How to fix
“Your graphics card does not support DirectX 11 features” error
on Windows

Hi, every time I try to launch a game, I receive a "Your graphics card does not support DirectX 11 features" error. This is weird because I know my GPU definitely supports it. Please help me to find a solution, as I can't play the game at all.

DirectX is a set of application programming interfaces (APIs) created by Microsoft for handling multimedia tasks such as rendering 3D graphics and playing audio. Since its release, it has since become the de facto standard for multimedia processing on Windows-based systems.

DirectX is an essential part of the Windows operating system, and its regular updates ensure that it remains up-to-date with the latest hardware technology. The latest version of DirectX, DirectX 12, was released in 2018 and offers improved performance over previous versions. However, there are older versions, such as DX11, which is frequently used by many older games, and not all graphics cards support all versions of DirectX. 

"Your graphics card does not support DirectX 11 features" is one of the errors users might face when trying to launch a game released in the era before DX12. This can be extremely problematic, as users are unable to play games they have paid for.

While it may seem that the error indicates that GPU does not support DX11, many users said that their GPUs are way beyond that, and can run many other recent games with no problems. If you are using older hardware though, it is worth checking whether your graphics card actually supports it - we explain how below.

For all the other users who are dealing with the "Your graphics card does not support DirectX 11 features" error, there are a few solutions available, and we discuss them below in detail. Before that, however, we recommend running a scan with a PC repair tool [d1], which would look for corrupted 

Before proceeding

You might receive the "Your graphics card does not support DirectX 11 features" error because it actually is the case and your graphics card does not support DirectX 11. Thus, the first thing you should do is check if it is the case:

• In the Windows search field, type in dxdiag and press Enter
• Go to the Display tab (if you use two monitors, pick the main one)
• On the top-right of the window, you'll see the Drivers section
• There, look for Feature Levels and DDI Version entries
• If the DDI Version or Feature Levels line does not display a value of 11 or higher, then your graphics card Does not support DirectX 11, and you will have to upgrade your hardware if you want to play.

Fix 1. Select the correct GPU

One of the most common reasons for users experiencing the "Your graphics card does not support DirectX 11 features" error is due to the wrong GPU being used for the game which fails to start. While it is less common in newer machines, gaming laptops are more likely to have both GPUs installed.

You can easily correct that by selecting your dedicated GPU to run games:

• Open Nvidia Control Panel
• Select Manage 3D settings in the left pane
• Make sure you select the Global Settings tab
• Here, you will see an option for Preferred graphics
• Select High-performance NVIDIA processor from the drop-down menu.

You can also do this for individual apps in the Program Settings tab

Fix 2. Install the latest version of DirectX

DirectX updates are shipped via Windows updates, so make sure you have the newest version of the OS installed.

• Type Updates in the Windows search field and press Enter
• here, click Check for updates
• If optional updates are available, install them too
• Restart your PC.

Fix 3. Reinstall GPU drivers

Reinstalling your drivers might fix the error for you.

• Right-click on Start and select Device Manager
• Expand the Display adapters section
• Right-click on your graphics card and select Uninstall device
• Tick the Delete the driver software for this device checkmark and click Uninstall
• Reboot your computer.

Your next task is to install the newest GPU drivers, which you could do via the official website of your GPU manufacturer or, if you want a quicker option, by using an automatic driver updater such as [rev id="DriverFix"].

Fix 4. Add Graphics Tools feature

• Right-click on Start and pick Settings
• Go to the Apps category
• Select Optional features on the right
• Click Add feature
• Scroll down to locate Graphics tools and select Install/Next.