PC Game Port
DirectX 12 on Mac: play the newest PC games on Apple Silicon
Last updated: October 25, 2026
DirectX is the part of Windows that games use to draw 3D graphics. DirectX 12 is the newest version, and most big games from the last few years need it. Macs use Apple's Metal instead, so to play a DirectX 12 game on a Mac, something has to translate each frame from DirectX to Metal while you play. Apple makes that translator itself and gives it away free. This guide explains how to get it, how to tell which DirectX a game uses, and what speed to expect.
Which DirectX does your game use?
Open the game's store page and scroll to System Requirements. Most list a line like DirectX: Version 12. If the minimum says 11 and the recommended says 12, the game can usually run on either. Once you add a game to PC Game Port, the library shows which graphics route it takes.
| DirectX version | Typical games | On a Mac with PC Game Port |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX 12 | Most big games from about 2020 on | Apple's free D3DMetal, a one-time download |
| DirectX 10 and 11 | Most games from the last 15 years | Built in |
| DirectX 9 and older, DirectDraw, OpenGL | Older classics | Built in |
| Vulkan only | A few games, often with a DirectX option too | Not supported yet; pick DirectX in the game's launcher if it offers it |
What D3DMetal is
D3DMetal is Apple's DirectX 12 to Metal translator. It's part of the Game Porting Toolkit, a free download Apple makes for game developers. Apple's license lets people download it for free, but it doesn't let paid apps like PC Game Port include it. So you download it from Apple once and the app brings it in. After that it stays installed when PC Game Port updates, and DirectX 11 games use it too.
How to add D3DMetal
You don't need to do this before you start. The first time you press Play on a DirectX 12 game, PC Game Port shows these steps. You can also open them from Settings → Windows.
- Click Open Apple Downloads and sign in with your Apple Account. It's the same free account you use for the App Store, and you don't need a paid developer membership.
- Download the latest Game Porting Toolkit (a .dmg file). If there's more than one file, pick the one with "Evaluation environment" in its name.
- Let it import. PC Game Port spots the download in your Downloads folder and imports it by itself. You can also drop the .dmg onto the window. It only accepts copies signed by Apple.
What speed to expect
Translating costs some speed, and DirectX 12 games are the most demanding. As a rough guide:
- Base chips (M1 to M5) handle lighter DirectX 12 games, usually at lower settings and resolutions. Each newer generation is faster.
- Pro, Max and Ultra chips have many more GPU cores and handle higher settings.
- Memory matters as much as the chip. Your Mac shares one pool between the game and its graphics, so a game asking for 16 GB RAM and an 8 GB video card needs about 28 GB on a Mac, counting macOS.
Before you buy a game, paste its requirements into Check System Requirements. Each line gets a tick, a warning or a cross against your Mac, with the cost of translating counted in.
Settings that help DirectX 12 games
- MetalFX upscaling. Games that offer NVIDIA DLSS get Apple's upscaler instead. Pick DLSS in the game's settings for a higher frame rate with a sharp picture.
- Ray tracing. On M3 or newer, DirectX 12 games can turn on ray-traced lighting. It looks better and costs frames.
- Presets. Battery Saver, Balanced or Best Quality in one click, if you'd rather not tune each option.
When a DirectX 12 game won't start
- Check its anti-cheat. Many new online games use kernel-level anti-cheat, which can't run on a Mac at all. See anti-cheat on Mac.
- Check it's a 64-bit game. Almost every DirectX 12 game is, but D3DMetal doesn't run 32-bit ones.
- Send a report. In PC Game Port, open Tools → Error Log → Copy Report. Subscribers can email it for help. It includes your Mac model, settings and the error, and leaves out your username.