DXDiag Driver Information Explained

Q: What driver information does DXDiag show?

DXDiag shows driver information for three categories of hardware: display devices (graphics cards), sound devices (audio adapters), and input devices (game controllers and keyboards). For each device, it shows the driver name, driver version, driver date, whether the driver is digitally signed (WHQL certified), and any problems detected in the Notes field.

Q: How do I check if my driver is WHQL certified in DXDiag?

Open DXDiag and click the Display tab. Find the WHQL Logo'd field. If it shows Yes, the driver has passed Microsoft's Windows Hardware Quality Labs testing and is certified for Windows. If it shows No, the driver is not WHQL certified — this does not necessarily mean it is problematic, but WHQL drivers are generally more stable because they have undergone additional testing.

Q: What does No problems found mean in DXDiag Notes?

No problems found in the Notes section of any DXDiag tab means Windows has detected no driver errors, missing components, or DirectX compatibility issues for that device. All hardware on that tab is functioning correctly from Windows' perspective. If your hardware is still not working despite showing No problems found, the issue is outside what DXDiag monitors — possibly a settings issue or a hardware fault.

Q: Why does DXDiag show an old driver date?

An old driver date in DXDiag means you have not updated that hardware driver recently. Driver dates in DXDiag come from the driver's metadata file, not from when you installed the driver. A driver dated several years ago is not necessarily problematic if the hardware is working correctly — but for GPUs especially, newer drivers often include performance improvements and bug fixes for specific games.

DXDiag shows driver information for your display, sound, and input devices on their respective tabs. Key fields are Driver Name, Driver Version, Driver Date, and WHQL Logo'd. The Notes field at the bottom of each tab shows No problems found if drivers are healthy, or describes specific issues if problems are detected.

Where Driver Information Appears in DXDiag

DXDiag Tab	Driver Type Shown	Key Driver Fields
Display	Graphics / GPU driver	Driver Name, Driver Version, Driver Date, WHQL Logo'd
Sound	Audio driver	Driver Name, Driver Version, Driver Date, WHQL Logo'd
Input	Game controller / input device driver	Driver Name, Driver Version

Understanding Driver Fields

Driver Version

For NVIDIA GPUs, the driver version in DXDiag corresponds to the driver branch number. For example, NVIDIA driver version 31.0.15.5215 corresponds to the GeForce driver version 552.15. AMD drivers show the full version string. Compare this against the latest driver on the manufacturer's website.

Driver Date

The driver date shows when the driver package was released by the manufacturer. A recent date indicates an up-to-date driver. Older dates do not cause issues on stable hardware, but for gaming GPUs, newer drivers often contain game-specific optimizations.

WHQL Logo'd

WHQL (Windows Hardware Quality Labs) certification means Microsoft tested and approved the driver. Most GPU drivers distributed through Windows Update are WHQL certified. Drivers downloaded directly from NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel may be WHQL certified or Game Ready (for NVIDIA), which is not WHQL but is typically stable.

Checking Driver Health in DXDiag

Open DXDiag (Windows + R, type dxdiag).
Click each tab (Display, Sound) in sequence.
Scroll to the bottom and read the Notes field.
If Notes shows No problems found — that driver is healthy.
If Notes shows an error — note the exact message and proceed to troubleshoot.

How to fix driver problems found in DXDiag →

Frequently Asked Questions

What driver information does DXDiag show?+

How do I check if my driver is WHQL certified in DXDiag?+

What does No problems found mean in DXDiag Notes?+

Why does DXDiag show an old driver date?+

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