[FIXED] ‘DirectX Failed to Initialize. Please Install the Correct Drivers for Your Video Card’

The “DirectX failed to initialize” error has stopped many users from running an installed program.

When you try to start a game or launch a program on Windows 10/11, the error message interferes and the application does not start. This guide presents the best ways to deal with this issue.

What Is DirectX?

On internet forums, there are myriads of posts from users wondering what DirectX really means and does, which is why we decided to add a brief explainer here before showing how to remove the initialization error.

DirectX is a collection of application programming interfaces (APIs) that simplify tasks for graphics-intensive applications and games.
It eliminates a lot of work on the part of the game developer. Also, it spares the user from installing extra software to be able to run graphics-related processes.

For example, when playing a game, the game listens to your input and calls the correct DirectX input library, which registers your press on the keyboard or controller.

In this way, the developer outsources hardware communication to Microsoft via DirectX without worrying about hardware compatibility.

What Is the “DirectX Failed to Initialize” Error on Windows 10/11?

Simply put, DirectX is a collection of tools for handling multimedia-related tasks on your computer.

It is a core part of Windows and is used to render graphics in games and other programs that output audio and video.

The “DirectX failed to initialize” error means that the software you’re trying to launch cannot access the DirectX libraries and therefore cannot render any graphics.

Without using DirectX or a similar rendering package, most graphics-intensive programs simply can’t run, so this is a fairly serious error.

This error happens when you try to launch a program and manifests itself with the following message:

DirectX failed to initialize. Please install the correct drivers for your video card.

That said, this issue can happen due to a miscommunication between the operating system and the graphics card, making the OS think that the GPU doesn’t support DirectX.

Other possible reasons for the “DirectX not initializing” error:

• Problems with the display device.
• An outdated DirectX version.
• Issues with Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable on the computer.
• The absence of the required C++ Redistributable version.
• Obsolete or corrupted display drivers.

The list is by no means exhaustive. Symptoms like a slowed-down PC, random crashes and freezes, and reduced performance can point to a malware infection.

Irrespective of the cause, it is more important to find a solution. Below are six effective fixes that could help you.

How to Fix the “DirectX Failed to Initialize” Error

Work your way through these potential fixes and make sure you apply each method correctly.

Fix 1: Update DirectX

DirectX is a package of multimedia technologies required by many games and graphics-oriented programs to run on Windows.

An application or game will usually work correctly if the version of DirectX it requires has already been installed. Trying to start the program can lead to the “failed to initialize” error if this isn’t the case.

If your PC is running Windows, you have some version of DirectX installed. The suite is a core Windows package and cannot be removed.

However, you may need to upgrade your toolkit version to ensure compatibility with the latest games and applications.

If you’re dealing with the “DirectX failed to initialize” error when trying to run a game or another program, first check which version of the suite is installed on your PC.

You can use the DxDiag program in Windows to confirm your DirectX package version:

• Press the Windows key + R keyboard combination to open Run.

• Type “dxdiag” into the Run box and click OK.

• The DirectX Diagnostic Tool will open.
• You will have your system and software information in the System tab. Check your package version next to DirectX Version.

There are three ways to update an outdated DirectX version. We’ll examine each method here.

The first and most recommended method is to update the suite by updating Windows. Since DirectX is an integral component of Microsoft Windows, it is always updated alongside a major or platform update.

If you’re yet to upgrade to the latest major build of Windows 10/11, doing so will also update DirectX.

Alternatively, you can visit the official DirectX download page to download the installer. Launch the installer after downloading and follow the onscreen prompts to finish updating the framework.

This method can also install missing DirectX files that some programs require to function perfectly.

The third method involves updating DirectX via third-party software. Some games and programs include the DirectX installer in their setup folders. While some install it automatically, others prompt you to perform the installation manually.

Some applications include only the specific DirectX files they require.

Also read: How to Download and Install Windows 11: The Most Up-to-Date Information

Fix 2: Update your graphics card driver

DirectX may fail to initialize because your display driver is outdated or corrupted. If you have just jumped to Windows 10/11, chances are that your video card driver hasn’t made it.

In such a case, the driver can become incompatible if Windows 10/11 doesn’t support it.

Another scenario is when the driver is compatible with Windows 10 or 11 but is too old to render the latest features needed by the program that is reporting the initialization error.

Graphics card manufacturers keep their fingers on the pulse of the latest tech and graphics innovation trends.

When a new development, like ray tracing, starts getting featured in games and graphics processors, they generally bring out driver updates so their hardware can support the feature.

Also read: [FIXED] “Your Graphics Card Does Not Support DirectX 11 Features”

An update will typically fix the issue, whether the driver is outdated or corrupted. You can proceed manually, use your PC’s inbuilt driver updating functions, or rely on a third-party tool, especially for multiple updates.

Updating important drivers automatically

When you update your PC via Windows Update, it often updates some important drivers automatically, provided the necessary updates have been added to the Windows database.

Concerning graphics cards, this applies mostly to the big players and integrated video cards.

Graphics card manufacturers such as NVIDIA, Intel, and AMD often install specialized software that either updates the corresponding drivers automatically or prompts the user to download the necessary updates.

Updating drivers via Device Manager

However, you don’t always want to rely on these automatic methods. There are occasions when the “DirectX failed to initialize” error shows up, such as when a certain driver update is instantly needed.

How to update your graphics card driver via Device Manager in Windows 10/11:

• Right-click the Start menu and click Device Manager.
• Expand Display adapters on the Device Manager screen.

• Right-click your display card and select Update driver.
• On the next screen, choose Search automatically for drivers.

Windows will download and install the latest driver software and inform you when the operation is completed.

At this point, you may need to reboot the computer so that the system can start using the newly installed driver.

You can also use first-party tools like NVIDIA GeForce Experience and AMD Radeon Settings to directly download and install the necessary driver software.

Fix 3: Install the latest Visual C++ Redistributable

Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable is a set of runtime library files many programs need for proper graphics rendering.

There are several versions of Visual C++ for Windows. Even though they’re integral to the OS, they can be uninstalled.

However, removing a Visual Studio package from Windows will stop the programs that use it from working properly.

Some programs need the latest version of Visual C++. Others need a specific version. If you keep getting the “DirectX failed to initialize” error, updating, installing, or reinstalling the Visual C++ package can help.

First, you can update to the latest Visual Studio package by downloading and running the Visual C++ Runtime Installer.

The latest versions of Visual C++ are Visual Studio 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2022. It installs the redistributable files for the three editions of Visual C++ as one package.

If that doesn’t solve your issue, it might be because the program requires an earlier version of Visual C++ for full functionality. Most of the time, this is indicated in the product description.

You can get earlier versions of Visual C++ from their separate download pages: 

• Visual Studio 2013 (VC++ 12.0)
• Visual Studio 2012 (VC++ 11.0)
• Visual Studio 2010 (VC++ 10.0) SP1
• Visual Studio 2008 (VC++ 9.0) SP1

If updating the runtime library doesn’t help with this problem, try the fix below.

Fix 4: Turn off hardware acceleration

Hardware acceleration is a feature that uses system hardware to take the burden off your software in some situations and for some operations. Hardware acceleration is most common on general-purpose computers that feature a discrete video card or some other specialized hardware.

The principle behind this feature is that the CPU offloads some demanding tasks to the video card for more efficient performance.

When the CPU is overworked, dumping some of the work on the graphics card can save the day, allowing faster and better operation processing and delivery.

Irrespective of the benefits, you may need to disable hardware acceleration, at least temporarily, to solve errors like “DirectX failed to initialize.”

Here’s how to disable hardware acceleration. 

Follow the steps below:

• Right-click any space on your desktop and select Display settings.

• In the Graphics settings window, you’ll see an option for Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling.
• If it’s enabled, toggle the switch to Off to disable it.

That’s all.

Now reboot the system and check if you still get the “DirectX failed to initialize” error.

If doing this doesn’t eliminate the issue, simply re-enable hardware acceleration and move on to the next fix.

Fix 5: Test a 32-bit version of the program

This is kind of a Hail Mary fix, but there’s no harm in trying out all possible avenues to resolve issues like this.

First, check whether the problematic application is 64-bit. A quick way to determine this is by checking the installation location.

32-bit apps and programs go into the C:\Program Files (x86) folder by default, while 64-bit apps tend to be found in the C:\Program Files folder.

Of course, programs using either Windows architecture can be manually or automatically installed elsewhere.

If a 32-bit version of the program is available, try installing that instead. If that works for you, then stick with it.

Fix 6: Run the Hardware and Devices troubleshooter

The Windows Hardware and Devices troubleshooter can help you find the source of the problem and fix it.

• Open Settings and navigate to Devices > Troubleshoot > Hardware and Devices and click the Run the troubleshooter button.
• Follow the instructions by the troubleshooter wizard to solve your problem.

Steps for Windows 11:

• Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.
• Type “msdt.exe -id DeviceDiagnostic” and press Enter.

• This will launch the Hardware and Devices troubleshooter.

• Follow the on-screen instructions to run the troubleshooter and diagnose the problem.

“DirectX Failed to Initialize. Please Install the Correct Drivers for Your Video Card”: Fixed

Running into the “DirectX failed to initialize” error can be frustrating—but with the right steps, you can resolve it quickly. Look into updating DirectX, upgrading your graphics drivers, reinstalling Visual C++ Redistributable, and adjusting hardware acceleration. Tools like Auslogics Driver Updater can come in handy here to get your system back on track faster.