If you’ve ever spent 10 minutes tweaking your Apex Legends settings before a ranked grind to fix random stutters or boost FPS, you’ve probably come across API options in your settings or launch commands. You might have even asked yourself does apex legends use directx 12, especially if you’ve seen other players swear it fixed their endgame circle performance drops. A lot of PC players overlook API settings, but they can have a bigger impact on your gameplay than almost any other graphical tweak you make. This guide breaks down everything you need to know about DX12 support in Apex, from how to enable it to whether it’s the right pick for your setup.
Does Apex Legends Use DirectX 12, and How to Enable It?
The short answer is yes, Apex Legends fully supports DirectX 12 for all PC players, after rolling out as a beta feature back in 2022. Respawn Entertainment added the option to give players more control over their performance, especially as more modern GPUs are built to take advantage of DX12’s more efficient rendering framework. It’s not enabled by default for most players, though, so you’ll have to turn it on manually if you want to test it out.
There are two easy ways to enable DX12 for Apex, depending on whether you prefer adjusting in-game settings or using launch commands. If you want to do it through the game itself, boot up Apex, go to the Settings menu, navigate to the Video tab, and scroll down to the “Graphics API” option, where you can select DirectX 12 and restart the game. If you use Steam, you can also right click Apex Legends in your library, select Properties, and add -eaclaunchersettings SettingsDX12.json to your launch options to force the game to boot in DX12.
DX12 is only supported for 64-bit Windows 10 and 11 systems, so if you’re still running an older 32-bit OS or Windows 7/8, you won’t be able to use the feature. Console players don’t have to worry about this setting at all, since Xbox and PlayStation use their own custom rendering APIs tailored to their specific hardware.
Key Performance Differences Between DirectX 11 and DirectX 12 for Apex Legends
It’s easy to assume a newer API is automatically better, but that’s not always the case, depending on your PC hardware. DX12 is built to use your system’s resources more efficiently, but it has higher baseline requirements than the older DX11 API that Apex launched with. Most players with mid to high-end systems will see noticeable improvements when switching, but low-end PC users might actually get worse performance.
When you make the switch to DX12, these are the most common changes you’ll notice:
- Higher average FPS on mid to high-end GPUs, especially when playing in 1440p or 4K resolutions with max texture and effect settings
- Reduced CPU bottlenecking, as DX12 distributes rendering workload more evenly across multiple CPU cores instead of relying mostly on a single core
- Fewer stutters during high-action moments, like when 10+ players are fighting in a small endgame circle with lots of explosive particle effects and ability animations
- Longer initial load times when you first launch the game, as shaders compile for your specific hardware the first time you run DX12
If you have less than 6GB of VRAM on your GPU, you’re likely to see worse performance with DX12 than you do with DX11. DX12 uses more video memory to store pre-rendered assets and shader data, so older GPUs with limited VRAM can struggle to keep up, leading to more texture pop-ins and FPS drops. You might also notice longer load times for your first match of the session, though that usually speeds up after your first time booting the game with DX12 enabled.
Ray tracing features are only available when running Apex on DirectX 12, so if you want to use the enhanced lighting and reflection settings Respawn added in recent seasons, you’ll have to switch to DX12 to access them. The ray tracing effects are pretty subtle for most casual players, but if you care about maximum visual fidelity, it’s the only way to get those features working.
Common Issues You Might Face With DirectX 12 in Apex Legends
Respawn has patched most of the major bugs that plagued the DX12 beta, but there are still a few common issues you might run into when you first switch over. Most of these are easy to fix, but it’s good to know what to expect before you jump into a ranked match with the new API enabled.
The most common issue people report is random crashes on launch or during matches, usually caused by outdated graphics drivers. DX12 relies on more modern driver features than DX11, so if you haven’t updated your NVIDIA or AMD drivers in a few months, you’re much more likely to run into stability problems. Some older overlay and recording tools also don’t work well with DX12, so if you use an older version of OBS or a third-party FPS counter, you might need to update that software or switch to a different tool to get it working.
You should always update your graphics drivers to the latest stable version before switching to DX12 to avoid 90% of the most common crash issues. Avoid using beta drivers if you can, since those often have unpatched bugs that can cause problems with online games like Apex.
A small number of players also report occasional texture pop-ins when they first load into a map, or minor frame drops when they use certain legend abilities. These issues are far less common now than they were during the beta, and Respawn regularly releases patches to fix remaining DX12 bugs as they are reported. If you run into these issues consistently, you can always switch back to DX11 with no permanent changes to your settings.
Should You Switch to DirectX 12 for Your Apex Legends Sessions?
Whether DX12 is the right pick for you depends entirely on your hardware and what you prioritize in your gameplay. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but there are a few simple rules you can follow to make the call without wasting hours testing settings.
You should switch to DX12 if you have a mid to high-end PC with at least 16GB of RAM, a 4-core or better CPU, and a GPU with 6GB or more of VRAM. If you regularly deal with FPS drops during high-action fights or endgame circles, switching to DX12 will almost certainly smooth out those stutters and give you a more consistent gameplay experience. It’s also the only option if you want to use ray tracing features, or if you’re trying to hit higher FPS numbers on a 144Hz or 240Hz monitor.
You should stick with DX11 if you have an older low-end PC with less than 6GB of VRAM, or if you rely on older recording or overlay tools that don’t support DX12. If you’re already getting stable 144+ FPS on DX12 with no stutters, there’s no real reason to switch unless you want to test out ray tracing.
It's always a good idea to test both APIs for 2-3 full matches before settling on one, since every PC setup is slightly different. What gives your friend a 30% FPS boost might give you worse performance, depending on your specific hardware combination and the settings you use. I tested both for a week earlier this year on my RTX 3070 setup, and I got a consistent 20% FPS boost in endgame fights with DX12, so I’ve kept it enabled ever since. The only downside I noticed was slightly longer first launch times, which was a small tradeoff for more consistent performance in ranked matches.
At the end of the day, the answer to does apex legends use directx 12 is a clear yes, and it’s a great option for most modern PC players. You don’t have to switch if your current setup works perfectly for you, but it’s worth testing if you’re looking for a simple way to boost your FPS or reduce stutters during high-action gameplay. Take 10 minutes to enable it, test it in a few unranked matches, and see if it makes a difference for your specific setup — you might be surprised by how much of an improvement you see.