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How to Use DirectX 11 Instead of DirectX 12 in a Game

Windows has no global DirectX switch for games. Use the game’s renderer setting or a launch argument documented for that specific title and launcher.
Length2 min Posted Quest giverVGSources Team
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There is no Windows-wide switch that changes every game from DirectX 12 to DirectX 11. Choose DirectX 11 in the game’s graphics settings if it offers a renderer selector; otherwise, use only a launch option confirmed for that game and launcher. Restart the game after changing the selection.

Switch to DirectX 11 from the game’s settings

  1. Open the game and go to its Graphics, Video, or Advanced settings.
  2. Look for a DirectX or rendering API option and select DirectX 11 if it is available.
  3. Save the change and restart the game. Menu names and options vary by title; Windows does not provide a universal setting for this.

If the game will not start, you cannot use its in-game menu. Check the game’s official support instructions for a verified launcher argument or recovery method rather than guessing at a command or editing configuration files.

Use a launch option only when the game supports it

Launch options pass startup arguments to a game, but each title must recognize the argument. Steam explains how to set launch options in its support instructions; the mechanism does not make a particular DirectX command universal. A familiar-looking -dx11 may be ignored by a game that does not support it.

Fortnite in Epic Games Launcher

Epic’s instructions for forcing Fortnite to use DirectX 11 specify -d3d11:

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  1. Open Epic Games Launcher and select Settings.
  2. Expand the Fortnite section.
  3. Check Additional Command Line Arguments and enter -d3d11.
  4. Relaunch Fortnite.

To undo the change, remove the argument or uncheck the option. See Epic’s Fortnite support page.

Why the game and storefront matter

Renderer choices and launch arguments are title-specific, and the storefront can affect the available launch flow. For example, Satisfactory update notes published November 29, 2022 list -d3d11 and -DX11 among that game’s renderer options. Those are Satisfactory-specific examples, not commands to try in every game.

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Civilization VI support instructions, updated January 21, 2025, describe a different flow: Steam presents a DirectX 11/DirectX 12 choice at launch, while a desktop shortcut uses the default; the Epic version defaults to DirectX 11, and -dx12 opts into DirectX 12. This is why you should check instructions for your exact game and storefront rather than assume one launcher’s behavior applies to another.

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If the change does not work

  • The game opens but still uses DirectX 12: Check whether the game has an in-game renderer selector, then verify that you saved the setting and restarted. If you used a launch argument, confirm the exact syntax in that game’s current official documentation.
  • The game will not launch: Use only an official recovery procedure or a launch argument documented for that title. Remove an unverified argument if it is being ignored or preventing startup.
  • You are expecting better performance: Treat switching as a compatibility or troubleshooting step, not a guaranteed speed boost. The cited instructions describe how to select a renderer, not benchmark results or a promised fix for a particular crash.

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