Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsIf Borderlands 4 stutters while shaders compile, give it time before clearing anything: Borderlands Support estimates compilation takes about 10 minutes on most PCs. To clear the cache, use the control for your GPU—NVIDIA players can remove large files from the game guide’s DXCache location, while AMD players can reset the shader cache in Adrenalin. NVIDIA also offers a cache-size setting; the cited Borderlands 4 guidance does not provide an AMD size control.
When should you clear the shader cache?
Compilation stutter can be temporary. Borderlands Support’s Borderlands 4: PC Troubleshooting and Optimization Guide, published September 6, 2025 and updated September 13, 2025, estimates that shaders take about 10 minutes to compile on most PCs. That is an estimate, not a guaranteed maximum. If compilation takes unusually long, the guide suggests restarting the game and your system.
Changing graphics settings triggers shader recompilation. After making a change, the guide advises playing for at least 15 minutes before judging its performance effect. Clearing the cache is not required after every patch or setting change; consider it when waiting and the usual troubleshooting steps have not helped.
Clear the cache for your GPU
Close Borderlands 4 before using either method. Both can affect shader caches for programs beyond the game, and cleared shaders must be compiled again when you launch affected games or applications.
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| GPU | Control | Scope | Cache-size guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVIDIA | Quick clear: large files in DXCache; NVIDIA also documents a separate, fuller cache cleanup. | The Borderlands 4 guide warns its quick clear may remove shaders used by other programs. The fuller vendor procedure clears multiple NVIDIA cache folders. | NVIDIA documents a cache-size setting. Its Driver Default was 16 GB when its support article was updated May 25, 2026; this is not a Borderlands 4 requirement. |
| AMD | AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition > Gaming > Graphics > Reset Shader Cache. | The Borderlands 4 guide says the reset affects all programs. | The cited Borderlands 4 guide gives no AMD cache-size control or numerical recommendation. |
NVIDIA: Borderlands 4 guide’s quick clear
- Exit Borderlands 4.
- Press Win + R, enter
%LOCALAPPDATA%NVIDIADXCache, and press Enter. - Delete the large files in that folder that are over 10 MB, following the Borderlands 4 support guide’s instruction. Do not treat this as a direction to delete arbitrary files elsewhere. The guide warns that this may also clear shaders for other programs.
- Relaunch Borderlands 4 and allow shaders to rebuild.
NVIDIA: fuller vendor-wide clear and resize
NVIDIA documents a more comprehensive cleanup in its shader cache support guide. This is a vendor-wide procedure, not a Borderlands-only operation; it clears several NVIDIA cache folders and can affect other games and applications.
- Open NVIDIA App > Graphics > Global Settings, set Shader Cache Size to Off, and apply the change.
- Reboot the PC.
- Clear the contents of
DXCacheandGLCacheunder%USERPROFILE%AppDataLocalNVIDIA, andNV_Cacheunder%USERPROFILE%AppDataLocalNVIDIA Corporation. - Return to the same NVIDIA App setting, restore your desired cache size, and apply it.
- Restart the PC again.
NVIDIA’s article, updated May 25, 2026, states that Driver Default was 16 GB at that time and says larger sizes can suit larger game libraries. That figure describes NVIDIA’s vendor setting, not a Borderlands 4 minimum or a guaranteed best value. The article does not establish a reason to use an arbitrary size such as 100 GB for this game.
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AMD: reset in Adrenalin
- Open AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition.
- Go to Gaming > Graphics and scroll to the bottom.
- Select Reset Shader Cache.
- Relaunch Borderlands 4 and allow shaders to compile. Other games and applications may also need to rebuild shaders because the reset affects all programs.
What to expect after a clear
A cleared cache means affected shaders need to be generated again, so compilation and temporary stutter can recur. Clearing is a troubleshooting step, not a guaranteed performance improvement or a fix for every stutter. If the issue persists after compilation, use the game’s broader troubleshooting guidance rather than repeatedly clearing the cache.
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