How to Fix FFXIV Fatal DirectX Error

Through this article, we bring to light tried and tested fixes to the Fatal DirectX error FFXIV.

Final Fantasy FFXIV is among the most loved Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs). However, recently people have reported an annoying FFXIV Fatal DirectX error, preventing them from playing this popular game.

Are you also one of those people affected by this error? If yes, this article is going to be your favorite read for the day. Through this article, we discuss the best possible fixes to the FFXIV Fatal DirectX error.

However, let us first answer a basic question, i.e., why an FFXIV Fatal DirectX error has occurred on your computer. If you know this question’s answer, fixing the problems becomes a cakewalk. Hence, let us proceed toward the same.

What Causes FFXIV Fatal DirectX Error

Below may be reasons an FFXIV Fatal DirectX error has occurred on your device.

• Incorrect DirectX version
• Outdated graphics drivers
• Not playing the game in borderless mode
• Incorrect graphic settings

Above were some possible causes of the FFXIV Fatal DirectX error. Let us now look at how to fix it.

Fixes to the FFXIV Fatal DirectX Error

You can apply the following fixes to get rid of the Fatal DirectX error on FFXIV.

Fix 1: Play the game in Windowed/borderless mode

Playing the game in borderless or Windowed mode is among the easiest ways to fix the FFXIV Fatal DirectX error. However, since you cannot change the in-game settings, below is how to run the game in Windowed/borderless mode.

• Press the Windows and E keys on your keyboard to launch File Explorer.
• Now, follow the path This PC>Documents>My Game>Final Fantasy XIV.
• Now, right-click the FFXIV.cfg and choose the option to Open with>Notepad. 
• Press Ctrl+F to find the ScreenMode. 
• Now, change the ScreenMode value to 2. 
• Save all the changes and close the Notepad.
• Lastly, check whether or not the DirectX Fatal error has disappeared. You may try the next solution if it continues to exist.

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Fix 2: Use DirectX9 to run Final Fantasy

Running the game with an unsupported version of DirectX can also result in problems like FFXIV Fatal DirectX error. Hence, below is how to run the game with DirectX9 libraries to solve the problem.

• Firstly, launch Steam and go to its Library. 
• Now, right-click Final Fantasy XIV and select Properties from the on-screen options.
• Go to the GENERAL tab and select the option to SET LAUNCH OPTIONS.
• Enter dx9 in the on-screen box and select OK to confirm your actions.
• Lastly, run the game via Steam and check whether or not the FFXIV Fatal DirectX error appears again. If the error still appears, you can try the following fix.

Fix 3: Change graphic settings

Incorrect graphics settings may also be a reason the FFXIV Fatal DirectX error has occurred. Hence, changing the graphic settings can help you fix it. Below is how to do it for NVIDIA and AMD GPUs.

Changing the graphics settings for NVIDIA GPUs

• Go to the start menu and launch the NVIDIA Control Panel.
• Click on the 3D Settings option.
• Now, click on the Configure SLI, Surround, and PhysX options.
• Choose the option to Disable SLI from the SLI Configuration options.
• Lastly, save the changes and try playing the game.

Changing the graphics settings for AMD GPUs

• Firstly, right-click your desktop screen and choose AMD Radeon Settings from the available options.
• After the application opens, select Gaming from the bottom.
• Now, choose Global Settings from the top.
• Click on the AMD CrossFire to disable it if it is enabled.
• Lastly, get your computer restarted.

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Fix 4: Update your graphics driver (Recommended)

An outdated graphics card driver is often the root cause of many irritating issues, such as FFXIV Fatal DirectX error, since it breaks the communication between your computer and graphics card. Hence, updating your graphics driver is among the most recommended and sure-shot solutions to all gaming problems.

You can update the driver effortlessly and automatically with just a click using Bit Driver Updater, i.e., one of the best driver updaters. This software updates all drivers and offers many beneficial features, like driver backup and restore, acceleration of the driver’s download speed, scheduled scans for outdated drivers, and a lot more.

Below is the link from where you can download and install one of the best driver updaters.

After installing the software, you only need to wait for a couple of seconds until the software scans your computer. Once the scan is complete, you can click on the Update All button to update all drivers automatically in a single shot.

You can also update the graphics driver individually using the Update Now tool. However, updating all drivers is always a better idea to ensure smooth and error-free computer performance.

Fix 5: Reinstall the game

If none of the above solutions happens to solve the problem, you can uninstall the game and reinstall it to fix the Fatal DirectX error in FFXIV. Below is the way to do it.

• Firstly, right-click the Windows icon present on the taskbar.
• Now, choose Apps and Features from the available menu.
• Click on the game and select Uninstall. 
• Let the uninstallation complete.
• After the uninstallation completes, you can reinstall the game from its official website.

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FFXIV Fatal DirectX Error Fixed

Through this article, we discussed various tried and tested fixes to get rid of a Fatal DirectX error that has occurred in FFXIV. You start with the first solution and then go down the list until the problem is solved.

However, if you are short on time, you can directly update drivers with Bit Driver Updater to solve the problem. If you know other better solutions or have any questions/suggestions, kindly drop us a comment.