Microsoft DirectX is a set of application programming interfaces (Application Programming Interfaces or APIs) needed to run various multimedia features on the Windows operating system. Windows Vista and Windows 7 users can quickly and easily update their systems to the latest DirectX releases via the Microsoft website. However, this latest version is not compatible with Windows XP so Windows XP users should not update DirectX to the latest release. Windows XP users who accidentally download the latest release can again switch to DirectX 9 that matches the operating system. In this article, you will learn how to download the latest DirectX releases. Windows XP users can also find out how to switch back to a version of Microsoft DirectX that is compatible with Windows XP.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Determining the DirectX Version Installed on the Computer
Step 1. Determine which version of DirectX your computer's operating system is using
Operating systems released before Windows Vista are incompatible with certain DirectX application programming interface (API) components. Windows XP and earlier versions of Windows do not run the latest DirectX versions properly because they are not compatible with older operating systems. Follow these steps to find out which version of DirectX is currently running on your computer.
- Open the “Start” menu and select “Run”.
- Type the command "dxdiag" into the text field and click "OK".
- Select the " System " tab to see the version of DirectX running on the current system.
Step 2. Update DirectX to the latest version available for the computer operating system
Windows Vista and Windows 7 users can update DirectX to the latest available version via the Microsoft website.
Method 2 of 3: Downloading the Latest DirectX Output
Step 1. Visit the "DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer" page on the Microsoft site
Step 2. Click the “Download” button for the “dxwebsetup.exe” file
Step 3. Follow the prompts to download and install the “dxwebsetup.exe” file so you can get the latest version of DirectX
Step 4. Downgrade DirectX and download DirectX 9 for Windows XP
Windows XP users who accidentally download the latest version of DirectX will need to switch to the previous version. Microsoft no longer provides support for Windows XP users and does not offer a method of removing DirectX other than updating it to the latest version. However, Windows XP users can download and install any of the third-party applications designed for this purpose. You can also use Windows' "System Restore" feature to restore its operating system to the state it was in before the latest DirectX update was installed.
Method 3 of 3: Using the System Restore Feature to Uninstall DirectX Updates
Step 1. Open the “Start” menu from the desktop and select “Help and Support“
Select "Undo Changes to Your Computer with System Restore" from the "Pick a Task" menu option, check the "Restore My Computer To An Earlier Time" option, and click "Next".
Step 2. Choose a date
Click a date from the available options and select a date before you download the unmatched DirectX update. After that, click "Next".
Step 3. Go back to the appropriate version of DirectX
Click the " Next " button again to confirm the selected date and select " OK " to start the recovery process. You have now successfully reverted to the version of DirectX that matches the operating system.
