How to Fix the Final Fantasy 7 (FF7) Rebirth DX12 Error

Here's how to fix the DirectX 12 error in FF7 Rebirth with the possible solutions.

The DirectX 12 (DX12) error in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth has been frustrating for many PC players. This error happens to appears when launching the game and stops it from running. If you’re one of the many unlucky players experiencing this issue, this guide tells why it takes place and how to fix FF7 Rebirth DX12error on PC.

What’s Causing the DX12 Error in FF7 Rebirth?

The DX12 error usually means your PC doesn’t meet the Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s requirements for DirectX 12 Ultimate. The players are encountering this problem due to one of these problems:

  1. Operating System Issue: DX12 requires Windows 10 or Windows 11. If you’re on Windows 7 or 8, the game won’t work.
  2. Outdated DirectX Version: Even if you’re on a supported OS, you need to make sure DirectX 12 is installed and updated.
  3. Graphics Card Incompatibility: Your GPU must support DirectX 12 Ultimate and Mesh Shaders. Older cards do not meet these requirements.
  4. Driver Problems: If your GPU drivers are outdated, most of the games can find it hard to run.

How to Fix DX12 Error in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth

How to Fix DX12 Error in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth

In order to try to fix the DirectX 12 version issue, the first thing you need to make sure is that your PC meets the game’s minimum hardware requirements and find out the version of DirectX your system has.

  1. Press Windows + R, type dxdiag, and press Enter.
  2. Look for the DirectX Version at the bottom of the window. If it doesn’t say DirectX 12, you need to update your system. But if you’re still using Windows 7 or 8, you must upgrade to the new release update of Windows 10 or 11 for DX12 installation.

Unfortunately, there’s no way around this—DirectX 12 is a must for FF7 Rebirth as Square Enix is aimed to give fans the best high-level performance.

For Windows updates, go to Settings > Windows Update > Check for Updates. Install any updates and restart your PC.

Update Your Graphics Drivers

Outdated GPU drivers can often trigger the DX12 error. Here’s how to fix it:

For NVIDIA Cards:

  1. Visit the NVIDIA Drivers website.
  2. Select your GPU model and operating system, then download the latest driver.
  3. During installation, choose Custom Installation and check Perform a Clean Installation.

For AMD Cards:

  1. Go to the AMD Drivers page.
  2. Find your GPU model, download the driver, and follow the same installation steps as above.

After the driver update, restart your PC and try launching the game again to see if the problem is fixed.

Ensure the Game Uses Your Dedicated GPU

Sometimes, games default to your integrated graphics, which might not support DX12. Further, built-in cards aren’t built for the games. To see this:

  1. Type Graphics Settings into the Windows search bar and open it.
  2. Click Browse, find the game’s .exe file (usually in SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH\End\Binaries\Win64), and add it.
  3. Choose the game in the list, click Options, and set it to High Performance.

On a desktop PC, make sure to connect your monitor to your dedicated GPU, not the motherboard.

Verify Your GPU Meets the Requirements

As already told above, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth requires a graphics card with the support for Shader Model 6.6 and Mesh Shaders. If your GPU doesn’t support these features, the game won’t run, no matter what you do. Here are the minimum GPU requirements:

  • NVIDIA: GeForce RTX 2060 or higher
  • AMD: Radeon RX 6600 or higher
  • Intel: Arc A580 or higher

For cards such as GTX 1080 or RX 5700, these don’t support these Shaders, which are necessary for the game to run.

Use the DX12 Workaround for Certain GPUs

If you have an NVIDIA GTX 16-series card (e.g., 1660, 1660 Ti), there’s a workaround that might help:

  1. Download the d3d12.dll file from a trusted source like the NexusMods or Steam forums.
  2. Place it in the game’s folder:
    • FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH\End\Binaries\Win64.
  3. Launch the game.

Many players with GTX 16 cards have reported a fix with this method. It only works for these GPUs, if you’re using a different model, it likely won’t help.

Adjust In-Game Settings

If the game launches but runs poorly, tweak the graphics settings:

  • Lower the resolution to 1080p.
  • Disable unnecessary effects like DLSS or FSR if your card doesn’t support them well.
  • Use third-party tools like Lossless Scaling or OptiScaler to improve performance without taxing the system.

Check for Game File Issues

Corrupted game files also result in a lot of game-related errors. Verify the game’s integrity in Steam:

  1. Right-click Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth in your Steam Library and select Properties.
  2. Go to Installed Files > Verify Integrity of Game Files.

If none of the fixes work, it means your hardware just isn’t compatible with the game and you need to upgrade your GPU to a DX12 Ultimate-capable card such as NVIDIA RTX 2060 or AMD Radeon RX 6600. Otherwise, if you purchased a game copy from Steam, you can request a refund as long as you’ve played FF7 Rebirth for less than 2 hours.