keyboard or click «Accept«.
  • In the opened DirectX Diagnostic Tool, you will see four tabs: System, Display, Sound and Input.
    • The “System” tab Provides system information about your computer and specifies the version of DirectX that is installed on your computer.
    • The “Display” tab Provides information about your graphics adapter and monitor. It also displays information about your graphics drivers and what DirectX features are enabled.
    • The “Sound” tab The diagnostic tool provides information about the sound hardware, drivers, and output devices used on your system.
    • The “Input” tab lists the input devices connected to your computer and the input drivers installed on your computer.

NOTE: There may be more tabs, depending on your system.

DirectX 12

If the DirectX Diagnostic Tool detects a problem, It will show you a warning message in the “Notes” box at the bottom of the window on every tab (except the “System” tab).

The DirectX Diagnostic Tool gives you a quick way to make sure that DirectX 12 is installed and working properly and to view information about multimedia and video-related devices and drivers on your system. Check for any issues with DirectX 12 on your Windows using this tool. The tool also provides an easy way to save that information to your computer.

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Uninstall Directx 12

Since Directx 12 is part of Microsoft, it is considered a native PC program, so It is not possible to uninstall Directx 12 from your systemWhat you can do is delete the residual files. To do this, you just need to follow the steps below:

  • Open the Windows file explorer
  • Navigate to the following location: C:\Windows\System32 or C:\Windows\SysWOW64
  • Once you have found that directory, locate and delete the following files one by one
    • D3dx9_24.dll to 43
    • D3dx10_33.dll to 43
    • D3dx11_42.dll to 43
    • D3d9.dll, d3d10.dll and d3d11.dll
    • D3DCompiler_33.dll to 47
    • D3d12.dll
  • Once you have deleted these files you can proceed to reinstall Directx 12 on your system
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Reinstall Directx 12 in Windows 10

Reinstalling DirectX can help you fix any problems that may arise. To reinstall it, just follow the steps below:

  • Download Directx 12 from this site
  • Run the installer following the instructions on the screen
  • Once the installation is done make sure to restart your computer

Final words

As we have already clarified, Directx 12 DirectX is an important component of Windows 10 that assists in the playback of content, especially that linked to games. However, there may be some problems that require a solution. In this article we wanted to show you some alternatives so that you can solve any problems with this version of DirectX.