DLSS & DLSS Swapper Troubleshooting Guide

Can't get DLSS working? Experiencing crashes, stuttering, or compatibility issues? Find solutions to common DLSS problems here.

⚡ Quick Fix Checklist

  • Restart your game after DLSS changes
  • Update GPU drivers to latest version
  • Verify game supports DLSS (check supported games list)
  • Check GPU compatibility (RTX 20/30/40 series or newer)
  • Disable overlays (Discord, OBS, streaming software)
  • Run game as Administrator

❌ DLSS Not Showing

DLSS option doesn't appear in game graphics settings or menu, even though the game supposedly supports it.

Common causes: Outdated GPU drivers, unsupported GPU, DLSS DLL missing or corrupted, or game needs restart.

View Solutions →

💥 DLSS Causes Crashes

Game crashes when you enable DLSS or shortly after launching with DLSS active.

Common causes: Incompatible DLSS version, corrupted DLL, GPU driver issue, or insufficient VRAM.

View Solutions →

⏸️ DLSS Causes Stuttering

Frame rate drops, stuttering, or micro-freezes appear when DLSS is enabled but not when disabled.

Common causes: CPU bottleneck, Frame Generation timing issues, or driver conflicts.

View Solutions →

🔄 DLSS Swapper Issues

DLSS Swapper won't launch, can't find games, fails to download/swap DLLs, or shows compatibility errors.

Common causes: Antivirus blocking, game not supported, DLL location mismatch, or permission issues.

View Solutions →

Most Common Issues & Quick Fixes

📋 Issue: "DLSS option is greyed out / disabled"

  1. Go to Graphics Settings in the game
  2. Look for DLSS/Technology/Upscaling section
  3. If greyed out, it means:
    • Your GPU doesn't support this DLSS version
    • You need an NVIDIA RTX GPU (20 series or newer)
    • GPU drivers need updating
  4. Update drivers and restart system
  5. Check game supported GPU list

📋 Issue: "DLSS Swapper can't detect game installation"

  1. Open DLSS Swapper
  2. Click "Browse" to manually locate game folder
  3. Navigate to game's main installation directory (where .exe is)
  4. Select the game executable
  5. Click "Confirm" to add to list
  6. Now you should see the game in DLSS Swapper

📋 Issue: "Game crashes when DLSS enabled"

  1. Disable DLSS in game settings (if possible)
  2. Update GPU drivers to latest version
  3. Verify game files (Steam: right-click game → Properties → Verify)
  4. If using DLSS Swapper, restore original DLL: Click "Restore"
  5. Try enabling DLSS again with latest driver
  6. If still crashing, use different DLSS version via Swapper

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between DLSS, DLSS 2, DLSS 3, and DLSS 4? ⌄

DLSS 1.0: Original AI upscaling technology, limited game support, used performance mode by default.

DLSS 2.0: Major improvement with quality/performance/balanced modes, much better image quality, wider GPU support (RTX 20 series+).

DLSS 3.0: Added Frame Generation (creates AI-generated frames), improved upscaling, RTX 40 series for full features, RTX 30 series for upscaling only.

DLSS 4.0: Latest version with Multi-Frame generation, even better quality, enhanced ray tracing support, RTX 40+ required for full features.

Why doesn't my GPU support DLSS even though it's new? ⌄

DLSS requires an NVIDIA RTX-series GPU. If you have:

AMD GPU: Use FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution) instead

Intel Arc GPU: Use XeSS (Xe Super Sampling) instead

Older NVIDIA (GTX 1080/1070/etc): These don't support DLSS - need RTX 20 series or newer

RTX GPU but still not working: Update GPU drivers and check game requirements

Is DLSS Swapper safe for online games with anti-cheat? ⌄

DLSS Swapper is generally safe because:

✓ It only swaps the DLSS DLL (Microsoft-approved upscaling technology)

✓ NVIDIA officially permits DLSS modifications

✓ Game logic and assets aren't modified

However: Some anti-cheat systems (Easy Anti-Cheat, BattlEye) may flag file modifications. Read our safety guide for specific games.

Which DLSS quality mode should I use? ⌄

Quality Mode: Best for 4K displays or high-end systems - minimal visual loss, ~25-30% FPS improvement

Balanced Mode: Recommended for most players - great balance between visuals and performance, ~40-50% FPS improvement

Performance Mode: For competitive gaming or high frame rates - noticeable visual difference but significant FPS boost, ~60% improvement

Ultra Performance: Extreme performance focus - largest visual trade-off but maximum FPS for VR/esports

How do I fix low FPS even with DLSS enabled? ⌄

Check GPU usage: Use GPU monitoring software (GPU-Z, MSI Afterburner). If not 90%+, you're CPU bottlenecked.

Try Performance Mode: This reduces rendering resolution more, freeing GPU for higher FPS

Lower other settings: Ray tracing, resolution, texture quality - these affect FPS more than upscaling

Update drivers: Old GPU drivers can limit DLSS performance

Disable overlays: Discord, OBS, streaming overlays can reduce FPS by 5-15%

Can I use DLSS on laptop/mobile GPUs? ⌄

Yes! DLSS works on:

✓ NVIDIA RTX mobile GPUs (RTX 3050/3060/3070/3080/4060/4070/4080/4090M)

✓ Desktop RTX GPUs in external enclosures

✓ Laptop RTX GPUs in gaming laptops

Limitations: Older laptop iGPUs (Intel Iris, AMD Radeon) don't support DLSS. Integrated graphics need dedicated NVIDIA mobile GPU.

How do I revert/restore DLSS to original version? ⌄

Using DLSS Swapper:

  1. Open DLSS Swapper
  2. Select the game
  3. Click "Restore Original"
  4. Restart the game

Manual restoration: Reinstall game or restore from backup (DLSS Swapper automatically creates backup)

DLSS looks blurry or has visual artifacts - how to fix? ⌄

Adjust quality mode: Try Quality mode instead of Balanced/Performance - you'll get better image sharpness

Check sharpening: Some games have DLSS sharpening setting - adjust it in graphics menu

Update drivers: Old GPU drivers may have DLSS quality issues - update to latest

Try different DLSS version: Use DLSS Swapper to test DLSS 2.0 vs 3.0 or vice versa

Note: Some blurriness is normal due to upscaling - it trades pixels for performance

Does DLSS increase input lag? ⌄

DLSS 2 (Upscaling): Generally reduces input lag because the game renders at a lower resolution, resulting in higher framerates.

DLSS 3 (Frame Generation): Can slightly increase latency, but this is offset by NVIDIA Reflex which is mandatory with Frame Gen. The overall feel is usually very responsive.

Recommendation: Always enable NVIDIA Reflex (set to "On + Boost") when using DLSS to ensure the lowest possible system latency.

Where are DLSS files located in my game folder? ⌄

The DLSS file is named nvngx_dlss.dll.

Location: usually found next to the game's executable (.exe) or in a subfolder like:

  • /Binaries/Win64/ (Unreal Engine games)
  • /game_name/x64/

Frame Generation uses a separate file named nvngx_dlssg.dll.

How do I uninstall DLSS Swapper? ⌄

Since DLSS Swapper is a portable application (if you used the portable version), you can simply delete the folder.

If you installed it via the installer:

  1. Go to Windows Settings > Apps > Installed Apps
  2. Search for "DLSS Swapper"
  3. Click the three dots > Uninstall

Note: Uninstalling the tool does NOT revert the DLSS files in your games. You should restore originals before uninstalling if you want to go back to stock files.

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