How to enable DirectX 11 for The Sims 4 (Windows Tutorial)

Overview

DirectX 11, abbreviated as DX11, is a set of drivers from Microsoft that enhance visual and audio performance for games. Applying DX11 to The Sims 4 on a compatible PC can result in better performance, smoother animations, and overall improved gameplay experience.
Please note that DX11 is not available for PlayStation or Mac systems.

How to check if your computer supports DirectX 11

1. Press the Windows key + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type "dxdiag" and press Enter.
3. In the DirectX Diagnostic Tool window that appears, click on the "Display" tab, or “Display 1” tab if you have a multi-monitor setup.
4. Under the "Drivers" section, look for "Feature Levels". If “11_0” or higher is listed, your computer supports DX11.

How to Enable DX11 through Launchers

EA App & Epic Game Store & Game Pass for PC:

1. Open the EA App on your computer.
2. Find The Sims 4 in your game library.
3. Click on the game advance settings (3 dot icon) above the play button.
4. Select "View Properties".
5. In the "Advanced launch options" box, type "-dx11"
6. Click "Save" to apply the changes.

Steam:

1. Open Steam and go to your library.
2. Right-click on The Sims 4 and select "Properties".
3. Under the "General" tab, find the "Launch Options" box
4. In the text field, type "-dx11"
5. Click "OK" to save your changes.

Desktop Shortcut:
EA App: *Requires Windows Admin permission

1. Right-click on The Sims 4 desktop shortcut and select 'Properties'.
2. In the 'Target' field, add a space at the end and then type "-dx11".
3. Click 'Apply', then 'OK' to save the changes.

How to Disable DX11

1. Follow the same steps as above to reach the "Command Line Arguments" box (EA App) or the "Set Launch Options" text field (Steam).
2. Simply delete "-dx11" and save your changes.

Please be aware that we’re still fine-tuning our DX11 implementation and are aware of some existing issues. Further enhancements are on the way!