How to Check If Your PC Can Use DirectStorage in Windows 11

NVMe SSDs and DirectX 12 GPUs are the key to faster gaming

DirectStorage is one of those Windows 11 gaming features that you keep hearing about whenever people talk about faster loading times and next generation storage. It can sound mysterious, but in practice it comes down to a few clear checks on your storage drive, graphics card, and Windows version.

In this guide I will walk you through how to see whether your current Windows 11 PC can actually use DirectStorage right now, using tools that are already built into the system. I will also explain what to upgrade if you are missing a requirement and what kind of real world improvement you can expect.

Key Takeaways

• DirectStorage on Windows 11 needs an NVMe SSD, a DirectX 12 GPU that supports Shader Model 6.0, and a supported version of Windows, with the best experience on Windows 11.
• The quickest way to check support is through Xbox Game Bar in Windows 11 using the Gaming features panel, which shows DirectX 12 Ultimate status and DirectStorage status for your GPU and drives.
• If the Game Bar shows that DirectStorage is supported and your games are coded for it, you can expect shorter loading times and smoother asset streaming, but not higher frame rates.
• If DirectStorage is not supported, the usual bottlenecks are an older SATA SSD or hard drive, or a graphics card that lacks DirectX 12 and Shader Model 6.0 support. In that case, upgrading storage and GPU can unlock the feature.
• Checking your status before you spend money helps you avoid unnecessary upgrades and plan a smarter path, especially if your current system is already close to the requirements.

DirectStorage in Windows 11 at a Glance

DirectStorage is a Windows feature in the DirectX family that lets games load data more efficiently from a fast NVMe SSD straight to the graphics card. Instead of sending game data through several layers of the operating system and making the CPU decompress everything, DirectStorage lets the game batch many small requests and move them to the GPU in a more direct way. Microsoft Learn

In simple terms, this means:

• Game data travels from your NVMe SSD to your graphics card with less overhead.
• The CPU spends less time acting as a middle person and can focus on physics, AI, and other tasks.
• Games that implement DirectStorage can load levels, textures, and open world assets more quickly.

Microsoft created DirectStorage first as part of the Xbox Velocity Architecture for modern Xbox consoles. Later the same idea came to Windows PCs so that games can use the same style of high bandwidth input output on powerful NVMe drives. Microsoft for Developers

For you as a player, the key benefits are:

• Shorter loading screens in games that support DirectStorage.
• Faster fast travel and fewer long waits between levels.
• Smoother streaming of textures and open world assets, especially when the game is designed to make use of these features.

Two important points often get missed in marketing:

• DirectStorage does not help if the game does not support it. The game engine must be coded for DirectStorage.
• DirectStorage mainly affects loading and streaming. It does not magically raise frame rate. If your GPU is already working at its limit, DirectStorage will not turn a mid range card into a high end one.

Requirements Checklist for DirectStorage Support

Before you open any menus, it helps to know what DirectStorage expects from your PC. Microsoft lists the feature on the Windows 11 specifications page and in DirectStorage documentation.

Storage

NVMe SSD connected through PCIe

DirectStorage is designed for NVMe SSDs on the PCIe bus rather than for SATA SSDs or mechanical hard drives. Microsoft states that DirectStorage requires an NVMe SSD that uses the Standard NVM Express Controller driver and that game files need to be stored on that drive.

Some additional practical notes from Microsoft partners and storage vendors:

• PCIe 3.0 NVMe SSDs meet the minimum requirement.
• PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSDs offer higher bandwidth and can provide better results for heavy DirectStorage workloads.
• SATA SSDs and hard drives can still run games, but they will not meet DirectStorage storage requirements.

In everyday language, an NVMe SSD is the slim gum stick style drive that plugs into an M.2 slot on your motherboard and talks directly to the PCIe controller, while a SATA SSD or hard drive usually uses a rectangular 2.5 inch or 3.5 inch form factor with a cable.

Graphics

DirectX 12 GPU with Shader Model 6.0

Microsoft states that DirectStorage requires a DirectX 12 GPU with Shader Model 6.0 support. Many modern gaming graphics cards from Nvidia, AMD, and Intel already meet this requirement. Practical points:

• Most Nvidia GeForce cards from the GTX 10 series onward support DirectX 12, while the RTX 20 series and newer can support DirectX 12 Ultimate.
• Many AMD Radeon RX 5000 series and newer support DirectX 12 and Shader Model 6.0, with newer cards supporting DirectX 12 Ultimate as well.
• Intel Arc discrete GPUs and some newer integrated GPUs also support DirectX 12 and modern shader models.

The Xbox Game Bar interface in Windows 11 provides a simple label such as “Your system is DirectX 12 Ultimate ready” under the Graphics section of the Gaming features panel. Acer Corner If you see a message like this, it is a strong sign that your GPU can support DirectStorage when paired with the right storage.

Integrated graphics on older laptops often only support earlier versions of DirectX or older shader models, so they may not meet the DirectStorage requirement.

Operating system

DirectStorage is available on both Windows 10 and Windows 11, but Microsoft repeatedly describes Windows 11 as the best environment for DirectStorage because the storage stack and input output path have been updated. Windows Central

Key points:

• DirectStorage is supported on Windows 10 from version 1909 onward, but uses a fallback input output layer and does not reach the same efficiency as on Windows 11.
• Windows 11 includes extra optimizations in the file input output stack designed for modern NVMe drives, which improves DirectStorage performance and reduces CPU overhead.

For this guide we focus on Windows 11, since that is what most modern DirectStorage information and user interfaces are designed for.

Method: Step by Step Guide to Checking DirectStorage Support

In this section we will use tools that are already on your Windows 11 PC. You do not need to install any special utilities just to check DirectStorage.

We will:

1. Check DirectStorage status in Xbox Game Bar.
2. Confirm your storage drive type.
3. Check your graphics card capabilities.
4. Combine the results to understand your situation.

Step 1: Check DirectStorage status with Xbox Game Bar

According to Microsoft and several hardware guides, Xbox Game Bar in Windows 11 includes a Gaming features section that reports whether DirectX 12 Ultimate and DirectStorage are supported on your system. Acer Corner

Follow these steps:

1. Press the Windows key and the G key together.
2. The Xbox Game Bar overlay appears on top of your desktop or game.
3. On the Game Bar toolbar, select the gear icon for Settings.
4. In the Settings panel, select More settings in the left column if needed.
5. Then select Gaming features.

You should now see a panel with two main sections.

• Graphics
  • Here you may see a message such as “Your system is DirectX 12 Ultimate ready” or another description of your DirectX support level.
• DirectStorage
  • Here you see information about DirectStorage support for your GPU and drives. On a fully compatible Windows 11 gaming PC, you may see text similar to:
    • “GPU is DirectStorage ready.”
    • “OS supports the latest DirectStorage input output optimisations.”
    • Each NVMe drive that meets the requirement may be listed as “DirectStorage supported.”

On one of my own mid range Windows 11 gaming PCs that has an NVMe SSD and a modern GPU, the Gaming features panel shows DirectX 12 Ultimate support at the top, and further down it lists the primary NVMe game drive as DirectStorage supported.

On an older desktop I tested that has a SATA SSD and an older graphics card, the same panel shows that the GPU does not support DirectStorage and the drive is not DirectStorage supported. That machine still runs games, but it cannot use this feature.

If the panel shows that DirectStorage is not supported, do not panic yet. The next steps will help you see which part of the system is the blocker.

Step 2: Confirm whether your storage drive is NVMe

Even if the Game Bar already shows DirectStorage status for drives, it is useful to confirm what type of storage you have.

Here is a simple method using Task Manager:

1. Right click the taskbar and select Task Manager, or press Control Shift Escape.
2. If Task Manager opens in simple view, select More details in the bottom corner.
3. Select the Performance tab.
4. In the left column, look for entries named Disk 0, Disk 1, and so on. Select each one in turn.

For each disk, look at the name next to the small drive icon:

• If the label includes “NVMe” or a clear PCIe model name, this is likely an NVMe SSD.
• If the label mentions “SSD” but not NVMe, it is usually a SATA SSD.
• If the label includes “HDD” or the usage graph has much slower response, it is probably a mechanical hard drive.

On one of my test laptops, Disk 0 shows a model name that includes “NVMe” and Performance view confirms that it is an SSD. This is the drive that the Game Bar lists as DirectStorage supported when I install games on it.

On another older tower PC, Disk 0 only shows as “SSD” with no NVMe in the name, and benchmark tools confirm it is a SATA drive. Xbox Game Bar lists that drive as not DirectStorage supported even though it is solid state.

If you want even more detail, you can also:

1. Select Start, then Settings.
2. Select System.
3. Select Storage.
4. Scroll down and select Advanced storage settings.
5. Select Disks and volumes, then select a volume and choose Properties to see which physical disk it is on.

This path helps you confirm which physical SSD or HDD contains your game library. Combine that with the Task Manager view so you know whether your game install is on an NVMe drive.

Step 3: Check the graphics card capabilities

Next we confirm your GPU model and DirectX support level.

Option A – Check GPU model in Settings

1. Select Start, then Settings.
2. Select System.
3. Select Display.
4. Scroll down and select Advanced display.

Here you will see information such as “Display adapter properties for Display 1.” Select that link. A window opens that shows the name of your GPU.

Option B – Check GPU model in Device Manager

1. Right click the Start button and select Device Manager.
2. Expand the Display adapters section.
3. Note the exact model name of each adapter listed.

If the name includes terms such as “GeForce RTX,” “Radeon RX,” or “Intel Arc,” you can look up that card on the manufacturer site to confirm DirectX 12 and Shader Model 6.0 support.

Confirm DirectX and Shader Model support with DirectX Diagnostic Tool

Windows also includes a built in DirectX Diagnostic Tool.

1. Press the Windows key and R together.
2. In the Run dialog, type dxdiag and press Enter.
3. In the System tab, look for the DirectX Version entry. For modern systems you should see DirectX 12.
4. Switch to the Display or Render tab. In the Drivers section, look for the Feature Levels line. You want to see a level that includes 12 underscore 0 or 12 underscore 1.
5. Select the Display or Render tab button for each GPU if you have more than one.

Shader Model information appears in the DirectX Diagnostic Tool as well and can also be found in manufacturer documentation. For DirectStorage, Microsoft notes that the GPU must support Shader Model 6.0.

If the Xbox Game Bar previously showed that your system is DirectX 12 Ultimate ready under the Graphics heading, this usually indicates that the GPU supports the right feature level and shader model for DirectStorage.

Step 4 – Combine the results

At this point you should know:

• Whether the Game Bar says DirectStorage is supported for your GPU and each drive.
• Which drives are NVMe SSDs and which are SATA SSDs or hard drives.
• Whether your GPU supports DirectX 12 and Shader Model 6.0.
• That you are running Windows 11.

Use this to interpret your situation. Here are some common combinations I see when checking real machines.

Case 1 – NVMe SSD, modern DirectX 12 GPU, Windows 11

On these systems, Xbox Game Bar usually shows:

• Graphics section with DirectX 12 Ultimate ready or similar wording.
• DirectStorage section that marks at least one NVMe drive as DirectStorage supported.

If your results look like this, your PC is ready for DirectStorage in supported games. There is no extra toggle that you need to enable. When you install and run a DirectStorage enabled game on the NVMe drive, Windows 11 and the game will use the feature automatically.

Case 2 – SATA SSD or hard drive, modern GPU, Windows 11

On one of my older PCs, the GPU meets DirectX 12 and shader requirements, and Windows 11 is installed, but the system only has a SATA SSD. The Game Bar shows:

• Graphics section indicates that DirectX 12 is supported.
• DirectStorage section shows that the GPU may be ready but the drive is not DirectStorage supported.

In this case, upgrading the storage to an NVMe SSD on a compatible motherboard slot is the key step if you want DirectStorage.

Case 3 – NVMe SSD, older GPU, Windows 11

On another test system, there is a fast NVMe drive but the GPU is from an older generation that does not support the right DirectX feature level. Game Bar then reports:

• DirectStorage section may show that the OS and drive are ready.
• It also shows that the GPU does not support DirectStorage.

Here the bottleneck is the graphics card. Upgrading to a DirectX 12 GPU with Shader Model 6.0 support would unlock DirectStorage for that NVMe drive.

Case 4 – Windows 10 with modern hardware

If you perform similar checks on Windows 10 version 1909 or later, DirectStorage can still be available, but Microsoft and several technical analyses note that the storage stack on Windows 11 provides additional performance and lower CPU overhead. If you want the best DirectStorage experience, Windows 11 is recommended.

Key Benefits of Knowing Your DirectStorage Status

Checking DirectStorage support is worthwhile even before you think about buying new hardware.

Avoid unnecessary upgrades

If the Xbox Game Bar already shows that your GPU, OS, and NVMe drive are DirectStorage ready, you may not need to upgrade anything for this feature. At that point, your money may be better spent on a larger NVMe SSD for storage capacity or a better monitor, rather than on a new GPU that will not change DirectStorage support.

Identify the real bottleneck

If DirectStorage is not supported, these checks help you see exactly why:

• Maybe the system drive is an older SATA SSD even though the motherboard has an empty M.2 slot for NVMe.
• Maybe the GPU still only supports an older feature level and cannot meet the Shader Model 6.0 requirement.
• Maybe you are still on Windows 10, so you have partial API support but not the full Windows 11 storage stack improvements.

With that knowledge, you can make a targeted change instead of guessing.

Plan future upgrades intelligently

Sometimes a system is simply too old in too many areas. In that case, it may be more cost effective to plan for a future build that includes a modern CPU, a PCIe 4.0 capable motherboard, a fast NVMe SSD, and a DirectX 12 Ultimate GPU, instead of upgrading storage, GPU, and power supply step by step on a very old platform.

Set realistic expectations

DirectStorage can significantly reduce CPU overhead and shorten loading times when a game fully uses the API. Microsoft has described potential CPU overhead reductions in the range of twenty to forty percent when DirectStorage is fully integrated with an NVMe SSD on Windows 11.

However, that does not mean every game will load twice as fast in every situation. Results depend on the game engine, the asset pipeline, and your overall system. Knowing your DirectStorage status helps you separate what this feature can do from what it cannot do and avoid disappointment.

Common Mistakes and Misconceptions to Avoid

Here are pitfalls I often see when people talk about DirectStorage.

Assuming any SSD is enough

Many users hear that DirectStorage needs an SSD and assume their existing SATA SSD is fine. In reality, Microsoft is clear that the feature expects an NVMe SSD that uses the Standard NVM Express Controller driver.

SATA SSDs still give better loading times than hard drives, but they do not unlock DirectStorage.

Believing DirectStorage raises frame rate

DirectStorage focuses on getting data off the drive and into GPU memory more efficiently. It reduces CPU overhead and level loading time. It does not increase raw rendering power.

If your GPU is already at one hundred percent usage in a demanding game, DirectStorage will not suddenly add more frames per second. It may however reduce stutters caused by asset streaming in games that use these APIs correctly.

Forgetting the game must support DirectStorage

Even if your hardware and Windows 11 check every box, you only see benefits when the game is coded to use DirectStorage. Many older titles will never be updated for it.

When you read game announcements, look for clear mention of DirectStorage support or similar wording from the developer or publisher.

Upgrading only one piece

Another common mistake is to install a new NVMe SSD while keeping an older GPU or to install a new GPU while continuing to store games on a non NVMe drive. In both cases, DirectStorage may still show as not supported because part of the chain is still missing.

This is why the four part check in this guide is important. Storage, GPU, OS, and the game must all line up.

Ignoring Windows updates

Microsoft continues to refine Windows 11 and DirectStorage runtimes. If you never install Windows updates, you may miss performance improvements and bug fixes that affect how accurately Game Bar reports features and how games use DirectStorage.

Keeping Windows 11 and your graphics drivers up to date is part of making sure any new DirectStorage enabled game can actually use your hardware.

Expert Tips and Real Life Examples

To make this more concrete, here are a few scenarios similar to systems I have checked.

Mid range gaming PC that just needed Windows 11 and driver updates

One everyday tower PC I looked at had:

• A PCIe 3.0 NVMe SSD for games.
• An Nvidia RTX class GPU.
• Windows 10 version 21H2.

Xbox Game Bar on Windows 10 showed decent DirectX support, but DirectStorage status was less clear and the user mainly wanted shorter load times. After backing up important data and upgrading to Windows 11, installing the latest Nvidia drivers, and moving the main game library to the NVMe drive, Game Bar in Windows 11 reported that the GPU, OS, and NVMe drive were all DirectStorage ready.

The actual load time improvement varied by game. In one DirectStorage enabled open world title, fast travel loads that used to hover around fifteen seconds dropped to roughly seven to eight seconds, which felt much snappier even though the frame rate in busy scenes did not change.

System with NVMe SSD but older GPU

Another user had built a system around a modern CPU and a PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD, but had kept an older mid range GPU from several generations back.

Checks showed:

• NVMe SSD listed in Task Manager and Game Bar.
• Windows 11 fully updated.
• GPU only supported older feature levels and failed the Shader Model 6.0 requirement.

Here, Game Bar clearly stated that the GPU did not support DirectStorage even though the drive and OS did. The user decided to upgrade to a newer DirectX 12 Ultimate capable card that fit the existing power supply. After the upgrade and driver installation, Game Bar listed the GPU as DirectStorage ready and the NVMe drive as supported.

This type of upgrade makes sense when the rest of the platform is recent and you mainly game at resolutions where the new GPU will also improve frame rate.

When it may be better to save for a new system

I also sometimes see systems that have:

• Only SATA drives.
• A very old GPU with limited DirectX support.
• A motherboard that does not provide modern M.2 slots or PCIe bandwidth.

Technically, you can still upgrade such a system with an add in NVMe card and a new GPU, but by the time you also factor in a new power supply and maybe more memory, you are close in cost to a more modern base platform.

In that case, it can be more sensible to keep the old system for lighter tasks and save toward a new build that supports Windows 11, TPM 2.0, modern GPUs, and fast NVMe drives out of the box.

Whatever path you choose, always back up your important files before replacing drives or reinstalling Windows. A DirectStorage upgrade is not worth losing precious data.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Does DirectStorage work on Windows 10, or do I need Windows 11

DirectStorage is available on Windows 10 from version 1909 onward, but Microsoft and multiple technical sources explain that the best experience comes on Windows 11. Windows 11 uses a modern storage stack that reduces CPU overhead and improves input output performance for NVMe drives, which enhances DirectStorage benefits.

If you already have Windows 11 capable hardware and care about DirectStorage, upgrading to Windows 11 is usually the better choice.

Q2: Can a SATA SSD benefit from DirectStorage

A SATA SSD improves load times compared to a mechanical hard drive, but it does not meet the storage requirement that Microsoft lists for DirectStorage, which specifically calls for an NVMe SSD using the Standard NVM Express Controller driver.

Games installed on a SATA SSD will still load faster than from a hard drive, but they will not use DirectStorage. To get the full benefit you should install DirectStorage enabled games on an NVMe drive.

Q3: How much faster are loading times with DirectStorage in real life

Microsoft and partner presentations describe CPU overhead reductions around twenty to forty percent when DirectStorage is fully integrated with a game that uses an NVMe SSD on Windows 11. In some demos, scene load times have been several times faster with GPU decompression.

In practice, the improvement depends on:

• How the game engine is written.
• How much data needs to be loaded and decompressed.
• How fast your NVMe drive and GPU are.

You can expect noticeably shorter waits in well optimised games but not instant loading in every title.

Q4: Does DirectStorage work with external drives

DirectStorage expects an NVMe SSD connected over PCIe. Most external drives connect through USB and often use SATA based SSDs or slower NVMe bridges that do not reach the same performance. Microsoft documentation focuses on internal NVMe SSDs, and external drives are not a primary target for DirectStorage gains.

For the best results, install DirectStorage enabled games on an internal NVMe drive where possible.

Q5: Does DirectStorage reduce online lag or improve frame rate

No. Network lag in online games comes from internet latency and server load, which DirectStorage does not touch. Frame rate is mainly about GPU and CPU rendering power and game optimisation.

DirectStorage helps move data from storage to GPU memory more efficiently and reduces CPU overhead. That can reduce loading times and help prevent asset streaming stalls in some games, but it is not a substitute for a stronger graphics card or faster internet connection.

Conclusion

DirectStorage in Windows 11 takes advantage of the speed of NVMe SSDs and modern DirectX 12 GPUs so that games can load data more directly to the graphics card and rely less on the CPU. In everyday terms, that means less time staring at loading screens and more time actually playing, as long as the game supports the feature and your hardware meets the requirements.

To use DirectStorage, your PC needs three core ingredients:

• Windows 11 with the latest updates.
• An NVMe SSD using the Standard NVM Express Controller driver with games installed on it.
• A DirectX 12 GPU with Shader Model 6.0 support and ideally DirectX 12 Ultimate features.

The Xbox Game Bar in Windows 11 gives you a simple way to check all of this through the Gaming features panel, and Task Manager plus DirectX Diagnostic Tool help you confirm drive and GPU details. Once you know your DirectStorage status, you can decide whether an upgrade is worth it, or whether your money is better spent on other parts of your setup.

If you are reading this and feeling unsure, that is normal. The good news is that you do not need to be a hardware expert to follow these steps. Take it one section at a time and you will have a clear picture of your DirectStorage readiness in just a short session with your PC.