The X initial has been carried forward in the naming of APIs designed for the Xbox such as XInput and the Cross-platform Audio Creation Tool (XACT), while the DirectX pattern has been continued for Windows APIs such as Direct2D and DirectWrite.ĭirect3D (the 3D graphics API within DirectX) is widely used in the development of video games for Microsoft Windows and the Xbox line of consoles. When Microsoft later set out to develop a gaming console, the X was used as the basis of the name Xbox to indicate that the console was based on DirectX technology. The name DirectX was coined as a shorthand term for all of these APIs (the X standing in for the particular API names) and soon became the name of the collection. Originally, the names of these APIs all began with 'Direct', such as Direct3D, DirectDraw, DirectMusic, DirectPlay, DirectSound, and so forth. Microsoft DirectX is a collection of application programming interfaces (APIs) for handling tasks related to multimedia, especially game programming and video, on Microsoft platforms. Then, type the following in the box and press Enter (or click “OK.Microsoft Windows, Windows Phone 8, Dreamcast, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S, Linux (Gallium Nine) (DirectX 12 only, Exclusive to Windows Subsystem for Linux), 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.

Download microsoft directx