A Fatal DirectX Error has Occurred in FFXIV- 4 Easy Fixes

Sat down to play FFXIV only to be hit by the message: A fatal DirectX error has occurred? Having been in that situation, I can imagine your annoyance. So, after a lot of hits and tries, I have come up with a list of the best ways to fix the Fatal DirectX error. Keep reading to know more.

Why a Fatal DirectX Error has Occurred in FFXIV? -5 Possible Causes

There are several potential causes behind the Fatal DirectX error in Final Fantasy XIV (FFXIV). Some of the common causes include:

1. Full-screen Mode

If you’ve recently updated your Windows, changed your graphic settings, or the DirectX file on your gaming system is out of date, your game may crash on launch. And this may result in a Fatal DirectX error.

2. Software Conflicts

Sometimes, a game or software may conflict with other programs on your system, such as antivirus or firewall software. These conflicts can cause the Fatal DirectX error during gameplay or upon launching the game.

3. Outdated or Incompatible GPU

If a fatal DirectX error has occurred in your Final Fantasy 14, it’s another possibility that you have outdated or low-quality GPU drivers. This is because outdated GPUs are more prone to bugs and glitches, while low-quality drivers may not be compatible with the game’s format.

4. Nvidia SLI Feature Rejection

SLI (Scalable Link Interface) is a technology developed by Nvidia that allows users to combine two GPU systems for improved gaming performance. Although this feature can be beneficial, it can also interfere with the game and cause the Fatal DirectX error.

5. Incompatible DirectX 11 Settings

Using DirectX 11 with incompatible graphic settings for FFXIV is another possible reason for the fatal DirectX error. This may lead to the game crashing upon launch and displaying the error message.

How to Fix the FFXIV Fatal DirectX Error -4 Best Solutions

Now that you know the causes behind the Fatal DirectX error, let’s dive into the solutions for fixing this error. Here are the details of each fixing method:

1. Launch the Game in a Borderless Window

By default, the game launches in full screen. So, to change it to borderless window mode, you can follow the steps below:

1. Press Windows + E to open File Explorer.
2. Navigate to This PC > Documents > My Game > Final Fantasy XIV game folder.
3. Now right-click the FFXIV.cfg file and open it with Notepad.
4. Press Ctrl + F to open the Find tool. 
5. In the search bar, type ScreenMode and change its value to 2.
6. Save the changes and close the file.

Now when you launch the game, it will open in a borderless window. The only thing you need to do now is to check if it has solved the Fatal DirectX error. If not, move on to the next solution. 

2. Disable the SLI Feature

Sometimes, the SLI feature of the Nvidia graphic card interferes with the game and causes the Fatal DirectX error. To fix this issue, you should disable the SLI feature. Here’s how you can do this:

1. Right-click anywhere in the empty space of your desktop.
2. From the pop-up menu, select NVIDIA Control Panel.
3. On the left side menu, expand the 3D Settings section.
4. In the submenu, click on Configure SLI feature
5. Now on the right side, check the box on the side of the Disable SLI option.
6. Press Apply to save changes and then Launch the game to see if the issue is resolved.

However, if you have the AMD GPU instead of Nvidia, you will have to disable the CrossFire feature. Follow these steps to do that:

1. Right-click in the empty space on your desktop, and from the pop-up menu, select AMD Radeon Settings.
2. In the AMD Control Panel, go to the Gaming tab.
3. Click the AMD CrossFire mode option and disable the switch.
4. After disabling the CrossFire feature, you will have to restart your PC to save and apply the changes.

Once that’s done, you can launch the game and see if the issue has been fixed.

3. Update Graphic Drivers

If you haven’t updated your graphic card driver for a while, it might be why you’re facing the FFXIV Fatal DirectX Error. To update your graphic card driver, follow these steps:

1. Press Windows + R, type devmgmt.msc in the Run dialog box, and hit OK.

2. Go to the Display adapters section in the Device Manager and expand it.

3. Now right-click on your graphics card and click the Update Driver option.

4. After this, select Search automatically for updates, and Windows will start the update process. 

After the GPU is updated, launch the game to see if the error has been fixed.

4. Run Final Fantasy XIV using DirectX 9

There is a great chance that the issue might be with DirectX 11. In such a case, you should try to run the game on DirectX 9. Here is how to do that:

Run DirectX 9 from Game Settings

1. Open in-game Settings.
2. Go to System configuration.
3. Now select Graphics, and you will find the related option.

Run DirectX 9 from Steam Application

1. Open Steam from the Windows menu.
2. Click Library from the toolbar to access the game lists.
3. Find Final Fantasy from the list and select properties.
4. In the pop-up menu, select the launch options tabs.
5. Manually choose dx9 in the box, and press OK to confirm.

Run DirectX 9 from Desktop Shortcut

1. On your Windows Desktop, right-click on the FFXIV shortcut. From the menu, select the Properties option.
2. Click on the Target box and add -dx9 at the end of the line.
3. Press Apply to save changes. 

Now, launch the game to see if the problem has been solved or not.

Other FFXIV Directx Errors Common Error Messages

At times, you may see other error messages for the same issue. However, you don’t need to worry because the same solutions can also be applied to them. 

Here are a few examples of those messages:

1. Ffxiv fatal DirectX error 11000002: It is an error that occurs when the game is unable to initialize or run properly due to a problem with the DirectX library.
2. Fatal DirectX error ffxiv amd: This error occurs when the game is unable to run properly due to a problem with the DirectX library on a system with an AMD graphics card.
3. Ffxiv fatal DirectX error 1100000f: You may see this when the game is unable to run properly due to a problem with the DirectX library.
4. Ffxiv DirectX error shadowbringers: When the game is unable to run properly due to a problem with the DirectX library during the Shadowbringers expansion, you may see this error message.
5. Ffxiv fatal DirectX error 10000000: It’s an error that occurs when the game is unable to run properly due to a problem with the DirectX library.

Frequently Asked Questions