SWTOR DirectX 12 Experimental: How to Enable the Client and Switch Back

SWTOR DirectX 12 experimental will be selectable from the normal PC launcher when Broadsword releases its technical-test patch. You won’t have to download the Public Test Server client. Broadsword announced the first public technical test on 11 November 2026 and said the launcher option would arrive later that week.

This is a test of the renderer, not a graphics upgrade you should expect to look better straight away. Your normal characters and live-server progress carry over, but entire pieces of scenery or effects may be missing. If you’d rather avoid visual bugs, keep using the standard DirectX 9 client.

How to enable SWTOR DirectX 12 experimental

The switch will appear in the normal PC launcher when Broadsword releases its patch. The DX12 test is open to all players, including free-to-play accounts. You don’t need to sign up, enter an access code or download a separate test client. Here is the process the developer has confirmed:

1. Open the standard SWTOR PC launcher and allow its available update to install.
2. Look beside the Play button for a new arrow that opens the client selection menu.
3. Select DirectX 12 (Experimental) instead of DirectX 9 (Standard).
4. Launch the game and sign in to your usual live character.

Broadsword’s 11 November post described the launcher patch as coming later this week, with a separate go-live announcement to follow. So if the new arrow isn’t there, don’t go looking for a different installer or assume you’ve missed a setting. The developer hasn’t yet confirmed a launch time in that announcement.

Does the experimental client use your live characters?

Yes. Unlike the separate 8.0 Public Test Server, the DX12 renderer runs directly on live servers. Both launch options connect to the same live game servers. Your quests, equipment, items and character changes persist regardless of whether you launch through DX9 or DX12.

So treat it like your actual character, not a disposable testing copy. If you complete a quest, earn an item or change equipment in the SWTOR DirectX 12 experimental client, that change is saved on your live character. Switching back to DX9 won’t undo it.

How to switch SWTOR DirectX 12 back to DirectX 9

If the game becomes difficult to play, close it and return to the launcher. Open the arrow menu again, choose DirectX 9 (Standard), then press Play. Broadsword says you can change back at any time; switching renderers does not undo your existing character progress.

DirectX 9 remains the default. If the DX12 build makes a quest difficult to complete, choose the standard client instead of installing third-party graphics files. For this first test, the safest fix is built into the launcher itself.

What changes in the early DX12 test?

The aim is to gather evidence about compatibility and performance on many different PC setups. Expect unfinished textures, missing environmental details, reduced effects and fewer graphics controls. Broadsword says some areas might even have rendering faults that interfere with progress. The first test is about making the new engine stable before restoring visual quality.

The SWTOR DirectX 12 experimental build isn’t the finished visual update, and Broadsword hasn’t promised an FPS boost for every PC. The studio wants reports from different hardware setups before it starts restoring the missing graphical features.

Can you use SWTOR DirectX 12 experimental on a Mac?

Not in the initial public test. The developer has said the Mac launcher will not receive this client menu yet. Mac players should continue with their existing launcher and wait for a separate official update rather than following PC-only instructions.

Broadsword plans to confirm when testing actually opens. Until then, update the normal launcher and look for the new menu only after that announcement. If you do take part, report crashes or visual bugs with your CPU, graphics card, RAM and the exact place or action involved. Those details are what Broadsword has asked testers to provide.

Official source: SWTOR DirectX 12 Technical Test announcement.