The following technologies and tools, formerly part of the DirectX SDK, are now part of the Windows SDK. To download the Windows 11 SDK, Windows 10 SDK, or Windows 8.x SDK see Windows SDK and emulator archive. You can now use the Windows SDK to build great games for Windows. DirectX is now a fundamental part of Windows.īecause the Windows SDK is the primary developer SDK for Windows, DirectX is now included in it. In parallel, DirectX technologies are more integrated with Windows. Today, the availability of Direct3D hardware in computers drives even traditional desktop applications to use graphics hardware acceleration. As DirectX technologies matured, they became relevant to a broader range of applications. We originally created the DirectX SDK as a high-performance platform for game development on top of Windows. Then, type the following in the box and press Enter (or click “OK.Starting with Windows 8, the DirectX SDK is included as part of the Windows SDK.

To do that, first, open the Run dialog box by pressing Windows+R. If you’d like to see what DirectX version your system is currently running, use a command in your the Run dialog box and you’ll see the version number. RELATED: What to Do When Your PC Game Lags Check the Current DirectX Version on Windows 11

Earlier versions include DirectX 11, 10, 9, and 8, but Windows 11 has always come with DirectX 12 preinstalled. The latest version may patch issues in the version you have installed, allowing you to have a bug-free experience.Īs of February 2023, the latest DirectX version is 12. You may also want to update DirectX if you have an issue with your PC, particularly graphics-related problems. Since DirectX plays a role in all kinds of multimedia functions, an updated version of DirectX can also improve your experience in things like watching videos. You can expect improvements in FPS and animations in your games.

The main reason to update DirectX is that a newer version enhances the gaming experience on your Windows 11 PC.

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