Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is one of the immensely popular first-person shooter games as it offers intense multiplayer actions. However, like any other modern online game, BO6 also has multiple bugs and errors that disrupt the overall gaming fun. One of the common errors in BO6 is the “DirectX error”. However, the good news is that this error can be fixed with a few troubleshooting steps, and in this guide, we have covered all possible and working solutions to fix it.
How to Fix Black Ops 6 Directx Error
According to several reports, players consistently get a DirectX error crash when playing Black Ops 6. This issue mostly occurs at the time of the game launch. Thankfully, there are several steps you can take to fix this error.
1. Downgrading Windows Version
Some players suggest downgrading Windows from 11 24H2 to 10 22H2 to help fix this error, so give it a try. This workaround is pretty easy if you perform it within 10 days of upgrading your Windows. If the 10 days have passed, you will need to perform a clean installation of Windows 10. Here is how you can downgrade Windows.
Rollback Windows (Within 10 Days)
- Press Windows + I to open Settings
- Go to System >> Recovery
- Go to Recovery options, look for the Go back section, and click on it
- Select a reason for downgrading and click Next
- Confirm your choice and wait for the system to revert to Windows 10 22H2
Clean Installation (After 10 Days)
- Visit Microsoft’s official Windows 10 download page
- Use the Media Creation Tool to download the Windows 10 22H2 ISO file
- Use tools like Rufus or the Media Creation Tool to create a bootable USB drive with ISO
- Ensure to save important files to an external drive or cloud storage, as a clean install will erase your data
- Once done, restart your PC and boot into the USB drive by pressing the appropriate key (e.g., F12, F2, Esc) during startup
- Follow the on-screen instructions to install Windows 10 22H2
- Choose Custom Installation and format the drive where Windows 11 is installed
- After installation, activate Windows 10 using your product key (if not automatically activated)
- After downgrading, make sure to install the latest drivers and updates.
2. Turn Off NVIDIA Frame Generation
A few players have managed to resolve this error by turning off NVIDIA frame generation as it causing this error. Here is how you can turn it off.
- Go to Nvidia Control Panel >> Manage 3D settings
- Under Global Settings, find Frame Generation and turn it Off
- Once done, Apply changes and relaunch the game.
3. Upgrading GPU
While playing online games, it is always important to upgrade your GPU to the higher-end model because older versions can cause several issues and errors in online games.
4. Limit VRAM USage (Leak or Overuse)
There is a possibility that overuse or leaks of VRAM, especially on high-end cards like the 4090 can also cause crashing issues with the DirectX error. Here is how you can limit VRAM usage.
- Launch the game and go to the Graphics Settings
- Set the VRAM slider or texture quality to Low or Medium
(You can also use third-party tools like MSI Afterburner to track VRAM usage)
It is advisable to stop playing the game in case VRAM usage goes beyond 50-60%.
5. Close Background Processes and Software
Background applications and programs can many times prevent the game from functioning well on your PC, especially programs like Razer, NZXT, and Gigabyte are some of the culprits. So, simply press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open up Task Manager and close all programs and processes running in the background unnecessarily. After closing them, relaunch the game.
6. Disable Overlays and Extra Features
Overlays significantly enhance multitasking on your PC as it offers quick-access interfaces. However, sometimes, it can cause the DirectX error by conflicting with the BO6 or other online games. So, try disabling overlays and other extra features and then check if the error is fixed.
7. Running the Game in Safe Mode
At times, running a game in ‘Safe mode’ helps to troubleshoot certain performance related issues and errors including DirectX error in BO6. When you run the game in Safe Mode, it will try to run the game with minimal settings and eventually help to bypass DirectX error.
8. Update GPU Drivers
For a smoother gaming experience, it is always advisable to update your GPU drivers. To install the latest drivers, it is recommended to visit the official website of the manufacturer of your GPU drivers.
9. Repair Game Files
Any missing or corrupted game files can be the root cause of this error so the next solution we recommend is to repair any missing or corrupted game files. To do this:
On Steam: Go to Steam Library >> Right-click on the game >> Properties >> Local Files >> Verify integrity of game files.
On Battle.net: Click on the cogwheel next to the Play button and select Scan and Repair. Wait until the scan process is completed and then relaunch the game.
10. Disabling Windows Game Mode and Hardware Acceleration
Windows Game Mode and Hardware Acceleration can also sometimes trigger this error as they conflict with the game’s graphics rendering. So, try disabling both of them. Here is how you can do that:
- Open up your PC’s Settings >> Gaming >> Game Mode
- Turn off Game Mode
- Then again go to PC’s Settings >> System >> Display, scroll down to Graphics Settings
- Disable Hardware Acceleration for the game if available
- Once done, relaunch the game.
11. Upgrading RAM
Some players suggest the error has been resolved for them after upgrading RAM. If your system has insufficient or faulty RAM, it can cause the game to crash along with the DirectX error. Ensure that your system has at least 16 16 GB of RAM or higher.
12. Disabling Resize BAR in BIOS
Resize BAR is a feature in the latest GPUs that improves system performance by allowing the CPU to access the entire GPU frame buffer at once. However, it can conflict with certain online games including BO6. Disabling it in the BIOS can help resolve DirectX errors. To disable it, follow these steps:
- Restart your PC and enter into the BIOS (Usually, you can do it by pressing DEL or F2 during boot)
- Find the Resize BAR or Re-Size BAR Support setting
- Disable it and save changes
- At last, reboot your PC and relaunch the game.
13. Turning off Hardware Scheduling
Hardware scheduling is a process that allocates tasks to hardware resources like CPU. However, some players report that you can fix the DirectX error in BO6 by turning Hardware Scheduling off. To do this:
- Go to Settings >> System >> Display >> Graphics Settings
- Turn off ‘Hardware Scheduling’.
14. Activating or Disabling DLSS
One effective solution that has worked for some players is to activate or disable DLSS. Although it may sound confusing, players have reported mixed results when adjusting this setting. For some, enabling DLSS helped resolve the issue, while for others, disabling it has worked for them. You can do this in your game’s settings.
15. Deleting and Reinstalling the Shaders Cache
In BO6, DirectX error can also be caused by outdated or corrupted shaders cache. If the cache is corrupted, it can lead to crashing or rendering errors. So, it is recommended to delete and reinstall it. Here is how you can do this:
- Open your file explorer and go to the folder where the game is installed on your PC
- Select all files within the shaders cache folder and delete them. Ensure that the folder is empty.
- Then, to reinstall them, launch the game
- During the loading process, the game will start reinstalling shaders automatically. Wait for some time and do not interrupt the process.
- Once the process is done, relaunch the game and the error should be fixed now.
That’s all you can try fixing Black Ops 6 DirectX error.
