How To Run Steam Games in Previous Versions of DirectX

DirectX is a suite that enables multimedia programs, and is particularly useful for video games. DirectX is so important to Microsoft that Xbox is named after it. Many games depend on it.

However, some games try to load an incorrect version of DirectX. Additionally, DirectX 12, the current version, is notoriously unstable. Thankfully, there is an easy solution when you’re playing games in Steam.

As Steam itself explains, “This process may help with some older video cards — some users report the game will run faster, as well.” When you’re having problems, this can be a life saver.

But how do you do that for a Steam game? These steps are sure to make the process easier:

Open Steam’s Library: The link to it is found at the very top of the program.
Right Click the Game you Wish to Run in a Previous Version of DirectX
Select “Properties” from the Menu
Scroll down to “Launch Options:” Remove any launch options currently shown in the input box.
Inside the Input Box, Type the DirectX Code: Supported versions of DirectX and their codes include -dxlevel 81 (DirectX v8.1), -dxlevel 81 (DirectX v8.1), -dxlevel 90 (DirectX v9.0), -dx11 (DirectX 11), and -dx12 (DirectX 12). Unless you know specifically which one is suited for your game, your best bet is to move one stop down and seeing how that affects performance. Not every game can run in every version of DirectX.
Enjoy your game!

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