Fix: A D3D11 Compatible GPU is Required to Run the Engine

Received an error message saying A D3D11-compatible GPU is required to run the engine when you launch an application or game such as Fortnite or Valorant. That’s a common error and means your GPU doesn’t support the required hardware features of Direct3D 11. But don’t worry. You can fix it easily.

What is D3D11 compatible GPU error?

D3D11 is short for Direct3D 11, which is used for rendering 3D graphics. If the system fails to recognize a D3D11-compatible GPU, you may receive the D3D11 compatible GPU error and find that certain programs cannot work. This can happen for several reasons, such as outdated DirectX version or GPU driver or improper configurations.

Before you start any advanced troubleshooting, make sure your computer meets the minimum requirements of the game or application you’re opening. This information is usually available on their official website. If your computer isn’t powerful enough to run the program, you may consider an upgrade.

Fixes to try:

Here are 4 proved methods for the D3311 compatible GPU error. You don’t have to try them all. Just work your way down the list until you find the one that works.

1. Update DirectX
2. Update your GPU driver
3. Download DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer
4. Run the game on the dedicated GPU

Fix 1 – Update DirectX

If your computer is running an older DirectX version than DirectX 11, it may fail to support the DirectX 11 features. And this case, you should update the DirectX.

First, check the DirectX version on your PC.

1. On your keyboard, press the Windows logo key and R at the same time to invoke the Run command. Type dxdiag and click OK.
   
2. Check your DirectX version. If it’s 12 or 11, the DirectX is already up-to-date and you could jump to the second solution. If it’s lower, follow the steps below to update it.
   

On Windows 11, 10, 8, and 7, you could simply install the latest Windows updates to update the DirectX.

1. On your keyboard, press the Windows logo key and I at the same time to open the Windows settings app. Then click Update & Security.
   
2. Click Check for updates.
   

Follow the on-screen instruction to install the latest Windows update, which may take a while. Once done, check if the DirectX version is updated. If the problem persists, continue to the next fix.

Fix 2 – Update your GPU driver

Drivers handle the communication of your hardware like GPU with the computer system. If it’s faulty or updated, your GPU won’t work properly and relevant errors occur. To keep your devices in tip-top condition, you should update their drivers on a regular basis. And here are two ways to do that:

Option 1 – Manually

To get your GPU driver, you need to visit the manufacturer’s website (AMD, NVIDIA, or Intel), find the driver corresponding with your specific flavor of Windows version (for example, Windows 32-bit), and download the driver manually.

Once you’ve downloaded the correct driver, double-click on the downloaded file and follow the on-screen instructions to install the driver.

Option 2 – Automatically

If you don’t have the time, patience or computer skills to update the GPU driver manually, you can do it automatically with Driver Easy.

Driver Easy will automatically recognize your system and find the correct drivers for it. You don’t need to know exactly what system your computer is running, you don’t need to risk downloading and installing the wrong driver, and you don’t need to worry about making a mistake when installing.

You can update your drivers automatically with either the FREE or the Pro version of Driver Easy. But with the Pro version it takes just 2 clicks:

1. Download and install Driver Easy.
2. Run Driver Easy and click the Scan Now button. Driver Easy will then scan your computer and detect any problem drivers.
   
3. Click Update All to automatically download and install the correct version of all the drivers that are missing or out of date on your system (this requires the Pro version – you’ll be prompted to upgrade when you click Update All).
   

See if the error reoccurs when you open the game. If yes, don’t frustrate. There are a few more fixes you could try.

Fix 3 – Download DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer

DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer could replace missing or corrupted DirectX files and may solve the D3D11 compatibility issue.

1. Go to the Microsoft download site and download Microsoft’s DirectX End-User Runtime installer.
   
2. Open the dxwebsetup.exe file and follow the onscreen instructions to install the software on your computer.

Restart your computer to apply the changes and any missing DirectX files should be replaced. If the problem is still there, check out the next method.

Fix 4 – Run the game on the dedicated GPU

If you have both an integrated graphics card and a dedicated one on your PC, make sure to run your game on the dedicated GPU. It could tackle more demanding tasks such as gaming and prevent the possible D3D11 compatibility issue.

1. On your desktop, right-click any empty space and click Display settings.
   
2. Scroll to the Multiple displays section and click Graphics settings.
   
3. Click Browse to specify the program or game that triggers the error.
   
4. Click Options.
   
5. Choose High performance to utilize the dedicated GPU and click Save.
   

Launch the game or program to see if the error message disappears now.

Hopefully one of the fixes above helped you get rid of the A D3D11 Compatible GPU is Required to Run the Engine error. If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to leave a comment below.

• Application Errors
• DirectX
• game error