How does Windows 7 install DirectX 11.1?

A few days ago, it was reported that DirectX 11.1 only supports the latest Windows 8, Windows RT, and Windows Server 2012, and Microsoft temporarily does not have a plan for Windows 7 to provide DirectX 11.1.

The news was a source of frustration for many Windows 7 users, and Microsoft deliberately clarified the official blog in an effort to quell the outrage. In an official blog released today, Microsoft said that they were quietly providing a way for Windows 7 users to get some of the DirectX 11.1 features. This secret feature is hidden in the IE10 that was released yesterday for Windows 7 users.

Microsoft said in its blog that Windows 8 contains the latest DirectX 11.1 runtime (Runtime), which supports Direct3D 11.1, the new direct2d and Directwrite, Dxgi 1.2, and the new version of WIC. Windows 7 SP1 users can get part of the "DirectX 11.1 runtime" from an update of KB 2670838, which is included in the Windows 7 release IE10 download released yesterday. KB 2670838 contains the latest components in DirectX 11.1, but is limited to WDDM 1.1 drivers on Windows 7.

The Windows 7 IE10 preview released yesterday contains KB 2670838, and if you have installed Windows 7 IE10, you now have some of the DirectX 11.1 features available. In addition to installing Windows 7 version IE10, you can download the installation KB 2670838 separately.

KB 2670838 improves the functionality and performance of the following components:

--direct2d

--directwrite

--direct3d

--windows image Processing component (WIC)

--windows Advanced Raster Platform (skew)

--windows Animation Manager (WAM)

--xps Document API

--h.264 Video Decoder

--jpeg XR Codec