How To Fix Dxupdate.dll Not Found or Missing Errors

Dxupdate.dll Error Messages

There are several ways that dxupdate.dll errors can show up on your computer. Here are several of the more common ways you might see dxupdate.dll errors:

• "Dxupdate.dll not found. Reinstalling might help fix this."
  
  
• "The file dxupdate.dll is missing"
  
  
• "Dxupdate.DLL Not Found"
  
  
• "File dxupdate.dll not found"

Dxupdate.dll errors appear when a game or other software program is started.

Cause of Dxupdate.dll Errors

Dxupdate.dll issues are caused in one way or another by an issue with Microsoft DirectX.

The dxupdate.dll file is one of many files contained in the DirectX software collection. Since DirectX is utilized by most Windows based games and advanced graphics programs, dxupdate.dll errors usually show up only when using these programs.

Troubleshooting Steps

Important Note: Do not download the dxupdate.dll DLL file individually from any "DLL download site." There are a number of excellent reasons that downloading DLLs from these sites are never a good idea.

Note: If you've already downloaded dxupdate.dll from one of those DLL download sites, remove it from wherever you put it and continue with these steps.

1. Restart your computer if you haven't yet.
   
   The dxupdate.dll error might be a fluke and a simple restart could clear it up completely.
   
   
2. Install the latest version of Microsoft DirectX. Chances are, upgrading to the latest version of DirectX will fix the dxupdate.dll not found error.
   
   Note: Microsoft often releases updates to DirectX without updating the version number or letter so be sure to install the latest release even if your version is technically the same.
   
   Note: The same DirectX installation program works with all versions of Windows including Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, and more. It will replace any missing DirectX 11, DirectX 10, or DirectX 9 file.
   
   
3. Assuming the latest DirectX version from Microsoft doesn't fix the dxupdate.dll error, look for a DirectX installation program on your game or application DVD or CD. Sometimes the software developers will include a copy of DirectX on the installation disc if their game or program utilizes DirectX.
   
   Sometimes, though not often, the DirectX version included on the disc is a better fit for the program than the latest version available from Microsoft.
   
   
4. Uninstall the game or software program and then reinstall it again. Something might have happened to the files in the program that work with dxupdate.dll and a reinstall could do the trick.
   
   
5. Restore the dxupdate.dll file from the latest DirectX software package. If the above troubleshooting steps haven't worked to solve your dxupdate.dll error, try extracting the dxupdate.dll individually from the DirectX downloadable package.
   
   
6. Update the drivers for your video card. While it's not the most common solution, in some situations updating the drivers for the video card in your computer could correct this DirectX issue.

Applies To

The dxupdate.dll error message could apply to any program that utilizes Microsoft DirectX, most commonly video games.

Any of Microsoft's operating systems since Windows 98 may be effected by dxupdate.dll and other DirectX issues. This includes Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows 2000.

Still Having Dxupdate.dll Issues?

Let a community of computer support enthusiasts help out! Post the details of your problem in the PC Support Forum. Be sure to let us know the exact dxupdate.dll error message that you're receiving and what steps you've already taken to resolve it.