How to find out which Direct X is needed. How to check if DirectX is installed? Which version of DirectX should you have?

DirectX, like any other software, requires periodic updates. Why is it so important not to neglect them? How to determine the product version on your computer?

What is DirectX and what is it for?

DirectX is a set of APIs (various functions, constants, etc.), designed to solve various tasks related to programming Microsoft Windows . Direct is often bundled with computer games and is mainly used by gamers.

DirectX is free application, which is freely available on the official Microsoft website.

The program ensures interaction between the video card and the game: it directs all the computing power of the computer to high-quality graphics. Thanks to DirectX, users can enjoy beautiful landscapes, well-drawn characters and detail in games.

DirectX allows computer game creators to improve graphics

DirectX does not improve graphics, it only gives developers the opportunity to make the picture more beautiful. If a game was written for version 9, then installing 10 will not change anything, but a game developed for 11 will look worse in 10.

How to Check Current Version of DirectX on Windows 7 PC

DirectX is one of the programs installed by default on the operating system. Each has its own version.

But there may be differences when updating the system. How to find out DirectX version on a computer with Windows 7 operating system?

If Windows could not find the dxdiag command, then version 5.0 or earlier is installed on your computer, in which case, install the latest version of DirectX through Windows Update.

How to find out the DirectX version (video)

DirectX - built into the operating system Windows software software that affects graphics in computer games. If you want to enjoy realistic landscapes with well-drawn details, we recommend regularly updating the product to the latest version.

The Windows operating system has a rather complex structure, which only its developers can understand. For proper operation of all its components in applications and games that require serious resources, developers from the Microsoft studio release a special set of tools - DirectX. It is a mistake to think that this is just a program that users need.

In fact, DirectX is a set of tools that is supported by Microsoft for developers. It is impossible to program complex applications and games for Windows without DirectX. It must be installed on your computer as well. end user a program or game designed so that Windows can interact with it. DirectX tools are regularly improved and new versions are released. That is why it is important for the user to know which DirectX is installed on the computer, and whether it needs to be updated to work with a modern game.

How to find out which DirectX is installed

Determine the version of DirectX on the computer running Windows control very simple, all you need is:

1. Press the Windows + R combination on your keyboard to open the “Run” line;
2. You will need to enter the dxdiag command in it;
3. This will open a system information window called “DirectX Diagnostic Tools”. On the “System” tab at the bottom you can see a column indicating which DirectX is installed on the computer.

Important: You can install any version of DirectX on your computer. However, there is an important nuance: if it is not supported by hardware, then the Windows system will not be able to work with it. Then the operating system selects the highest supported version of DirectX as active, and it is this version that is displayed in the diagnostic menu, information about which is given above.

How to determine DirectX version using third-party programs

In addition to the utilities built into the operating system, you can determine the version of DirectX on your computer third party applications. At the same time, they are able to provide much more information than the dxdiag command mentioned above.

A convenient computer diagnostic tool is the AIDA64 application. His free version can be downloaded from the official website of the developers. This program allows you to find out information about all computer components, as well as about the software component.

In the left menu of the application you can see a separate DirectX item. It contains information in three subsections: files, video, sound:

AIDA64 is not the only diagnostic program for your computer. You can find many of its analogues on the Internet, both paid and free.

Why DirectX 12 does not work on Windows 10

One of the features of the operating room Windows systems 10, which Microsoft is actively promoting, are games. New version operating system at a “close to hardware level” works with games that are developed on DirectX 12. This allows players to low-power computers run projects that require high productivity.

However, some Windows users 10 may discover when checking that they have DirectX 11 or 11.2 installed, and not the modern DirectX 12. In such a situation, there is no need to download DirectX 12 from the official Microsoft website and install it on your computer, since this will not help. This version drivers are initially available in Windows 10, and the solution to the problem should be sought in another plane.

If you see DirectX 11.2 instead of DirectX 12 on Windows 10, this is due to:

It is important to note that a more recent DirectX on a computer does not replace previous versions. That is, if an application or game requires DirectX 8,9 or 10 to run, and later versions are installed on your computer, you need to download the “old” driver.

Often games also require the latest version of the package, otherwise they simply will not launch. However, not every user and gamer knows how to check the DirectX version.

Let's take a closer look at how to check the DirectX version and start the diagnostic service.

How to check the DirectX version yourself

There is a very simple way to check the version of a multimedia package that works on any version of Windows OS:

1. Click Start - Run...
2. In the new window, enter “dxdiag” and click OK.
3. In the “System” tab, find the “DirectX Version” item, where the current version will be indicated.

If the version is outdated, then you need to install a newer one by downloading from the company website.

You can read more about installation in our article.

You can also read more about checking the package version from our article.

How to Run DirectX Diagnostic Tools

DirectX diagnostics check all components of the media package for problems. Diagnostic tools can detect:

• Incorrect DirectX version. This means that DirectX needs to be updated or reinstalled.
• Absence hardware acceleration. Many programs will run much slower without acceleration or will not run at all.
• Wrong installed devices. This means that the joystick or other accessory or device is not working with the OS system due to incorrect drivers.
• Unsigned drivers. Some drivers may not be compatible with latest version DirectX, which will worsen their performance on Windows OS.

To run the diagnostic tool:

1. Click Start - Run.
2. Enter the word "dxdiag" and click OK.
3. The same window will open as in the instructions in the previous section. Diagnostics will run to identify problems. After the diagnostics are completed, you can view all the necessary information about the system in the window tabs.

Also in these windows you can change some data, such as increasing hardware acceleration. However it works this method only on Windows XP. In their newer versions, no parameters can be changed in the tabs. And DirectX updating occurs only through downloading and installing a new version.

What is DirectX? This is a set of APIs needed to solve problems related to programming in the operating room. Windows versions. It is most often used when writing games, so often newly released games can only work under new versions of DirectX. Today I will talk about how to find out which version is installed on your PC or laptop.

First method

To begin, we will use the standard component diagnostic tool, which is built into Windows. To do this, you need to use a utility called “Run” (Start - Run, or Win + R). In the window that opens, enter the word dxdiag and click OK.

A window will appear in which you can not only see the version installed DirectX, but also whole line other parameters, including computer name, model, manufacturer, memory size, and so on.

Second method

If for some reason you cannot use the method indicated above, you can use third-party utilities. Similar programs- a great variety, take at least the legendary EVEREST, which shows absolutely all the information about your computer.

You need to install the program, then run it and wait until the system collects the necessary information. Go to the “Computer” - “Summary Information” section and all the information will be displayed on the screen, including DirectX (see screenshot). In my case the program is English language, but I highlighted the main points.

By the way, do not forget to update DirectX as it is released, so that you will always be able to play modern games.

DirectX - a set of libraries and software, which are used to solve problems related to the release of applications and games for the Windows operating system. Each OS version has a certain generation of this software installed, which corresponds to the capabilities installed video card. Each subsequent release of the API package includes all legacy libraries, so you don't have to install all the releases in a row - just install the latest package. Let's see how you can check DirectX on Windows 7 different ways.

Standard means

Windows operating systems have a special built-in feature that allows you to view information about the system, screen, sound and input devices. Get access to this application can be done in two ways: using a command in the "Run" window or by launching an executable file. Let's consider both options.

In order to check DirectX on Windows 7, you need to follow these steps:

1. Launch the Run application. This can be done using the Start menu and the item of the same name in it, or through the Win+R key combination.
2. In the window that opens, enter the dxdiag command and click OK to run the right application.
3. After some time spent collecting information, you will see a window with statistics and
4. On the first tab "System" there is a line "DirectX Version". Opposite it you will see a number current version Software that is installed on the computer.
5. However, the version that appears in the first tab is not necessarily the one supported by your video card. To find information about supported libraries, you need to open the Display tab.
6. Pay attention to the "Drivers" section and the DDI line for Direct3D. Opposite this item is the generation number of the API package that is supported by your video card.

Now you know how to check DirectX on Windows 7 in two directions - the one that is installed on the computer, and the one that is supported by the graphics accelerator of your computer.

Second standard option

You can launch it in other ways. Firstly, you can open system partition hard drive and go to the Windows and System32 directory. In the list of all files, find dxdiag.exe and open it.

Secondly, the user can use the search in the Start menu. To do this, open the menu and enter the name of the executive file. Once it appears in the list of matches found, run it. By all means, you can run the application and check the DirectX version on Windows 7. Also, the described options are suitable for all subsequent versions of the operating system, up to 10.

Third party programs

If you are not satisfied standard remedy check, then you can use a third-party utility to check information about the system and equipment. For example, one of such programs is the popular AIDA64. You can download for free trial version and view the DirectX version on Windows 7 through it.

You need to run the program and select “Operating system” in the main directory with partitions. In it, find the line with the name of the software, opposite which will be written installed version.

To understand which version is supported by your video card, find the DirectX section and open the "Video" tab. Then find the line "Hardware support". Opposite it, you can check DirectX on Windows 7, which is supported by your graphics accelerator.