Fix: Hogwarts Legacy DirectX Error

2023’s Hogwarts Legacy is an action role-playing video game by Avalanche Software and Warner Bros. Games that’s doing really well in the gaming community. It’s all set in the Wizarding World universe that took place in the late 1800s and players are loving it due to the harry potter kind of environment. Though there are some obvious bugs or errors present in Hogwarts Legacy, it seems that some common issues like DirectX errors bother players a lot.

Now, if you’re also encountering the same DirectX error on the PC then make sure to follow this troubleshooting guide to resolve it. As most PC games do come with several issues, there is no exception for Hogwarts Legacy too. Still, the in-game lags, stutters, frame drops, stuck on the loading screen issue, crashes, other graphical glitches, etc might trouble you a lot. But this DirectX Runtime error can prevent players from getting into the game for sure.

1. Check for the System Requirements of the Game

Do keep in mind that your Windows computer should be able to run this game properly. In that scenario, your PC configuration should meet all the system requirements of the game to avoid potential errors or startup issues whatsoever.

OS: 64-bit Windows 10
Processor: Intel Core i5-6600 (3.3Ghz) or AMD Ryzen 5 1400 (3.2Ghz)
Memory: 16 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 4GB or AMD Radeon RX 470 4GB
DirectX: Version 12
Storage: 85 GB available space
Additional Notes: SSD (Preferred), HDD (Supported), 720p/30 fps, Low-Quality Settings

2. Run the Game as an Administrator

The second thing you should run the game executable file as an administrator on the Windows system to ensure the game file can run properly. It’ll allow the User Account Control (UAC) access to the system to run the programs which are granted to run as administrator. To do so:

Go to the installed Hogwarts Legacy game directory on the PC.
Right-click on the game application file > Click on Properties.
Click on the Compatibility tab.

Click on the Run this program as an administrator checkbox to enable it.
Once done, click on Apply and then OK to save changes.
Finally, just double-click on the game app file to launch it.

If you’re running the game via the Steam client or Epic Games Launcher then perform the same steps for the respective game client too.

3. Run DirectX Diagnostic Tool

It’s worth mentioning to check whether you’re using the latest version of DirectX on your Windows PC or not. To do that:

Press the Win+R keys to open the Run dialog box.
Now, type dxdiag and hit Enter to open DirectX Diagnostic Tool.

Once the DirectX Diagnostic Tool window opens, you can check out the DirectX version from the System tab.

Next, you can go to the Display tab > Here you can additionally check DirectX 3D Feature Levels and other DirectX Features too.

If it shows lower than DirectX version 12 then you should try following the next methods.

4. Update Graphics Driver

It may also be possible that an outdated GPU drive is causing a couple of issues with your Windows computer whatsoever. It’s always recommended to simply update your graphics driver manually if you haven’t done it for a while. To do so:

Press the Win+X keys to open the Quick Link Menu.
Now, click on Device Manager from the list > Double-click on Display adapters.
Right-click on the dedicated graphics card that you’re using.

Next, select Update driver > Choose to Search automatically for drivers.
If there is an update available, it’ll automatically download & install the latest version.
Once done, the system will reboot automatically. Otherwise, you can manually restart the system to apply changes.

5. Try Changing Graphics Settings

Some players are claiming that changing the in-game graphics settings to the medium or optimal options did fix the DirectX error. So, you should also try changing the graphics settings from the game menu. It’ll also help you to get a higher FPS count and a smoother gameplay experience than before. Make sure to lower the graphics settings to avoid higher CPU or Memory usage up to some extent.

6. Update Windows OS Build

In most scenarios, having an outdated Windows OS build may cause several issues with the program running. You should try following the steps below to check for the Windows update.

Press the Win+I keys to open Windows Settings.
Now, click on Update & Security > From the Windows Update section, click on Check for updates.

If there is an update available, you can click on Download and Install.
Wait for the process to complete the installation.
Once done, make sure to reboot your computer to apply changes.

7. Update Hogwarts Legacy

Try updating the game by following the steps below to check whether the Hogwarts Legacy DirectX 12 Error is still bothering you or not. To do that:

For Steam:

Open the Steam client > Go to Library.
Click on Hogwarts Legacy from the left pane.
It’ll automatically search for the available update.
If there is an update available, make sure to click on Update.
It may take some time to install the update > Once done, make sure to close the Steam client.
Finally, reboot your PC to apply changes, and then try launching the game again.

For Epic Games Launcher:

Open the Epic Games Launcher > Head over to Library.
Now, click on the three dots icon next to Hogwarts Legacy.
Make sure the Auto Update option is turned on.
Whenever the update is available, it’ll automatically install the update.

8. Verify the Game Files

You should always check for the integrity of game files on the respective client and try repairing the files to avoid game launching issues. To do this:

For Steam:

Launch Steam > Click on Library.
Right-click on Hogwarts Legacy from the list of installed games.
Now, click on Properties > Go to Local Files.

Click on Verify Integrity of Game Files > You’ll have to wait for the process until it gets completed.
Once done, just restart your computer, and check for the issue again.

For Epic Games Launcher:

Open the Epic Games Launcher > Click on Hogwarts Legacy in the library.
Click on the three dots icon next to Hogwarts Legacy > Select the Manage option.
Now, click on the Verify option > Confirm the task and wait for it to complete.
Once done, reboot the PC to apply changes.

9. Force Use DirectX 12

You should forcefully run the Hogwarts Legacy game on the launcher with DirectX 12 by following the steps below. Sometimes issues with the DirectX version can also cause multiple conflicts with the game launching on Windows.

For Steam:

Open the Steam client > Go to Library.
Right-click on the Hogwarts Legacy game > Go to Properties.
Click on General > Go to Launch Options.
Here you can type -dx12 inside the field.
Once done, reboot the Steam client, and run the game.

Note: If in case, the error persists then you can follow the steps below to use DirectX 12 in another way.

Go to Steam > Click on Library > Click on Manage.
Select Browse local files > Make sure to create a desktop shortcut for the Hogwarts Legacy game.
Right-click on the new desktop shortcut that you’ve created.
Go to Properties > At the end of the Target line, click & add dx12.
Finally, click on OK to apply changes, and run the game to check for the issue.

For Epic Games Launcher:

Open the Epic Games Launcher > Click on the Profile icon on the top right.
Click on Settings > Scroll down to the bottom.
Now, click on the Hogwarts Legacy game > Tick the Additional Command Line Arguments box.
Then type -dx12 in the box and go back to the library section and run the game.

10. Disable Real-time Protection on Windows Security

You should also turn off the Windows Defender antivirus program temporarily on your PC to ensure there is no issue with the game file blocking due to suspicious or potentially harmful files which might not be dangerous in most cases. To do so:

Press the Win+I shortcut keys to open Windows Settings.
Click on Update & Security > Open Windows Security.
Click on Open Windows Security > Go to Virus & threat protection.
Now, click on Manage settings > Just turn off the Real-time protection toggle.
If prompted, click on Yes to confirm turning it off.

Please Note: If you’re using any other third-party antivirus program on your PC then ensure to turn it off from its settings menu.

11. Reinstall the Latest DirectX

You should reinstall the latest version of DirectX on your PC via the official Microsoft website. You’ll have to download and run the DirectX installer package to install it. Keep in mind that the Hogwarts Legacy game requires DirectX 12 minimum to run on the PC.

12. Reinstall Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime

It’s recommended to reinstall the Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime program on your PC by following the steps below to fix DirectX-related errors while launching games or other programs whatsoever.

Press the Windows key to open the Start Menu.
Type Apps & Features and open it from the search result.
Now, make sure to locate & click on the Microsoft Visual C++ program(s) from the list.
After selecting the program, click on Uninstall.
Visit the official Microsoft website and download the latest Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime on the PC.
Once done, run the installer, and install it.
Finally, reboot the PC to apply changes.

13. Try Moving the Game to C Drive

Some PC users did mention that after trying out all methods, they tried to move the game’s installation directory to another disk driver or the default C drive which has done the fix. So, you should try moving the game as well.

That’s it, guys. We assume this guide was helpful to you. For further queries, you can comment below.

Fix: Hogwarts Legacy DirectX Error