DLSS Not Showing - Complete Fix Guide
Can't find DLSS option in game settings? Learn why DLSS isn't appearing and get step-by-step solutions to enable it.
🎯 Most Common Cause
Outdated GPU drivers or unsupported GPU. DLSS requires NVIDIA RTX series and latest drivers.
⏱️ Quick Fix Time
2-5 minutes for driver update, 30 seconds to restart game.
✅ Success Rate
95%+ of "DLSS not showing" issues fixed by updating drivers.
Why DLSS Option Isn't Appearing
When DLSS doesn't show in game settings, it's usually one of these reasons:
| Reason | Symptom | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Outdated GPU Driver | DLSS grayed out or missing | Update GPU drivers to latest |
| Non-RTX GPU | No DLSS option at all | GPU doesn't support DLSS (need RTX series) |
| Game Doesn't Support DLSS | No DLSS in any graphics menu | Check if game has DLSS support |
| Game Never Restarted | DLSS appears after restart | Restart the game completely |
| DLSS DLL Corrupted | Option appears but won't work | Verify game files or use DLSS Swapper |
Step-by-Step Solutions
Check GPU Compatibility
DLSS only works with NVIDIA RTX GPUs. RTX 20 series and newer.
To verify your GPU:
- Right-click desktop → NVIDIA Control Panel
- Go to Help → About → Check GPU model
- Look for "RTX" in the name (e.g., RTX 3060, RTX 4080)
If GPU shows "GeForce GTX": DLSS is not supported on GTX series. Use FSR or XeSS instead.
Update GPU Drivers
Most Important: This solves 95% of "DLSS not showing" issues.
For NVIDIA RTX GPUs:
- Download NVIDIA GeForce Experience
- Log in with NVIDIA account
- Click "Drivers" tab
- Click "Check for updates"
- Install latest driver (or use NVIDIA website manually)
- Restart computer after installation
Fully Restart the Game
Games sometimes cache settings. DLSS may not appear until restart.
- Close the game completely
- Wait 10 seconds
- Launch game again
- Check graphics settings for DLSS option
Verify Game Supports DLSS
Not all games have DLSS support.
- Check our games list to see if game supports DLSS
- Or visit NVIDIA's official DLSS page
- Search for your game name in the supported games list
Run Game as Administrator
Some games need admin permissions to detect DLSS properly.
- Right-click game .exe file
- Select "Properties"
- Go to "Compatibility" tab
- Check "Run this program as an administrator"
- Click "Apply" then "OK"
- Restart game
Disable Graphics Overlays
Overlays from Discord, OBS, or other apps can interfere with DLSS detection.
- Discord: User Settings → Overlay → Toggle off "Enable in-game overlay"
- GeForce Experience: Settings → In-Game Overlay → Toggle off
- OBS: Tools → Browser Dock (disable streaming overlays)
- Steam: View → Settings → In-Game → Disable Steam Overlay
- Restart game after each change
Repair Game Files
If DLSS DLL is corrupted, game files need repair.
For Steam games:
- Right-click game in Steam → Properties
- Go to "Installed Files" tab
- Click "Verify integrity of game files"
- Wait for verification to complete
- Restart game
Alternative: Use DLSS Swapper to restore original DLL file.
Use DLSS Swapper if Game Still Not Showing
DLSS Swapper can help if DLSS is corrupted or incompatible version.
- Download DLSS Swapper
- Open DLSS Swapper
- Add game to list (click "Add" or "Browse")
- Download latest DLSS version
- Click "Swap" to install latest DLSS
- Restart game
⚠️ Still Not Working?
If DLSS still doesn't appear after all steps: (1) Check GPU drivers are truly latest, (2) Try different DLSS version via DLSS Swapper, (3) Verify GPU is RTX series, (4) Check game actually supports DLSS.
GPU Compatibility Quick Reference
| GPU Series | DLSS Support | Supported DLSS Versions |
|---|---|---|
| RTX 40 Series (4090, 4080, 4070, etc) | ✓ Full Support | DLSS 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0 + Frame Gen |
| RTX 30 Series (3090, 3080, 3070, etc) | ✓ Full Support | DLSS 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 (no Frame Gen) |
| RTX 20 Series (2080, 2070, 2060, etc) | ✓ Partial Support | DLSS 1.0, 2.0 only |
| GTX 1080, 1070, 1060, etc | ✗ Not Supported | No DLSS support |
| AMD Radeon | ✗ Not Supported | Use FSR instead |
| Intel Arc | ✗ Not Supported | Use XeSS instead |
💡 Mobile GPU Support
DLSS works on NVIDIA RTX mobile GPUs (RTX 3050/3060/3070/3080 M series, RTX 4060/4070/4080/4090 M series). Integrated laptop graphics (Intel Iris, AMD Radeon) do NOT support DLSS.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: My GPU is RTX but DLSS still doesn't show?
A: This is almost always due to outdated GPU drivers. NVIDIA releases driver updates every month with new DLSS version support. Update to latest driver version first.
Q: Do laptop RTX GPUs support DLSS?
A: Yes! RTX mobile GPUs fully support DLSS. Mobile RTX 30/40 series (3050M, 3060M, 4070M, 4090M, etc) all support DLSS.
Q: Can I enable DLSS on GTX GPU?
A: No, GTX series (1080, 1070, 1060, etc) do NOT support DLSS. DLSS requires RTX series GPU. These cards are too old to have the Tensor Cores DLSS needs.
Q: What if game doesn't have DLSS support?
A: Not all games support DLSS. You can either (1) use DLSS Swapper to add DLSS to unsupported games (if available), (2) use FSR (AMD's upscaling) if available, or (3) use XeSS if on Intel Arc GPU.
Q: Will restarting my computer help?
A: Yes! Always restart computer after driver updates, as drivers need to reload. Also restarts services that may be interfering with DLSS detection.