FAQ · 45 QUESTIONS · SAME ANSWERS AS THE GUIDES
DXVK questions, answered
How we checked this
Search the list, or open a group. Each answer is taken from the guide that covers the topic and links to it, so what you read here is the same as on the page. Where we have not tested something, the answer says so.
45 questions
Basics
Is DXVK safe?
DXVK is open-source software published on GitHub. The real risks are fake download sites and bans in online games; see the safety page.
Is DXVK only for Linux?
No. It began as a way to run Windows games on Linux and also works on Windows, where its developers do not officially support it.
Is DXVK open source?
Yes, under the zlib licence. The licence file at version 3.1.1 names its copyright holders; the 'GPL' in the 2.0 release notes means Graphics Pipeline Library, not the GNU licence.
What is DXVK on Steam?
Proton, the compatibility layer Steam uses on Linux and Steam Deck, bundles DXVK for DirectX 8 to 11 games, so those games use it without you installing anything.
Is DXVK an emulator?
No. Nothing is emulated: the game's own code runs normally on your CPU. DXVK only replaces the graphics API the game calls, turning Direct3D calls into Vulkan calls.
Does DXVK work with every game?
No. It handles Direct3D 8, 9, 10 and 11 only. Direct3D 12, OpenGL and Vulkan games do not use it.
Does DXVK support DX12?
No. DXVK covers Direct3D 8, 9, 10 and 11. DirectX 12 is handled by vkd3d-proton, a separate project.
Does DXVK work with OpenGL games?
No. DXVK translates Direct3D, not OpenGL. A project called Zink translates OpenGL to Vulkan, but it is not a Direct3D layer.
Windows
Where do I put dxvk.conf?
In the folder the game runs from, normally next to the game's .exe (finding F23). On Linux you can also point to a file with DXVK_CONFIG_FILE. Never in System32.
Does uninstalling DXVK delete my saves?
No. DXVK adds DLL files next to the game and a cache folder; it does not touch save files. Delete only the DLLs you copied (finding F12: nothing else had changed).
Can I use DXVK in online games?
The DXVK README warns that manipulating Direct3D libraries in multi-player games can get your account banned. Use it offline.
Linux and Steam Deck
Does Wine use DXVK?
Not by itself. Wine's own Direct3D (wined3d) is the default; DXVK is used only when its DLLs are installed in the prefix with native overrides, or when a tool such as Proton or Lutris sets it up. In our test the same files without overrides were ignored (F03).
Does Proton use DXVK?
Yes, for Direct3D 8, 9, 10 and 11 games. Direct3D 12 goes to a different project, vkd3d-proton. You do not need to install anything.
How do I turn DXVK off for one game?
Add PROTON_USE_WINED3D=1 %command% to the game's launch options. Proton then uses Wine's own Direct3D renderer, which is usually slower. We have not measured it under Proton.
Can I use DXVK_ASYNC=1 on the Steam Deck?
Not with Valve's Proton: DXVK_ASYNC does not exist in official DXVK. Some community builds carry a fork. See the async page for the risks.
Why do 32-bit games fail with DXVK on Linux?
Before we installed the 32-bit graphics drivers, every 32-bit Direct3D 9 and 11 test app failed at device creation, with Wine's own Direct3D too (F34). Install the 32-bit Vulkan driver packages for your distro.
How do I check my DXVK version on Linux?
Run the game from a terminal. DXVK prints a line DXVK: v3.1.1 at start (F15); under Wine files are written only if DXVK_LOG_PATH is set (F14).
Versions
What is the latest DXVK version?
3.1.1, released on 15 September 2026, as of 7 November 2026. The official list is the GitHub releases page.
Where can I download old DXVK versions?
From the project's GitHub releases page, which keeps every version. Download only from there and check the hash with the verifier on our download page.
Does DXVK 3.0 work on my GPU?
It needs a Vulkan 1.4-class driver. In our lab a driver reporting Vulkan 1.3 still ran 3.1.1 because DXVK checks features, not the version number (F33), but older GPUs lack them. Use the Version Picker.
Should I use DXVK 3 on Windows with AMD?
The release notes for 3.0 say RDNA1 and RDNA2 on AMD's Windows driver should stay on 2.x because of a legacy binding model and severe performance issues. We could not test AMD hardware.
Why use DXVK 1.10.3?
It is the last release that needs only Vulkan 1.1, so it runs on GPUs that cannot meet the Vulkan 1.3 that DXVK 2.x needs, such as NVIDIA Kepler. Many older-game guides also name it.
What is DXVK Sarek?
A community fork of the 1.10 line for GPUs that do not meet current DXVK's requirements. Its README says it backports fixes and makes Vulkan extensions optional, at the cost of possible rendering glitches.
Safety
Is DXVK a virus?
No. It is open-source software (zlib licence) published by its developers on GitHub. Fake sites that repackage it are a separate risk, which is why the file's hash is worth checking.
Why does my antivirus flag d3d9.dll or d3d11.dll?
Reports exist on the DXVK issue tracker, including ClamAV flagging an official 3.0 DLL as a generic trojan (issue 5762). Hash the file with the verifier: a match means it is the official file, and a flag on an official file is most likely a false positive. Report it to your antivirus vendor; do not turn the antivirus off.
Is dxvk.org official?
Treat nothing but github.com/doitsujin/dxvk as official. Our download page lists lookalike sites we saw.
Does DXVK_ASYNC=1 work with official DXVK?
No. Official DXVK does not read it. It only does something in an async fork.
Performance and stutter
Is DXVK faster than DirectX 11?
Not as a rule. Modern Direct3D 11 games on current Windows drivers usually have little to gain, and some reports show losses. The gain is more often reported for older Direct3D 9 games and heavily modded CPU-bound ones. We have not measured it ourselves yet.
Why is my FPS lower with DXVK?
Common causes: the game is limited by the GPU rather than the CPU, the GPU is old or low-end, shaders are compiling for the first time, an overlay or ReShade is adding cost, or the wrong DXVK version for your driver is installed. Measure with the HUD, then try another version or remove DXVK.
Does DXVK reduce stutter?
It can change stutter in either direction. It translates shaders at run time, which can cause stutter the first time a scene is drawn. DXVK 3.x keeps a shader cache on disk, so repeat runs should be smoother; we have seen the cache files being created but have not measured stutter in games.
How do I cap FPS at 60?
Add dxvk.maxFrameRate = 60 to dxvk.conf next to the game's .exe. Our test app then ran at 60.5 FPS under Wine and about 58 on Windows Server (F21).
Why does DXVK stutter?
Most often because a shader is compiled the first time the game needs it, and the frame waits. DXVK 2.0 and newer compile shaders at load time on drivers with the Graphics Pipeline Library extension, which reduces or removes this in many games.
What is GPL in DXVK?
GPL means Graphics Pipeline Library, a Vulkan extension that lets a driver compile parts of a pipeline early. It has nothing to do with the GNU licence. DXVK 2.0 introduced support for it.
Errors
Why is DXVK not working?
Most often DXVK is not being loaded at all: DLLs in the wrong folder, the wrong 32/64-bit version, or no native override under Wine. Look for the log file next to the .exe first. No log means DXVK is not in use (finding F13).
How do I know if DXVK is working?
A log file named like GameName_d3d11.log appears next to the .exe, and the HUD shows the DXVK version when turned on (F13, F18). No log and no HUD means it is not loaded.
Where is the DXVK log file?
On Windows, next to the game's .exe, named like GameName_d3d11.log, GameName_dxgi.log or GameName_d3d9.log (finding F13). Under Wine and Proton, DXVK prints to the terminal and writes files only if DXVK_LOG_PATH is set (F14).
Why does DXVK_FRAME_RATE not work?
It was removed in DXVK 3.0. With DXVK_FRAME_RATE=60 on 3.1.1 our test program ran at 184 FPS, uncapped; the same cap as dxvk.maxFrameRate = 60 in a config file held 60.5 FPS under Wine (F21). Use dxvk.maxFrameRate instead.
Other platforms
What is a .wcp file?
A component package used by Winlator-family apps. It contains a build of DXVK or another component, which the app unpacks and offers in its settings.
Does DXVK 3.0 work in Winlator?
DXVK 3.x asks for a Vulkan 1.4-class driver with extra extensions. Many phone drivers do not offer those, so 3.x often will not start. Check with the HUD or log; we could not test.
Does DXVK work with NVIDIA, AMD and Intel GPUs?
Yes, with any GPU that has a Vulkan driver of the right age. Which DXVK version suits your GPU is on the requirements page. We could not test real GPUs, so we cannot report vendor-specific behaviour.
Other layers and software
What does WineD3D do?
It is Wine's built-in Direct3D. When a Windows game under Wine asks for Direct3D and DXVK is not installed, WineD3D answers and translates the calls to OpenGL.
DXVK or dgVoodoo for my game?
For anything older than Direct3D 8, dgVoodoo2, because DXVK starts at Direct3D 8. For Direct3D 8 and 9 games either may work. We have not compared them in a game.
Which do I need: DXVK, dgVoodoo2, WineD3D or vkd3d?
It depends on the game's graphics API. DXVK takes Direct3D 8 to 11, dgVoodoo2 takes Glide, DirectDraw and Direct3D 3 to 9, vkd3d-proton takes Direct3D 12, and WineD3D takes Direct3D 1 to 11 under Wine. The chooser above gives one answer for your case.
Does DXVK work with RTSS and MSI Afterburner?
Sometimes. Upstream's Windows wiki lists overlays as the top breakage, and RTSS installs a Vulkan layer that loads even when RTSS is not running, according to user reports. Update RTSS, try its profile options, or uninstall it. We could not test it.
Which API do I pick in the ReShade installer with DXVK?
Vulkan. DXVK turns the game's Direct3D calls into Vulkan, so the Vulkan side is where ReShade can draw. Choosing DirectX 9, 10 or 11 installs a ReShade d3d9.dll or dxgi.dll next to the game, which would replace DXVK's file of the same name.
Sources
- DXVK README at v3.1.1 · accessed 2026-11-07