What is DirectX Diagnostic Tool and How to Access and Use it in Windows 10

Windows 10 has integrated lots of other features for games, but DirectX is the most essential of these. DirectX diagnostic tool used to troubleshoot issues related to audio and visual content. Hence improving your PC’s abilities to process sound and 3D graphics. In addition, it is used to test DirectX functionality. DirectX Diagnostic Tool runs in the background. Therefore, you will hardly know of its existence unless when you need it.

In most cases, this tool is usually used by gamers who run advanced games on their PCs. DirectX Diagnostic Tool assists you to locate issues that occur when you are using multimedia applications, such as audio and video.

In this article, we will show you how to access DirectX Diagnostic Tool then how to use it on Windows 10 platform.

What is DirectX Diagnostic Tool and Why it is Important

One of the key features of Windows 10 is the DirectX Diagnostic Tool. Gamers, without a doubt, know what this is. DirectX is a gaming API (application programming interfaces) used for multimedia and visual programs, mostly games. With the help of DirectX, Microsoft has been able to dominate in gaming. Another primary gaming API is OpenGL, which is an open source API. Both do the same functions, such as making it more straightforward for developers to build games by developing a standard “language” to communicate with different hardware. DirectX is essential for Windows and game developers respond quickly to adjustments in it while OpenGL is useful for customizing Linux games, such as Minecraft and it is crucial for Linux-based operating system, such as StreamOs.

Why do we need API? It is because we don’t want to trouble with every feature in the graphics hardware, hence the API gives us easy commands to finish difficult tasks like draw cubes and assign a texture to the drawn image.

When you see some gaming problems, especially audio, graphics and performance, the tool can assist you in locating the problem and even understanding its origin. Many gaming companies have recommended DirectX Diagnostic Tool as an efficient way to find the problem. Therefore, gamers tend to opt for the DirectX Tool when they need support and troubleshooting for their games.

History of DirectX Diagnostic Tool

DirectX Diagnostic Tool has existed for a long time. In the Windows 95 days, the first version of the tool was released. The latest version, which is used by Windows 10 users, is DirectX 12. The tool version you are using, however, relies both on the operating system you are using and the Tool version, which is compatible with your graphics adapter. For instance, if you are using Windows 10 but your graphics cards are compatible with DirectX 11 version, you will be using DirectX 11. No matter which version of DirectX Diagnostic Tool you are using on your Windows 10, though, the procedure we describe in this guide on running the tool still apply.

Different Parts of DirectX Diagnostic Tool

Direct3D

This part of DirectX assists in producing 3D animation possible on your PC monitor. DirectX is designed to supply an active link between your PC’s video card and the software application that can provide 3D objects. The quicker your machine can process animation, the more realistic the graphics, light, and action on your screen will appear to be.

DirectDraw

This section of DirectX assists in producing 2D visual effects. Your PC’s video card and many software applications communicate with each other using DirectDraw before sending the complete visual image to the screen. Software applications like games, Windows system elements, and two-dimensional graphics packages.

DirectSound

This increases the performance of audio effects on your PC and makes playback possible. DirectSound links software application and hardware components on your system. It supports multimedia software applications, such as computer games and videos. In addition, DirectSound boosts hardware performance and allows mixing capabilities. Furthermore, it can access the sound card.

Different Ways of Running the DirectX Diagnostic Tool in Windows 10

Then how can this tool be accessed in Windows 10? This guide will introduce 4 methods, as below:

Method #1: Open DirectX Diagnostic Tool in Windows 10 via Run

You can use Run to open the DirectX Diagnostic Tool. To do so:

Step 1

Press Windows key + R on your keyboard to launch Run.

Step 2

In the Run dialog, type dxdiag then click OK or hit Enter.

Method #2: Open DirectX Diagnostic Tool in Windows 10 from Command Prompt

You can run the DirectX Diagnostic Tool by executing commands in the Command Prompt. To do so:

Step 1

Go to the taskbar, click the search bar, or search icon. Type cmd then enter the first option.

Step 2

In the Command Prompt, type dxdiag.exe then hit Enter.

Method #3: Open DirectX Diagnostic Tool in Windows 10 using Cortana

Also, you can open the DirectX Diagnostic Tool by searching in Cortana’s search box. To do:

Step 1

Click the Start Menu button. In the list of applications, choose Cortana.

Step 2

Type dxdiag in the Cortana search box then hit Enter.

Method #4: Open DirectX Diagnostic Tool in Windows 10 through Searching

You can open the DirectX Diagnostic Tool by searching in the search bar. Here are the steps:

Step 1

Go to the taskbar, press the search icon or search bar.

Step 2

Type dxdiag and enter the first match.

Method #5: Open DirectX Diagnostic Tool in Windows 10 from PowerShell

Alternatively, you can run the DirectX Diagnostic Tool by executing commands in the PowerShell. To do so:

Step 1

Go to the taskbar, press the search bar or search icon.

Step 2

Type PowerShell then enter the first match.

Step 3

In the PowerShell, type the following command then press Enter:

dxdiag

What Occurs After You Open the DirectX Diagnostic Tool

If you are opening DirectX Diagnostic Tool for the first time on your Windows 10 PC, you will see a prompt asking you whether you want to check if Microsoft digitally signs your drivers. To check your drivers, Windows might connect to the Internet, but doesn’t send personal information about your computer. The tool won’t change the current drivers.

Click Yes to allow DirectX Diagnostic Tool to scan. It will notify you whether the drivers are signed or not. Using signed drivers supports a stable and safe environment.

After the tool has completed checking the drivers, it opens to the System tab. You will 4 tabs on top as follows: System, Display, Sound, and input.

In some instances, you might see various tabs for a single item, for example, Display and Sounds. When this occurs, it means that there are two displays (monitor/screen) because of the 2 Display tabs as below and there are two or more audio devices are connected to your PC because of 4 Sound tabs as below. Therefore, the number of Display tabs and Sound tabs depend on the number of displays and audio devices connected to your PC.

How to View System Information from the DirectX Diagnostic Tool

System tab is the general tab and can’t appear in several tabs. This is because the System tab represents your PC so when you press it, you will see information about your machine and, most fundamental, what version of DirectX Diagnostic Tool you installed. System information includes information about your essential hardware, such as the processor and other important information about your PC, such as the current operating system, system manufacturer, system model, and BIOS.

How to View System Display Information Using the DirectX Diagnostic Tool

Display tab is the next tab. This tab displays information related to the graphics adapter and monitor of your system. Also, it displays your current display configuration and allows shows the enabled DirectX Features, such as DirectDraw Acceleration, Direct3D Acceleration, and AGP Texture Acceleration.

Older Windows, such as Windows XP, the Display tab allowed the user to enable or disable specific DirectX Features. Also, it allowed the user to run tests on some of the DirectX Features. Such tests show that the DirectX graphics are operating well.

The recent Windows version, such as Windows 10, took out the ability to disable specific DirectX Features leaving the task up to the graphics adapter’s manufacturer. Besides, the recent Windows version automatically performs tests and displays problems found in the Notes box.

The Display tab also shows your device’s remaining memory space and allows you to know if a driver is Signed, which shows Microsoft has passed it. If DirectX Diagnostic Tool finds an issue with your display configuration, a warning notification is shown in the Notes box.

How to View System Sound Information Using the DirectX Diagnostic Tool

The tab next to Display is Sound. By clicking on this tab, you will see information about the current audio device connected to your PC, its manufacturer information, and the drivers you installed. Earlier Windows version, the user was able to test DirectSound.

The Sound tab shows you if your audio driver is Signed, which shows that Microsoft has approved it. If DirectX Diagnostic Tool finds an issue with your sound configuration, a warning notification is displayed in the Notes box.

How to View Input Device Information Using the DirectX Diagnostic Tool

Finally, we reached the last tab known as Input tab.

This tab displays information about the input devices, for example, mouse and keyboard which are connected to your machine. Just like in the other tabs, you will see a Notes box at the bottom of the tab. If DirectX Diagnostic Tool finds an issue with any input devices that are currently connected to your PC, it will show a warning notification is displayed in the Notes box.

Possibly the most beneficial part of the DirectX Diagnostic Tool is the capability to save all the information displayed on all tabs to a text file which can be easily shared with others. In some cases, you may be asked for your DirectX Information. Sharing the text file is much easier than trying to capture all the information in each tab. Click the Save All Information button at the bottom-right side of the tab.

If you don’t have any problem, you can click the Exit button at the bottom-right position of the opened tab.

What is so special about DirectX 12?

DirectX 12 gaming technology has changed the PC gaming era. It offers high frame rate, improved performance, and lower power consumption. DirectX 12 is the latest version of Microsoft’s DirectX program, which manages multimedia tasks on Windows machines.

However, DirectX 12 is only available on Windows 10. It is one tactic to make you upgrade to Windows 10. One of the most significant benefits of DirectX is known as multi-adapter support. If game developers opt to use DirectX 12 effectively, it boosts the performance of your computer games. The computer games built will have decreased GPU overhead and less overhead, thus better performance.

Enabling DirectX Features for your Video Card

In some cases, a few or all of your DirectX Features are disabled. To enable DirectX Features:

1. Upgrade your video drivers to the newest version from the video card manufacturer’s site.
2. Ensure graphics acceleration is turned on for your graphics cards.

Install DirectX 12 on Windows 10

You do not need to install DirectX 12 on Windows 10 because it is already included. But if you are interested in downloading it use the link below:

https://www.windows10themes.net/files/directx_Jun2010_redist.exe

What is the Games Support DirectX Diagnostic Tool?

In most situations, many games run well with older versions of DirectX, but for the new games with advanced effects require DirectX 12. The following are examples of DX12 games: Arma 3, Call of Duty Black Ops 3, Deus Ex Mankind Divide, Tom Clancy’s The Division, etc.

Which NVIDIA Graphic Cards Require/ Support DirectX 12?

The NVIDIA GPU’s that require DirectX 12 include the following:

GTX TITAN X + Z, GTX 820-880M, GTX 980 TI, GTX 910-970, GTX 980

Which AMD Graphic Cards Require/ Support DirectX 12?

Here are a few examples of AMD:

AMD Radeon™ R9 Series graphics, AMD Radeon™ R5 240 graphics, AMD Radeon™ HD 8000 Series graphics for OEM systems (HD 8570 and up), AMD Radeon™ HD 7000M Series graphics for notebooks (HD 7730M and up), AMD A6/A8/A10 PRO-7000 Series APUs (codenamed “Kaveri”)

Conclusion

Identify Errors and Problems Simpler with the DirectX Diagnostic ToolDirectX Diagnostic Tool is efficient for finding problems in your machine. Therefore, take the opportunity next time to use this tool when you encounter driver errors.