Get DirectX 12 free from Microsoft on any Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC. Run Windows Update for the newest DirectX 12 files, then add Microsoft’s DirectX End-User Runtime when a game asks for extra DirectX components.
Both downloads come from microsoft.com. The End-User Runtime Web Installer is a 288.4 KB file that pulls the components your PC is missing.
This guide covers which download fits your PC, installing the runtime online or offline, checking your DirectX version, and fixing missing DLL errors.
Which DirectX download do you need?
Match what you are trying to do with a row below. Most gamers need the first two rows and nothing else.
| Your situation | What to download | Size |
|---|---|---|
| You want DirectX 12 on Windows 11 or Windows 10 | Windows Update steps from Microsoft | Delivered with Windows updates |
| A game reports a missing d3dx9, d3dx10 or d3dx11 file | DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer | 288.4 KB |
| The PC has no internet, or you set up several PCs | DirectX End-User Runtimes (June 2010) | 95.6 MB |
| You only want to know which version you have | Microsoft’s DirectX version check | Nothing to download |
Skip any site that offers single DirectX DLL files or unofficial DirectX packs. Microsoft’s two installers above cover every legacy component a game can ask for.
Download DirectX 12 and the DirectX runtime for Windows 11 and 10
Microsoft hosts every file below on download.microsoft.com. Windows Update handles DirectX 12, and the Download Center carries the runtime packages for older game components.
- DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer page — version 9.29.1974.1, published July 15, 2024
- dxwebsetup.exe — 288.4 KB (295,320 bytes), needs an internet connection
- DirectX End-User Runtimes (June 2010) page — full offline package
- directx_Jun2010_redist.exe — 95.6 MB (100,275,120 bytes)
- How to update Windows — the route for DirectX 12 updates
DirectX 12 has no separate installer. Microsoft includes DirectX 11.3 and DirectX 12 in Windows 10 and later and ships their updates only through Windows Update.
The runtime packages add a different layer. They install libraries from the legacy DirectX SDK, such as D3DX9, D3DX10, D3DX11, XAudio 2.7, XInput 1.3, XACT and Managed DirectX 1.1, which older games still load.
How to install the DirectX End-User Runtime on Windows 11 and 10
Install the runtime when a game refuses to start or names a missing DirectX file. The package leaves the DirectX version built into Windows unchanged.
- Open the DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer page on microsoft.com.
- Click Download to get dxwebsetup.exe.
- Open the Downloads folder and double-click dxwebsetup.exe.
- Select Yes at the User Account Control prompt.
- Accept the license agreement to continue.
- Follow the setup prompts and keep the PC online while the installer fetches the components.
- Close setup when it reports the installation is complete.
- Launch the game again.
Running the installer again is harmless. It checks which legacy components are present and installs only what is out of date.
Install the DirectX runtime offline or on several PCs
Use the June 2010 package on a PC without internet, or when you set up several gaming PCs. Download it on a connected PC and copy it across.
Run the package and unpack its files into a folder. That folder holds dxsetup.exe along with the component cabinets.
| File | Size | Use |
|---|---|---|
| directx_Jun2010_redist.exe | 95.6 MB | Full offline runtime package |
| June 2010 runtime page | Web page | Version and file details |
| dxsetup.exe (inside the unpacked folder) | Included | Runs setup, with or without prompts |
Open Command Prompt as administrator in the unpacked folder and run dxsetup.exe /silent . The switch installs the components with no setup window.
Put the unpacked folder on a network share and run the same command on each PC. Test it on one PC before rolling it out to the rest.
Which DirectX download do you need for your Mac?
Microsoft builds DirectX as a set of components inside Windows. No macOS version exists, so a Mac has nothing to install from Microsoft.
| Your machine | What to use | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mac running macOS | Microsoft’s DirectX overview | DirectX is part of Windows only |
| Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC | Windows Update | DirectX 12 included |
| Windows PC running an older game | DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer | 288.4 KB |
Is DirectX 12 free?
Yes. DirectX 12 and the DirectX runtime cost nothing. DirectX 12 comes with Windows 11 and Windows 10, and its updates arrive through Windows Update at no charge. Microsoft offers the End-User Runtime Web Installer and the June 2010 offline package free on the Microsoft Download Center. A site that charges for DirectX, or sells a DirectX repair pack, is not Microsoft.
Should you install DirectX 12 or DirectX 11?
Install neither separately. Windows 11 and Windows 10 already include DirectX 11.3 and DirectX 12 side by side. A game that offers a DirectX 11 or DirectX 12 mode uses the version already in Windows, so you pick in the game’s settings rather than by downloading. The D3DX utility libraries are the exception: Microsoft does not build them into any version of Windows, and older DirectX 9, 10 and 11 games need the End-User Runtime to supply them.
How to check your DirectX version and update it
DxDiag, the DirectX Diagnostic Tool, reports the DirectX version and the drivers behind it.
- Open the search box on the taskbar and type dxdiag.
- Select dxdiag from the results.
- Open the System tab.
- Read DirectX Version under System Information.
- To update, select Start > Settings > Windows Update on Windows 11, or Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update on Windows 10.
- Select Check for updates.
- Select Download & install if updates are listed.
- Restart the PC when Windows asks you to.
Select Save All Information in DxDiag to export the details in a file you can share for troubleshooting.
Check the DirectX 12 system requirements
DirectX versions follow the Windows version. To move to a newer DirectX, you upgrade Windows itself.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Software | DirectX 12 and DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer |
| Developer | Microsoft Corporation |
| Latest version | DirectX 12 in Windows; web installer 9.29.1974.1 |
| Released | Web installer published July 15, 2024 |
| License | Free |
| File size | 288.4 KB web installer; 95.6 MB offline package |
| DirectX 12 | Included in Windows 11 and Windows 10, updated through Windows Update |
| Runtime OS list on download page | Windows 7, Vista, XP SP2 and SP3, Server 2003 SP1 and SP2, Server 2008 |
| Architecture | 32-bit (x86) and 64-bit (x64) legacy components |
| Components added | D3DX9, D3DX10, D3DX11, XAudio 2.7, XInput 1.3, XACT, Managed DirectX 1.1 |
| macOS | Not available |
| Offline installer | Yes, June 2010 package |
| Official source | microsoft.com |
| Last verified | 2026-09-13 |
The runtime pages still list Windows 7 and earlier. The package matters on Windows 11 and 10 anyway, because it supplies D3DX files that no version of Windows ships.
Fix DirectX not installing or games not starting on Windows 11 or 10
A game says d3dx9_35.dll or another D3DX file is missing
The game needs a legacy DirectX component that Windows does not include.
- Download dxwebsetup.exe from the DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer page.
- Run it and complete setup.
- Launch the game again.
- Never copy a single DLL from a download site into the game folder or System32.
The web installer stops with a download error
dxwebsetup.exe fetches its components online, so a blocked or unstable connection stops it.
- Download the June 2010 offline package instead.
- Unpack it into a folder.
- Run dxsetup.exe from that folder and follow the prompts.
DxDiag shows an older DirectX version than you expected
DirectX is tied to the Windows version, and newer versions arrive only with Windows updates.
- Open Settings > Windows Update and select Check for updates.
- Install everything listed and restart.
- Upgrade Windows if the PC runs a version older than Windows 10.
A game still complains about XInput 1.3 or XAudio 2.7
An earlier runtime install was interrupted or incomplete.
- Restart the PC to clear any pending setup.
- Run dxwebsetup.exe again and let it finish.
- Reinstall the game if the error persists, so any DirectX setup bundled with it runs again.
Which official source should you get DirectX files from?
Stay with Microsoft’s own routes. Each one below covers a different need.
| Source | Publisher | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Windows Update | Microsoft | DirectX 12 and DirectX 11.3 updates |
| DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer | Microsoft | Missing D3DX, XInput or XAudio files on one PC |
| DirectX End-User Runtimes (June 2010) | Microsoft | Offline PCs and silent installs |
| The game’s own installer | Game publisher | The exact components that one game needs |
Use Windows Update first on every PC. Add the web installer only when a game names a missing DirectX file.
Frequently asked questions
Is DirectX 12 free?
Yes. DirectX 12 is part of Windows 11 and Windows 10, and its updates come free through Windows Update. Microsoft’s DirectX End-User Runtime installers are also free on the Microsoft Download Center.
Where is the official DirectX download page?
The official page is the DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer on microsoft.com, download ID 35. DirectX 12 itself has no download page, because Microsoft delivers it through Windows Update.
Does DirectX 12 work on Windows 11?
Yes. Windows 11 includes DirectX 12, and Microsoft keeps it current through Windows Update. Open dxdiag and check DirectX Version under System Information to confirm it on your PC.
How big is the DirectX download?
The DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer is 288.4 KB and downloads the remaining components during setup. The full June 2010 offline package, directx_Jun2010_redist.exe, is 95.6 MB.
Is there a DirectX offline installer?
Yes. Microsoft’s DirectX End-User Runtimes (June 2010) package is a 95.6 MB file that installs without an internet connection. Unpack it and run dxsetup.exe, or dxsetup.exe /silent for an unattended install.
Is there DirectX for Mac?
No. DirectX is a set of components in Windows, and Microsoft publishes no macOS version. A Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC gets DirectX 12 through Windows Update.
Is there a 64-bit or ARM64 DirectX download?
The runtime installs both 32-bit and 64-bit legacy components, so one download covers either game type. Microsoft publishes a single dxwebsetup.exe with no separate ARM64 file, and DirectX 12 itself comes with Windows.
What is the latest version of DirectX?
DirectX 12 is the version included in Windows 11 and Windows 10. The separate DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer is version 9.29.1974.1, published on the Microsoft Download Center on July 15, 2024.
Is it safe to download DirectX?
Yes, when it comes from microsoft.com or Windows Update. Avoid sites offering single DirectX DLL files or bundled DirectX packs, because Microsoft’s own installers already provide every legacy component.
Why won’t DirectX install?
The web installer needs a working internet connection and stops if the download fails. Use the June 2010 offline package instead, and install pending Windows updates, since DirectX 12 updates arrive only that way.
Can you uninstall DirectX 12?
No. Microsoft treats core DirectX components as part of the operating system, and DirectX 12 has no stand-alone package to remove. Installing the End-User Runtime leaves the DirectX version in Windows unchanged.
How do I check if DirectX 12 is installed?
Search for dxdiag and open it from the results. On the System tab, read DirectX Version under System Information. A Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC shows DirectX 12.
