GAME · NEED FOR SPEED MOST WANTED (2005) · UNTESTED BY US
NFS Most Wanted (2005) with DXVK
How we checked this
- EXE
- speed.exe · game folder (reported)
- Bitness
- 32-bit → x32
- API
- D3D9
x32/d3d9.dll- DXVK
- 2.6.1 or newer (untested)
- Built-in profile
- none
- Conflicts
- Shader loaders and widescreen fix
Install with the widescreen fix and the shader loader
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Download DXVK from GitHub
Use the official release page only, and check the hash with the verifier on the download page.Check: You have dxvk-3.1.1.tar.gz.
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Open the x32 folder
NFS Most Wanted (2005) is reported to be a 32-bit game, so you need thex32folder. DLLs of the wrong bitness do nothing and give no error (F05).Check: You see d3d9.dll.
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Copy d3d9.dll next to the game's .exe
A Direct3D 9 game needs onlyd3d9.dll(F38). Next to speed.exe.Check: d3d9.dll sit beside speed.exe.
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Start the game and check
DXVK writes<exe>_d3d9.lognext to the game on Windows (F13). Turning on the HUD is the other check; see the HUD guide.Check: A log file appears next to the .exe.
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.
Many players also use ThirteenAG’s widescreen fix and the XNFS shader loader. Both are community mods; find them on their own GitHub pages, and we link no repacks. If a loader also uses a file named d3d9.dll, only one of them can own that name: the loader’s readme describes how to rename one and chain them. We tested no chain and did not verify the loader’s DLL names, so follow its readme and check the folder with the Game Checker (conflicts).
Versions that broke Most Wanted
| 2.5.2, 2.5.3 | Reported broken | Issues 4624 and 4640 (user reports) |
|---|---|---|
| 2.6.1 and later | Reported fixed | The 2.6.1 release notes name Need for Speed: Most Wanted (2005) |
| 3.1.1 | Not tested | No source |
No rows match.
Treat this as a pin guide, not a result: if your setup breaks after an update, try a version from 2.6.1 on and compare. See releases.
Other Need for Speed games
| Carbon | Named in the 1.5.1 notes |
|---|---|
| Heat | Named in the 1.9.2 notes (Direct3D 11) |
| Hot Pursuit 2 | Named in the 2.6 notes |
| III (Modern Patch) | Named in the 1.10.3 notes |
No rows match.
Other rows, including the 2015 game, are in the games database. We did not run any of them.
Remove DXVK
Delete the DLL from the game folder (F12) and keep the loader files if you still want the widescreen fix.
What we have not tested
- Any run of the game: FPS, stutter and crashes are unmeasured.
- Which DXVK versions work: only reported.
- The widescreen fix and shader loader chain.
- The exe name on your copy.
- The other Need for Speed games.
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.
Questions people ask
Does DXVK work with NFS Most Wanted 2005?
The game is reported to be Direct3D 9, 32-bit, which DXVK handles, and the 2.6.1 notes name it. We have not run it.
Which DXVK version should I use?
Users report 2.5.2 and 2.5.3 broke it with the shader loader and 2.6.1 fixed it, so use 2.6.1 or newer. We did not test 3.1.1.
Does it work with the widescreen fix?
Players use them together, but we have not tested it. Check the loader's DLL names for clashes.
Which file do I copy?
d3d9.dll from DXVK's x32 folder, next to speed.exe (F38). Reported exe name; verify with the Game Checker.
Sources
- DXVK 2.6.1 release notes · accessed 2026-11-07
- DXVK issue 4624: Most Wanted with XNFS · accessed 2026-11-07
- DXVK issue 4640 · accessed 2026-11-07
- DXVK README at v3.1.1 · accessed 2026-11-07