How to troubleshoot Unable to initialize DirectX 9 device in Windows 10?

If you love gaming on your PC, then you know there’s nothing more frustrating than getting the Unable to initialize DirectX 9 device error. You’ve most probably experienced this with Grand Theft Auto V (GTA 5). This issue is known to most gamers all over the planet and does not have many solutions. However, there’s still some light at the end of the tunnel. Here, we’ll look at how to fix the “Unable to initialize DirectX 9 device” issue effectively. Therefore, read on to get these tips.

About DirectX 9

Microsoft DirectX 9 is a technology used to provide 3D graphics to programs that need intense graphics such as video games, HD video rendering, and animation. The bad news is that users have been complaining a lot lately about getting an error when trying to play GTA 5 on their PCs, which is disappointing.

Why does the “Unable to initialize DirectX 9 device” error occur?

The truth is, it is not the game that usually causes this error but rather some issues relating to your computer. Some of the most common ones include:

• A specific DirectX file is absent.
• Your DirectX is outdated or even corrupted.
• The Direct3D Acceleration isn’t working.
• You have some conflicting apps on your PC.
• You are using incompatible, broken or out-of-date graphics card drivers.

The following are among the best ways you can solve the Unable to initialize DirectX 9 problem in Windows 10:

1. Make Sure Your DirectX Version Is Updated

Sometimes, the “Unable to initialize DirectX 9 device” error occurs if your DirectX version is old, thus not meeting the minimum requirements needed to play GTA V. You should at least have DirectX 9 or later if you want to play GTA V without disappointments. You can follow these steps to help update DirectX to the latest version:

• Press the Windows and R keys simultaneously, then type “dxdiag”.
• Doing this should open the DirectX Diagnostic Tool.
• Go to the System tab and check whether your DirectX version is 9 or higher.
• If you have an older version, then download the latest from Microsoft’s website and install it.
• Also, remember to enable DirectX acceleration on the Display tab.

2. Update the Graphics Card Driver

Having a corrupted or outdated graphics card driver is one major cause of the Unable to initialize DirectX 9 error in Windows 10. Besides this error, an old driver can also make your GTA V always have launching and crashing issues.

Popular graphics card manufacturers like AMD and NVIDIA release updates very often. Therefore, it’s easy to update your graphics card driver nowadays and fix bugs to help boost the gaming experience.

If you want to update your graphics card driver, you can do it either manually or automatically.

1. Manually

• To use this approach, you first have to download the updated driver from the manufacturer’s website. Getting the driver from a trusted site is vital as it helps to avoid downloading malicious files.
• Open the Device Manager by pressing Windows + R, copy-paste the text “devmgmt” in your dialog box, then hit Enter.
• Uninstall your old driver. To perform this, expand the Display adapter section, right-click on your graphics device, select the Uninstall device option, then check the Delete the driver software box. In case your PC has two graphics cards, try turning off the integrated one.
• Install the updated graphics card driver and then restart your computer. Now, try opening GTA V and see if you’ll get the Unable to initialize DirectX 9 device response again.

2. Automatically

Updating the graphics card driver automatically is the most straightforward and suitable option if you don’t know much about computers. Also, using this method helps to eliminate the worries of downloading the wrong driver or installing it poorly and not solving the issue.

To use this method, you, however, must have a professional driver updater. There are many software updaters on the market today. So, you must conduct some research before using any. That way, you can find the best one that won’t disappoint. An excellent automatic software updater should:

• Be easy to install and effective in detecting any issues your graphics card has.
• Allow you to download and install the latest graphics card drivers without much hassle.
• Download other vital drivers you need to help you play your GTA V without issues.

Remember to restart your PC after downloading and installing the latest driver to see the results.

3. Activate DirectPlay

DirectPlay is a crucial interface between communications services and applications that allows games to be connected through a modem link, network, or internet. So, activating this feature can help ensure a better gaming performance.

Do the following to enable DirectPlay:

1. Type “turn windows” on the search bar and then click on Turn Windows features on or off. Alternatively, go to the Control Panel (Programs and features), where you can also turn this feature on.

2. You’ll find DirectPlay under Legacy components. Make sure to click the box beside it. If doing this does not enable DirectPlay, then you’ll have to look for the DX runtime installer (DirectX folder). You might need to restart the PC after enabling this feature.

4. Reinstall the DirectX Installer

Sometimes, your PC might be missing some DirectX files, therefore causing the Unable to initialize DirectX 9 device response. Here’s how to fix GTA V unable to initialize DirectX 9 in Windows 10 with this trick:

• Visit Microsoft’s official website and download the DirectX installer.
• Open the file, then follow the provided instructions to install it correctly.
• Installing this file will enable you to replace any DirectX files that your computer is missing. You can now restart the PC and see the changes.

If that does not work and you still get the error, then you have to look for the DirectX folder from the game installation folder. You must run the unique DirectX installer (DXSETUP.exe) that you’ll find in that folder. For GTA V, go to Steam>SteamApps> Common GTA V> _Common Redist> DirectX> April2020> DXSETUP.

In this article, we provided you with the best methods that you can use to solve the Unable to initialize DirectX 9 error in Windows 10. Therefore, make sure you study these tricks carefully to implement them correctly and fix your issue. Also, remember to conduct some research on this topic. That way, you can find more methods to fix this error effectively.