How to fix 'D3D11-compatible GPU' error in Windows 11/10

The 'D3D11-compatible GPU' error is a common game-related error for both Windows 10 and 11. You often see this error message when trying to start some affected games. It will display an error message saying 'a D3D11-compatible GPU (feature level 11, shader model-5) is required to run the engine" and affected games won't start.

This bug is more widely reported for Fortnite but also for other Windows titles. If you are facing the same problem, here is how you can fix the 'D3D11-compatible GPU' error in Windows 10 and 11.

1. Install any available Windows updates

When you update Windows, your computer will also update DirectX. This is important, as DirectX is a gaming and multimedia API. The error message 'D3D11-compatible GPU' refers to Direct3D 11, part of DirectX. Since the 'D3D11-compatible GPU' error is associated with DirectX, you should install all available Windows updates and see if that fixes the error.

2. Scan system files with SFC

To check for system file errors that may be causing the 'D3D11-compatible GPU' error, run an SFC (System File Checker) scan. The SFC tool will scan and repair corrupted system files in Windows.

3. Set up the game using a dedicated graphics card

Does your PC have integrated and discrete (dedicated) graphics adapters? If that's the case, make sure the affected game is using the dedicated GPU on your PC. To do so, you can select the High-performance graphics option for the game through Settings. TipsMake's guide to choosing the preferred graphics card for your application will show you how to set a dedicated GPU for the game in Settings.

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Or, you can choose to disable your PC's integrated GPU instead. That will ensure all your games use your PC's high-end dedicated graphics adapter. You can disable the integrated GPU like this:

1. Open Device Manager, which you can access by pressing Windows key + X and clicking its shortcut.

2. Double-click the Display adapters category to view the graphics adapter.

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3. Click your PC's integrated graphics adapter to select Disable .

4. Select Yes on the dialog box asking you to provide additional confirmation.

4. Update driver for graphics card

Sometimes updating your graphics processing unit (GPU) driver will fix the 'D3D11-compatible GPU' error. If your graphics card driver is outdated, updating it may be the solution.

The article recommends that users download and install the latest driver for their graphics card manually from the NVIDIA, Intel or AMD website. TipsMake's guide on how to update graphics drivers on Windows has more information on this topic if you need help.

5. Repair or Update Visual C++ Redistributables on PC

The 'D3D11-compatible GPU' error can sometimes be caused by missing or corrupted Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable runtime libraries. So you may need to repair or install the runtime library on your PC.

Here is how you can choose to repair Visual C++ Redistributables through Apps & Features:

1. Open the Apps & Features settings tab .

2. Type Microsoft Visual C++ in the search box at the top of Apps & Features .

3. Then click the three-dot menu button to fix Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable there.

4. Select the Modify option .

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5. Click the Repair button in the Visual C++ window that opens.

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6. Repeat the previous two steps for all Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables listed in Apps & features.

Or you may need to install some missing Visual C++ Redistributables libraries. You can install the latest runtime libraries with the Microsoft Visual C++ 2015-2022 Redistributable package as follows:

1. Navigate to Microsoft's Visual C++ Redistributable download page.

2. Click the X64 download link for Visual Studio 2015-2022.

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3. Your browser may include a tab or menu showing downloaded files. Open the Downloads tab with the Ctrl + J hotkey in Firefox, Opera, Edge and Chrome browsers.

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4. Then click VC_redist.x64.exe to display the window below.

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5. If your PC is missing some runtime libraries, the Microsoft Visual C++ 2015-2022 Redistributable window will have an Install option . Click that Install button .

6. Select the option Restart now after updating the library.

6. Install the DirectX . runtime library

DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer has helped some users to fix the 'D3D11-compatible GPU' error. That installer replaces missing or damaged DirectX files. Here are the steps to install the runtime library with DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer:

1. Open Microsoft's DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer download site.

2. Select that site's Download option .

3. Next, click the dxwebsetup.exe file in the download section of your browser.

4. Select the I accept the agreement option inside the DirectX setup wizard.

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5. Click Next to view Bing Bar offers.

6. If you don't want additional software, uncheck the Install the Bing Bar option .

7. Click the Next button in the DirectX installation wizard.

8. Click Finish in the wizard.

9. Restart the Windows computer.

7. Set up affected games running with DirectX 11

If possible, try setting up an affected game to run using DirectX 11 instead of DX12. Of course, you won't be able to do that through the game's settings screen if it doesn't start in the first place.

However, you can set up games to run using DirectX 11 with command line arguments in Epic Games and Steam. Here's how to set up affected games to run with DirectX 11 in Epic Games and Steam:

How to force run DirectX 11 on Epic Games

For any title on Epic Games:

1. Open the Epic Games Launcher window.

2. Click the user account button near the top right corner of the Epic Games Launcher window.

3. Select the Settings menu option .

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4. Click on the title of the affected game to expand the options for that game.

5. Then select the game's Additional Command Line Arguments check box .

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6. Type d3d11 in the text box for the command line argument.

How to Force Run DirectX 11 on Steam

Likewise, if you're a Steam fan:

1. Open the Steam client software.
2. Select Library along the top of Steam's window.
3. Right click on any game with 'D3D11-compatible GPU' and select Properties .
4. Type -dx11 in the launch options text box on the General tab .

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8. Expand the page file for more virtual memory

Expanding the page file will increase the amount of virtual memory available to the game. It's the recommended troubleshooting method for the 'D3D11-compatible GPU' error because your PC can better handle the system demands for graphics-intensive games with larger page files. Check out TipsMake's guide to expanding virtual memory in Windows to apply this potential fix.

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Jessica Tanner

Update 24 July 2023