Advanced Shader Delivery (ASD) now works on Windows 11 PCs with AMD, Intel, Nvidia and Qualcomm graphics. Microsoft confirmed the expansion on October 21. Supported games download with their shaders already compiled, so the first launch takes seconds instead of minutes and you should see less shader stutter while you play.
You need Windows 11 version 24H2 or later, a supported GPU and a recent graphics driver. For now ASD works with games from the Microsoft Store and the Xbox PC app. Microsoft says Steam and the Epic Games Store are next, but it has not given a date.
What does Advanced Shader Delivery actually fix?
Shaders are the small programs your GPU runs to draw a game. On PC they usually get compiled for your exact graphics card and driver, either on a “Compiling shaders” screen at first launch or in the middle of play. That is where long first-launch waits and sudden hitches come from.
With ASD, the developer records the game’s shader data and uploads it to the store. The store then delivers shaders that are already compiled with the game download. In its October 21 DirectX blog post, Microsoft says this reduces overall loading time and shader stutter and also saves power.
“With ASD, shader compilation at first launch takes just a few seconds, compared to several minutes on a typical PC without ASD.”
Wendy Ho, DirectX Developer Blog, on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4
For Gears of War: E-Day, the first game to use ASD across vendors, Microsoft put the cut in shader compilation time at about 95% in an October 1 post. That figure is for one game and comes from Microsoft. We have not measured it ourselves.
Which GPUs and drivers support ASD?
This is the full list from Microsoft’s post. Your PC needs Windows 11 24H2 or higher, a GPU in this list and at least the driver version shown.
| GPU maker | Supported GPUs | Minimum driver |
|---|---|---|
| AMD | RDNA 1, RDNA 2, RDNA 3, RDNA 3.5 and RDNA 4 architectures | Adrenalin 26.6.1 or higher |
| Intel | Arc B-Series (B570, B580), Core Ultra Series 2, Core Ultra Series 3 | 32.0.101.9150 or higher |
| Nvidia | All RTX GPUs and RTX Spark | 621.01 or higher |
| Qualcomm | Snapdragon X2 Series | 2026.08.3 or higher |
Not on Microsoft’s list
- Nvidia GTX cards. Microsoft lists all RTX GPUs only.
- Intel Arc A-Series desktop cards. Intel support covers Arc B570 and B580 plus Core Ultra Series 2 and Series 3 graphics.
- First-generation Snapdragon X laptops. Qualcomm support is listed for the Snapdragon X2 Series.
- Windows 10 and Windows 11 versions older than 24H2.
If your hardware isn’t listed, games still run. They just compile shaders the usual way.
How do I make sure my PC gets ASD?
There is no setting to turn on. If your PC meets the requirements and the game supports ASD, the precompiled shaders come with the download. These checks make sure nothing is holding it back.
Check that you’re on Windows 11 24H2 or later
Press Windows + R, type winver and press Enter. The window shows your version, for example 24H2 or 25H2. You can also look in Settings > System > About under Windows specifications.
If you are on 23H2 or older, update through Settings > Windows Update. Our Windows 11 26H2 guide covers how to get the latest version.
Update your graphics driver
Microsoft says to keep graphics drivers up to date for the best ASD experience. Install the latest driver from your GPU maker, or from your laptop maker for many Snapdragon and Intel laptops, then compare it with the table above.
Check the version in the maker’s own app, such as AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition or the NVIDIA App. Device Manager shows a different internal number for AMD and Nvidia drivers, so it won’t match “26.6.1” or “621.01”. Intel’s required version uses the same format Device Manager shows under Display adapters > Properties > Driver.
Install the Xbox PC app before you download the game
For both Gears of War: E-Day and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, Microsoft says to install the Xbox PC app before downloading the game. Get it from the Microsoft Store if you don’t already have it.
Look for “Precompiled shaders installed”
When you start a supported game, a small “Precompiled shaders installed” line appears in the launch screen. In Modern Warfare 4 it sits in the bottom left corner.
Our Modern Warfare 4 PC guide has the game’s system requirements if you want to check the rest of your setup.
When is ASD coming to Steam and Epic?
Microsoft says “soon” and nothing more specific. Epic Games will also add ASD to Fortnite in an upcoming update. Games only benefit once their developers upload shader data, so support will grow one title at a time rather than all at once.
May 2026
Public preview expands across AMD RDNA graphics.
October 1
AMD and Qualcomm support, starting with Gears of War: E-Day.
October 21
Intel and Nvidia join. Modern Warfare 4 showcased.
No date yet
Steam, the Epic Games Store and a Fortnite update.
For developers, Microsoft says games built with Unreal Engine 5.8.4 can add the needed shader database today, while Unity support arrives in 2027. Its October Agility SDK release adds partial programs, which compile complex state objects more efficiently.
We first covered the feature in our look at Windows 11’s faster performance update. Hardware support was the missing piece, and it is now in place for current AMD, Intel, Nvidia and Qualcomm GPUs.
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