DirectX is a set of components by default included in the distribution of Windows, and is intended for the interaction of programs with audio and video cards. It is most commonly used by gaming applications to maximize the potential of a computer’s graphics subsystem. In this article our experts tell you how to find out the version of DirectX in Windows 10.
Diagnostic Tool
Included in Microsoft operating systems is a diagnostic tool that allows you to get all the necessary technical information about the audio and video subsystems of your computer.
Open the “Run” dialog by pressing Win+R. Type “dxdiag” in the text box. Click the “OK” button or press the enter key to start the diagnostic tool.
To ensure compatibility, Microsoft has included two sets of DirectX components in the Windows 10 distribution: version 11.3 i 12. The operating system decides for itself which one it is going to use, having analyzed the hardware configuration at the moment of installation. Waiting for the diagnostic tool to run and checking for driver digital signatures. On the first tab “System” the version of DirectX 12 is highlighted with a green marker – the maximum possible version for the current operating system. To find out which Windows is really used click on the “Next page” button.
On the “Screen” tab, look at the “Drivers” column. In the green highlighted line “DDI for Direct3D” is indicated the version of DirectX actually used in the system. In the case shown in the screenshot, it is 11.3. Windows chooses automatically, determining that the video card is not capable of working with another set of components. After finding out all the necessary information you can close the tool by clicking the “Exit” button.
Alternative
The alternative option allows to do without using the “Run” dialog box.
You type “dxdiag” into the search box of your operating system. The only match found is shown in the screenshot. Clicking on the “Open” area will launch the above mentioned diagnostic tool. If the system files are damaged, you may need to manually run the executable directly from the placement directory. In this case we use the area marked with “3” on the screenshot.
The explorer window opens in the system folder at C:\Windows\System32. Double-click on the highlighted file in the screenshot and run dxdiag manually.
To recap
Our experts explain in detail how to know the version of DirectX used on your computer. Do not forget that Microsoft does not produce for Windows 10 local installers. Patches and new builds of DirectX components are installed on your PC automatically through the Update Center.
