Microsoft warns of Windows 10 and 11 DirectX issues, apphelp.dll errors after installing KB5019980 update
Microsoft has issued a warning to Windows 10 and Windows 11 users with system Intel GPUs. The company says that people who have installed November's cumulative update for Windows (the KB5019980 update) may experience issues if they also have certain versions of the Intel graphics driver installed.
The problems affect apps and games that make use DirectX or Direct3D to render content, and can cause apphelp.dll errors to appear.
Microsoft announces DirectX 12 Ultimate with improved raytracing
Proclaiming that "it is time for DirectX to evolve once again", Microsoft has revealed DirectX 12 Ultimate which unifies the graphics technology for Xbox Series X and PC gaming.
There are a number of graphic hardware features for developers to take advantage of, including DirectX Raytracing 1.1, Variable Rate Shading, Mesh Shaders and Sampler Feedback. But Microsoft stresses that the new API will not reduce compatibility. DirectX 12 Ultimate is described as an "additive initiative"; hardware that does not support it will still be able to run next-generation games, but without some of the visual enhancements.