World of Warcraft (old clients) with DXVK

Install for 3.3.5a and Turtle WoW

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.

The old clients can run Direct3D 9 or OpenGL. Check that the client uses Direct3D: the setting is in the in-game graphics options, or in the client’s Config.wtf as a graphics API line. We did not verify the exact line, so look at your client’s own documentation. If the client runs OpenGL, DXVK does nothing.

Video memory and crashes

A 32-bit client can run out of address space or mis-read memory. d3d9.maxAvailableMemory changes what a Direct3D 9 game is told (F25); see VRAM and memory. Issue 4534 is a user report of broken textures. Large custom texture packs are the usual strain on 32-bit clients.

Regressions and version pins

Several GitHub issues describe problems with some DXVK versions and WoW (3632, 4750 and a June 2026 GPU hang, 5735). We could not check their current status. If your client worked on one version and not another, pin the one that works and see releases for the list of versions.

Retail WoW

Retail is a modern client with Blizzard’s anti-cheat. DXVK’s built-in profile Wow(Classic).exe hides integrated graphics, which matters for Proton users. It is not a Windows recommendation and we do not recommend DXVK for retail on Windows.

Warcraft III

Reforged has a profile too (dxvk.hideIntegratedGraphics = True). The classic Warcraft III client is reported to be Direct3D 8, which would need DXVK 2.4 or newer with both d3d8.dll and d3d9.dll (F39); DXVK 1.10.3 has no Direct3D 8 (F09). Under Proton an older PROTON_ENABLE_D8VK variable is reported not to work any more (see the Proton page).

Remove DXVK

Delete the DLL from the client folder (F12).

What we have not tested

• Any run of any client: FPS, stutter and crashes are unmeasured.
• The client’s graphics API setting and its Config.wtf line.
• Which servers check files, and what they allow.
• The status of the regression issues.
• Warcraft III APIs.

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.