GTA V and DXVK: what applies, and why not in GTA Online

Which GTA V do you have?

• GTA V Legacy is reported to use Direct3D 11 (with Direct3D 10 and 10.1 modes in its settings) and to start from GTA5.exe. This is the only one DXVK can affect.
• GTA V Enhanced (2025) is reported to use Direct3D 12. DXVK does not handle Direct3D 12: that is vkd3d-proton’s job (DXVK vs vkd3d-proton), so DXVK does not apply.

We could not verify exe names, folders or how the Rockstar launcher labels the two. Use the Game Checker on your exe, and do not copy anything if it reports Direct3D 12.

Story mode on Windows: is it worth it?

We do not know. We have no measurement of GTA V with or without DXVK. Windows runs Direct3D 11 natively, and DXVK on Windows is unsupported upstream, so the realistic benefit is often none, and some reports describe losses. If you want to test, use the five-step before-and-after method on the performance page with the game’s built-in benchmark, and keep the native result as your baseline. A release note from 2020 (DXVK 1.5.1) named GTA V; that is the oldest mention we found.

Install for story mode (Legacy)

To undo it, delete the DLLs you copied (F12): see the uninstall guide. The general steps, with the checklist and warnings, are on the Windows install page.

DXVK has a built-in profile for GTA5.exe:

We have not tested it. Rockstar’s launcher can verify game files and may replace the DLLs you copied; we did not test that either. Remove the DLLs before you touch Online (below).

GTA V on Linux and Steam Deck

Proton handles this: it uses DXVK for Direct3D 11 and vkd3d-proton for Direct3D 12 (DXVK in Proton). We could not verify the current state of GTA Online on Linux and Steam Deck, which depends on its anti-cheat, so check before you buy or rely on it.

GTA V on Android emulators

Winlator and GameHub-style apps use DXVK and vkd3d for Direct3D games; see DXVK on Android. We did not run GTA V on any phone, so we make no claim.

Remove DXVK, and why to do it before Online

Delete d3d11.dll and dxgi.dll from the game folder (F12). Do this before starting GTA Online or anything that connects to it.

What we have not tested

• Any run of GTA V: FPS, stutter and crashes are unmeasured.
• Which anti-cheat GTA Online uses today, from a dated primary source.
• Exe names, folders and Direct3D versions of Legacy and Enhanced.
• What the Rockstar launcher does with replaced DLLs.
• GTA V on Linux, Steam Deck and Android.

Check your own copy

The Game Checker reads your .exe on your device and tells you its bitness and Direct3D version. Our checker also flags files in the game folder that use the same name as DXVK’s DLLs.