How to Easily Update Microsoft DirectX

How to Easily Update Microsoft DirectX

/ Sed Galope

Most modern computers with a Windows Operating System would already include Microsoft DirectX by default. But there may be instances that you will manually download and install DirectX by yourself. These reasons may have DirectX errors, such as a wrong or incompatible version installed on your computer.

Although most of the time, some DirectX errors can be fixed by simply restarting the computer, there are some times that you will have to do some troubleshooting to get it fixed. Today, we will discuss DirectX and how you can manually update it.

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What is DirectX?

DirectX is software technology that houses a library full of application programming interfaces designed to make multimedia applications launch and operate smoothly. Some of these applications include 3D games, audio, network gaming, and a lot more. Other applications that require DirectX include graph software applications such as Adobe Photoshop.

One thing to note about DirectX is that certain applications require you to install a specific version of DirectX or its latest version. Although DirectX is already included in Windows, it does not necessarily mean it’s already updated, so you will have to do it yourself.

How to Update DirectX

Before you start updating DirectX on your computer, you should know what version you currently have on your computer. Windows Operating Systems will let you see that information by opening the DirectX Diagnostic Tool. This tool will let you see important information about your systems, such as your System Information, Display Information, Sound Information, and Input Information.

Here’s more detailed information on each tab in DirectX:

  • System Information Tab – This tab shows you the general information about your computer. This includes the computer name, Operating System, system manufacturer, system model, processor memory, and most importantly, the DirectX version in your computer.
  • Display Information Tab – In this tab, you can see the information about your graphics adapter and the monitor you are using. It also shows the driver’s version for your graphics adapter and what features of DirectX are enabled.
  • Sound Information Tab – You can see the information about the installed sound hardware on your computer. These drivers are installed with your sound hardware and the output devices/speakers/headphones connected to your system.
  • Input System Tab – In the Input tab, you will see the input devices currently connected to the computer and the drivers that come with it.
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You could see more tabs in the DirectX Diagnostic Tool depending on your system. If it happens to find a problem in your system, it will present a warning message in the “Notes” area located at the bottom part of the tool.

Opening the DirectX Diagnostic Tool

Here are the steps on how you can launch the DirectX Diagnostic Tool:

  1. Hold down the “Windows” and “R” keys to open the run line command. Type in “dxdiag” and press “enter” on your keyboard.
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Updating DirectX on Your Computer

There are two ways for you to update DirectX on a Windows computer. We will cover all of them, and it’s up to you which one you want to follow.

First Method – Download the Latest DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer

  1. Using your preferred internet browser, go to Microsoft’s DirectX download website by clicking here.
  2. Click on the “Download” button on the website. It will give you the latest version of DirectX.
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  1. You will then be sent to a download confirmation page and wait for the download to complete.
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  1. Open the File Installer and follow the installation wizard.
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  1. Wait for the installation to complete and click “Finish.”
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Second Method – Run the Windows Update Tool

The Windows Update Tool will check for any outdated drivers on your machine. It will also automatically download and install your drivers’ latest version, making it the easiest method to update DirectX on a Windows computer.

  1. Press the “Windows” key on your keyboard and press “R” to bring up the run line command type in “control update,” and press enter.
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  1. Click on “Check for Updates” in the Windows Update window. If no updates are available, you should get a message saying, “You’re Up to Date.”
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  1. If the Windows Update Tool finds a new update, let it install and wait for it to complete. You may be required to restart your computer for it to install.
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Summary

Updating DirectX was designed to be updated easily. By following the steps we have provided, you may be able to fix any errors you may encounter in the feature that has to do with DirectX.

Sed Galope
Meet the author

Sedfrey is an experienced writer and editor. He's also a PC hardware and gaming enthusiast. In his spare time, he enjoys reading about the latest innovations in the PC market and finding fixes to hardware and software errors.