Если какая-то игра сообщает, что для работы её функций требуется DirectPlay, не торопитесь искать, где скачать эти компоненты в Интернете — подход к установке этого недостающего компонента совсем иной.
В этой простой инструкции для начинающих о том, как установить DirectPlay для Windows 10 или Windows 11 и почему их не требуется скачивать.
Установка DirectPlay в новых системах
Компоненты Microsoft DirectPlay могут требоваться для старых игр, но в новых ОС, таких как Windows 10 или Windows 11 по умолчанию отключены, хотя присутствуют и готовы к включению — то есть скачивать DirectPlay не требуется. Чтобы установить DirectPlay, выполните следующие простые шаги:
- Откройте панель управления и перейдите в раздел «Программы и компоненты» (чтобы он отображался, справа вверху в поле «Просмотр» установите «Значки»). Для открытия панели управления можно использовать поиск в панели задач Windows 10 и 11. Второй способ быстро открыть «Программы и компоненты» — нажать клавиши Win+R, ввести appwiz.cpl и нажать Enter.
- В окне со списком программ, слева нажмите по пункту «Включение или отключение компонентов Windows».
- В списке доступных компонентов найдите раздел «Компоненты прежних версий» (Legacy Components), а затем отметьте «DirectPlay» и нажмите «Ок».
В результате DirectPlay будет установлен на вашем компьютере или ноутбуке: обычно перезагрузка не требуется, но, если игра продолжает сообщать об отсутствии необходимых компонентов, попробуйте выполнить перезагрузку.
Дополнительный способ быстрой установки DirectPlay:
- Запустите командную строку от имени администратора
- Введите команду
dism /online /Enable-Feature /FeatureName:DirectPlay /All
и нажмите Enter
Видео инструкция
В завершение еще один момент: если игре требуется DirectPlay, не исключено что после включения компонентов она потребует и каких-то файлов от старых версий DirectX. Если этого произойдёт, скачайте веб-установщик DirectX с официального сайта Майкрософт https://www.microsoft.com/ru-ru/download/details.aspx?id=35 и он установит всё недостающее.
Все способы:
- Включаем функцию DirectPlay в Windows 10
- Способ 1: Меню «Включение или отключение компонентов Windows»
- Способ 2: Средство устранения проблем с совместимостью
- Способ 3: Переустановка DirectX
- Вопросы и ответы: 3
Как известно, политика компании Microsoft по отношению к библиотекам DirectX после выхода Windows 10 немного поменялась. Теперь все необходимые файлы уже заранее установлены в операционной системе, а пользователю не приходится осуществлять никаких дополнительных действий, чтобы программы и игры корректно взаимодействовали со всеми нужными объектами. Соответственно, разработчики ПО тоже пересмотрели свои взгляды. Сейчас в последней версии Виндовс одна из ранее ключевых функций DirectPlay, отвечающая за работу определенных опций в играх, попросту отключена из-за ненадобности. Однако иногда может потребоваться ее активация, о чем мы и хотим поговорить далее.
Включаем функцию DirectPlay в Windows 10
Всего существует один способ, отвечающий за включение рассматриваемой опции в операционной системе, а остальные, которые вы увидите далее, сосредоточены лишь на исправлении проблем с ее функционированием. Мы советуем начать с первой инструкции и переходить к следующим только в той ситуации, когда параметр по каким-то причинам отсутствует или приложения после его активации все еще уведомляют об ошибках.
Способ 1: Меню «Включение или отключение компонентов Windows»
Все стандартные компоненты ОС Windows 10 помещены в отдельное меню для простоты управления ими. Там же находится и DirectPlay, поэтому у пользователя не должно возникнуть никаких трудностей при возникновении надобности включить или отключить эту опцию. Все действия выполняются буквально за несколько кликов и выглядят следующим образом:
- Откройте «Пуск», через поиск отыщите приложение «Панель управления» и запустите его.
- Здесь переместитесь в раздел «Программы и компоненты».
- Воспользуйтесь панелью слева, чтобы открыть дополнительное меню «Включение или отключение компонентов Windows».
- Опуститесь вниз по списку, где отметьте галочкой каталог «Компоненты прежних версий». Теперь вы можете раскрыть его, кликнув по самой папке.
- Активируйте «DirectPlay» и закройте данное меню настройки.
После внесения изменений рекомендуется перезагрузить ОС, чтобы они точно вступили в действие, затем можно запускать приложение для проверки его работоспособности.
Способ 2: Средство устранения проблем с совместимостью
В Windows 10 имеется не только режим совместимости, настраиваемый вручную, но и специальное средство, отвечающее за решение неполадок, связанных с запуском программ и игр, разработанных специально для прошлых версий операционных систем. Если запустить его для проблемного ПО, оно может автоматически найти ошибку DirectPlay и устранить ее без участия пользователя.
- Для этого щелкните по значку приложения правой кнопкой мыши и в контекстном меню выберите пункт «Свойства».
- Переместитесь на вкладку «Совместимость».
- Нажмите на кнопку «Запустить средство устранения проблем с совместимостью».
- Ожидайте завершения диагностики.
- Вы можете использовать рекомендованные параметры или перейти к настройке совместимости на основе замеченных неисправностей. Мы советуем задействовать первый вариант, проверив работоспособность ПО.
- В противном случае в этом же меню свойств активируйте режим совместимости, отметив галочкой соответствующий пункт.
- Во всплывающем перечне укажите версию ОС, на которой данное приложение точно функционирует корректно, а затем примените изменения.
Сразу же переходите к запуску ПО, чтобы проверить действенность внесенных изменений. Если никакого эффекта добиться не удалось, лучше вернуть значения по умолчанию, чтобы в будущем из-за этого не возникло дополнительных проблем.
Способ 3: Переустановка DirectX
Последний вариант включения DirectPlay, рассматриваемый в нашей статье, является самым радикальным, поскольку подходит только тем юзерам, у кого этот пункт отсутствует в меню «Включение или отключение компонентов Windows». Дело в том, что далеко не все скачивают официальные сборки ОС или же вручную удаляют DirectX, что и приводит к появлению таких проблем. Единственный выход из данной ситуации — полная переустановка библиотеки с добавлением и включением старых библиотек. Более детально об этом читайте в другой нашей статье по ссылке ниже.
Подробнее: Переустановка и добавление недостающих компонентов DirectX в Windows 10
Как видно, иногда DirectPlay не получается так просто включить, однако рассмотренные только что инструкции должны помочь справиться с этой задачей и решить возникшие трудности.
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Table of contents
- How to enable DirectPlay in Windows 10
- Initiate Windows Features
- Find DirectPlay from Legacy Components
- Enable DirectPlay
- Restart Your Computer
- How to install DirectPlay on Windows 11
- How to download DirectPlay
- How to fix my DirectPlay
- Temporarily Disable Your Anti-Virus Software Application
- Use Task Manager to Shut Down Anti-Virus Processes
- Re-Enable DirectPlay from Windows Features
- Use Command Prompt to Install DirectPlay with the No-Restart Option
- Use DirectPlay with Compatibility Mode
Windows has come a long way as a useful computer operating system (OS). Some of the best features of this OS have been further developed over the years. Others have long lost their usefulness and have been replaced by more efficient features. However, there are a few Windows features like DirectPlay that can still serve a purpose.
DirectPlay used to be one of the most important features on Windows, especially for gamers. The feature served as a multigame functionality and allowed more than one user to play the same game at the same time. In other words, with DirectPlay, two or more Windows users could play games together or against one another.
As DirectPlay is part of the Microsoft DirectX, it also boosts gameplay on Windows. As such, experienced Windows gamers will be able to tell when DirectPlay was enabled on a computer and when it was not. However, DirectPlay is no longer a default feature on Windows 10 or 11. This means that you need to enable it yourself before you can use it.
This article is all about showing you how to enable DirectPlay in Windows 10 and even how to install DirectPlay on Windows 11. The article also gives pointers on how to solve DirectPlay issues using different methods, and download it to use or keep for future references.
How to enable DirectPlay in Windows 10
Enabling DirectPlay in Windows 10 is not difficult. As long as you pay attention to the following steps, you should be able to get DirectPlay running on your Windows machine in 2 minutes or less. These steps can be simplified as follows:
- Initiate the Windows Features from Control Panel
- Locate DirectPlay from the Legacy Components option
- Enable DirectPlay by ticking the checkbox next to it
- Click OK and restart your computer to save and activate your changes.
If these steps are simple enough for you, then all is well and good. However, since we are not all computer wizards, here are a few more specifics on enabling DirectPlay in Windows 10 or 11.
Initiate Windows Features
Windows Features are very important components for the smooth running of the Windows OS. They work the same way as addons and extensions on web browser applications. More importantly, these features are original, meaning that they are not created by third-party developer companies but by Microsoft Corporation. Therefore, they are trustworthy.
If you want to get DirectPlay running on your Windows computer, you don’t have to rely on a third-party software distributor. Instead, you can simply enable it from Windows Features the same way you enable any other DirectX component.
First, however, you may want to check to see if it is already enabled. You can do that by running Command Prompt as Administrator. Then type in the following code:
DISM /online /get-features /format:table | more
If you notice that DirectPlay is disabled, you can turn on Windows Features using any of the following methods:
- Click
Windows key + Sto enter search mode, and typeTurn Windows features on or offinto the search bar. Select the best match categorized under Control Panel and tapENTER. - Click
Windows key + Rto start the Run prompt, and typeoptionalfeatures. Click OK to launch Windows Features this way. - Launch Command Prompt and click the Run as administrator. Then type the following and tap
ENTERon your keyboard afterward:
DISM /online /enable-feature /featurename:DirectPlay
Find DirectPlay from Legacy Components
If you were unable to use the Windows command line to enable DirectPlay, it means that there is a requirement that your OS does not meet yet. There is nothing to worry about. You can use either of the other methods. Both of these methods will lead you to the same place—the Windows Features page where you can Turn Windows features on or off. Here, you will see all of the main Windows features that allow your OS to run smoothly.
Some of these features serve as the framework for others. For example, NETFramework is one of the main components that make it possible for certain software applications to run on your computer. So, just to be thorough, make sure that this feature is enabled.
DirectPlay should be the only feature under the Legacy Components folder on this Windows Features page. To locate it, simply click on the box next to the Legacy Components folder to expand it.
Enable DirectPlay
Once you have located DirectPlay in the Legacy Components folder, you can enable it by simply clicking on the empty box behind it.
Also, make sure that your computer is connected to the internet so that it can download and install the feature immediately. You should see a prompt telling you that your computer is applying changes to Windows Features.
Restart Your Computer
Once the changes have been applied, close the Windows features page and restart your computer.
Once your OS and up and running, you can enter DISM /online /get-features /format:table | more in Command Prompt (as an administrator) to see if DirectPlay is now included in the list of enabled Windows features.
How to install DirectPlay on Windows 11
Installing DirectPlay on Windows 11 is not different from what we have shown above. Microsoft has made it possible for you to simply install the DirectX component as one of the many Windows features. The installation process does not have to be a separate process from the enabling process. As a result, you don’t have to download DirectPlay as a separate software application from a third-party distributor.
So, in essence, to install DirectPlay on Windows 11, you only need to follow the steps we outlined in the previous section. Use Command Prompt as an administrator to enable DirectPlay. This will work if DirectPlay is already installed in your Windows OS. If it isn’t, you can use the Windows Features option to achieve the same results as the Command Prompt option.
Whichever option you choose, make sure to restart your computer to implement the changes.
How to download DirectPlay
As earlier mentioned, you don’t have to download DirectPlay to have it enabled on your PC. The feature is part of the native Microsoft Corporate store. However, downloading it as a standalone computer program is difficult, if not impossible.
Of course, many third-party software distributors will be happy to offer you versions of DirectPlay. But the chances of these versions negatively affecting the operation of your PC are very high. So, it is better to ignore these downloadable DirectPlay variants and stick to the original DirectPlay version from Microsoft.
How to fix my DirectPlay
Even though DirectPlay is a native Microsoft application, there are times it becomes impossible to use. During such times, it would either seem as if the application has completely disappeared from your PC or it has been disabled. However, you will find that it is still included in the list of enabled Windows features. In such instances, you need to fix DirectPlay.
Fixing DirectPlay is not difficult. There are many ways to go about this. So, if you find error messages like Microsoft.directx.directplay.DLL Not Found, you can use any of the following methods to fix DirectPlay.
Temporarily Disable Your Anti-Virus Software Application
Many useful antivirus software applications can boost Windows protection against malware. Auslogics Anti-Malware, for example, is very effective in detecting and removing all kinds of malware from your PC.
Download Auslogics Anti-Malware
Detects malware, spyware and viruses, then safely removes them from your PC to help keep it as secure as possible. The program is made to complement your main antivirus.
Nevertheless, the operation of advanced anti-virus applications like Auslogics’ can prove to be a deterrent for the activation of DirectPlay and other outmoded Windows components. Therefore, you have to temporarily disable your anti-virus software to get DirectPlay running.
There are many ways to disable anti-virus applications on Windows. The most popular of these is using the disable switch from the anti-virus itself. To do this, you only need to
- Locate the anti-virus software on your taskbar or among the apps on your taskbar tray.
- Right-click on the anti-virus icon to bring up the options.
- Select the option that indicates a temporary deactivation.
It is important that you don’t restart your PC once you have deactivated the anti-virus. Most of these applications are programmed to start running whenever you boot up your computer. Therefore, restarting your PC immediately after deactivating the anti-virus will only delay you, and not fix the problem.
Once you have disabled your anti-virus application, try enabling DirectPlay from Windows Features or through Command Prompt once again.
Use Task Manager to Shut Down Anti-Virus Processes
If you notice that DirectPlay runs temporarily and is disabled once again, you might have to uninstall the antivirus you are currently using and replace it with another. But if you don’t want to uninstall the anti-virus, you can simply terminate the anti-virus processes whenever you need to use DirectPlay.
To terminate anti-virus processes so you can use antiquated Windows components like DirectPlay, you only need to:
- Use
Ctrl + Shift + Esckeys to start Task Manager. (You can also useWindows key + X + Tfor the same purpose.) - From the 7 tabs of the Task Manager window, select the Processes tab.
- From the Apps, Background processes, and Windows processes header options, select everything related to the anti-virus and use the End task option after you right-click on these processes. You have to do this one by one under each category.
- Close the Task Manager window and try to use DirectPlay again.
If you notice that your anti-virus starts running after you restart your Windows:
- Bring up Task Manager once more and navigate to the Startup tab this time. This tab shows all your installed programs that Windows automatically launches whenever the OS boots up.
- Select the anti-virus application and right-click it to bring up options.
- Select the Disable option to deactivate the launching of your anti-virus.
This should solve the problem of your anti-virus blocking DirectPlay once and for all. Whenever you need to use your anti-virus or if you no longer need to use DirectPlay, simply activate the anti-virus application processes from Task Manager. You should also enable the anti-virus from the Startup tab in Task Manager.
Re-Enable DirectPlay from Windows Features
Although the previous suggestions on how to fix DirectPlay problems are effective, they may be necessary. Maybe there was a problem during installation, so DirectPlay was not correctly enabled on your Windows PC. In that case, you only need to re-enable DirectPlay to get it working.
The best means of re-enabling DirectPlay to fix .dll not found issues is to use Windows Features. We outlined the steps for this in an earlier section, so you should be able to easily enable DirectPlay this way.
However, if you find that DirectPlay is enabled, first uncheck the box next to DirectPlay (that is, under Legacy Components in the Windows Features window) and restart your PC. Once your OS is up and running, go back to Windows Features and enable DirectPlay. This should fix the problem.
Use Command Prompt to Install DirectPlay with the No-Restart Option
If disabling and enabling DirectPlay using Windows Features does not work, you may have to fall back on Command Prompt to fix it. As earlier stated, make sure you start Command Prompt (or Windows PowerShell) as an administrator. Then copy and paste the following code:
C:/ dism /Online /enable-feature /FeatureName:”DirectPlay” /NoRestart
Once the process is complete, DirectPlay should have been enabled.
Use DirectPlay with Compatibility Mode
The last method to fix issues with DirectPlay on Windows 10 and 11 is compatibility mode. This method allows your OS to run a particular program under an older configuration state. All you need to do here is:
- Right-click on the desktop application of the game to select the Open file location option.
- Select the game file and right-click to bring up the options.
- Select Properties and click on the Compatibility tab.
- Check the Run this program in compatibility mode for option and select any of the older Windows OSes.
- Click Apply and close the window, and then restart the game to use DirectPlay.
Whether you want to install or fix DirectPlay, the Windows Features option and Command Prompt serve as reliable methods. As long as you use any of these methods well, you should be able to decide how DirectPlay runs on your Windows 10 and 11.
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- What Is DirectPlay? How to Get It on Windows 10?
By Vicky |
Last Updated
If you are a game lover, you may have heard about DirectPlay Windows 10. This post will give a detailed explanation of DirectPlay, including what it is, its security, and how to enable it on Windows 10. By the way, you can try MiniTool Partition Wizard if you are seeking a professional partition manager for your Windows 10 PC.
DirectPlay Windows 10
How to play games that predate 2008 on your Windows 10 computer? Try DirectPlay.
What is DirectPlay? DirectPlay is a core API library that was a component of earlier DirectX versions. However, Microsoft abandoned DirectPlay in favor of Games for Windows Live.
Although DirectPlay is a deprecated feature in Windows 10, you can find it on your Windows 10 computer and enable it for running old games. As to how to enable DirectPlay on Windows 10, please move to the next part.
Enable DirectPlay Windows 10
This part will show you how to enable DirectPlay on Windows 10.
Before trying enabling DirectPlay on Windows 10, please make sure you have an administrator account. If you do not have one, please create it right now.
Now, let’s see how to enable DirectPlay on Windows 10.
Step 1: Press Windows + R at the same time to call out the Run dialogue box.
Step 2: Input control in the Run dialogue box and hit the Enter key.
Step 3: On the Control Panel window, switch the view mode to Large icons.
Step 3: Find the Programs and Features option and click it.
Step 4: Look at the left side of the new window, click the Turn Windows features on or off link.
Step 5: If you are required to enter the local account details, input them to open the above link.
Step 6: On the new window, locate the Legacy Componenfavts feature and expand it. Check the DirectPlay feature to enable it and then click the OK button to save the change.
Step 7: Reboot your Windows 10 computer.
Now you can play your favorite old games on your Windows 10 computer.
How to Troubleshoot Directplay Issues?
Some users reported that they ran into some issues related to DirectPlay such as “An app on your PC needs the following Windows feature: DirectPlay”. If these issues happen in your case, the following solutions I gleaned from the website could be helpful.
Solution 1: Disable antivirus
Antivirus may prevent you from launching an old game and enabling DirectPlay. So, when you run into issues related to DirectPlay, you can try disabling your antivirus. To disable antivirus, you can refer to the tutorial.
Solution 2: Try Compatibility mode
Steps to run an old game in compatibility mode:
Step 1: Right-click the game logo and select the Properties option.
Step 2: On the Properties window, switch to the Compatibility tab.
Step 3: Under the Compatibility tab, do the following changes one by one.
- Check the box next to the Run this program in Compatibility mode setting.
- In the following box, select the system that was the latest platform when the game launched.
- Check the box next to the Run this program as an administrator setting.
Solution 3: Try the Program Compatibility Troubleshooter
Step 1: Type Run programs made for earlier versions of Windows in the Windows search bar (can’t type). Select the result.
Step 2: On the program Compatibility Troubleshooter window, click the Advanced link.
Step 3: Click the Run as administrator link and you will see a window with administrative permissions. Then, click the Next button on this window.
Step 4: Select the game you are having issues and then click the Next button. If the game is not on the list, please select Not listed which is at the top of the list.
Step 5: Follow the on-screen instructions to finish the fix.
About The Author
Position: Columnist
Vicky is a website editor who has been writing tech articles since she was graduated from university. Most of her articles talk about Windows PC and hard disk issues. Some of her articles also touch on YouTube usage and issues.
During her spare time, she likes to spend time reading, watching videos, and sitting on her Yoga mat to relax.
Calvince Nyawara
Although DirectPlay is obsolete, it’s still essential to run games that predate 2008 in Windows. Learn how to Get DirectPlay on Windows 10 here.
DirectPlay used to be a core API library primarily used to enable multiplayer functionality in computer games. As Microsoft decided to roll our Games for Windows Live, DirectPlay is no longer required for modern apps or games.
However, you can still download DirectPlay on Windows 10. If you want to run games that date back to the early 2000s, it’s most likely still a requirement. In this article, you can learn how to get DirectPlay for Windows 10, troubleshoot issues, and more.
What is DirectPlay?
If you’re a PC gamer, you’ve probably heard about DirectX before. DirectPlay is a DirectX API component that works as a network communication library. It allows video games to connect to the internet, a modem link, or a network to find game sessions for players.
Games for Windows Live was expanded onto computers by Microsoft, which essentially ended DirectPlay’s relevancy in the modern world. Games no longer rely on the library; there’s very little use left for it.
DirectPlay is now a deprecated feature in Windows 10, reserved mostly for running old video games. If you’re feeling nostalgic and want to give your favorite childhood games a run, you’ll most likely need to install or enable it on your device.
Note: Some of the following steps require you to have an administrator account. If you don’t know how to create an administrator account on Windows 10, we recommend watching this video by Polarity.
How to enable DirectPlay on Windows 10
Many users report having an issue with DirectPlay when running older games on a Windows 10 operating system. Here’s a quick guide on how you can enable it and start playing classic games again.
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Click on the Search icon in your taskbar, and type in Control Panel.
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Click on the top result to launch the classic Control Panel application. As opposed to using the new Settings, you have access to turning Windows Features on or off here.
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Change your view mode to Large icons. This enables you to see all Control Panel elements at once.
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Find and click on Programs and Features.
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Look to the left side of the window and click on the Turn Windows features on or off-link.
- If prompted, enter the local account details needed to open this link. This is usually the administrator account password.
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Expand Legacy Components by clicking on the plus icon, then place a checkmark in the box next to DirectPlay.
- Click OK.
Doing these steps should ensure that DirectPlay is downloaded and enabled on your system.
Read: How to Optimize Windows 10 for Gaming and Performance
How to fix DirectPlay errors on Windows 10
There’s a possibility that you might run into errors with DirectPlay even if you downloaded and enabled it properly. Pop-ups such as «An app on your PC needs the following Windows feature: DirectPlay» make it impossible to launch an application even if you’ve already enabled it.
While different games need different solutions to run, we’ve compiled some things you can do in order to run older games on a Windows 10 OS.
Solution 1: Use Compatibility Mode
Windows 10 comes with the option to run a game in what’s called Compatibility Mode. Because outdated games were written for older systems, they’re most likely unable to run with the code of the much newer Windows 10.
Compatibility Mode usually fixes this by enabling games to use settings from older versions of Windows, eliminating the issue of not having them present.
Here’s how you can run a game in Compatibility Mode on Windows 10.
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Open the File Explorer. The easiest way of doing this is by clicking on the taskbar icon.
- Navigate to the folder where your game launcher is located. You can usually find this in C:\Program Files by default unless you chose a custom install directory.
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Right-click on the launcher file (.exe) and click Properties.
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Switch to the Compatibility tab from the menu on top of the Properties window.
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Place a checkmark next to the “Run this program in compatibility mode for:” option.
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Open the drop-down menu and select an older version of Windows. We recommend doing some research to find out what was the newest system when the game was released.
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Optionally, check the “Run this program as an administrator” option as well. This isn’t required, however, we recommend it to avoid other issues.
- Click OK and try launching the game again.
Solution 2: Disable your antivirus
Antivirus applications are notorious for making it difficult to run certain video games, especially if they aren’t from a manufacturer directly. Your antivirus application might also block DirectPlay from installing, giving you error code 0x80073701.
To ensure your antivirus software isn’t the cause of your inability to install DirectPlay or to run games associated with DirectPlay, we recommend temporarily disabling it.
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Right-click on an empty space in your taskbar and choose Task Manager.
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Click on More details.
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Switch to the Start-up tab at the top of the window.
- Locate your antivirus application and select it by clicking on it once.
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Click on the Disable button now visible in the bottom-right of the window. This will disable the application from launching when you start your device.
- Restart your computer and attempt installing DirectPlay again.
After you confirm whether or not your antivirus app interferes with DirectPlay, you can enable it again by following the same steps.
We recommend disabling your antivirus only for a short period of time — don’t forget to enable it right after you’re done with your gaming session.
Solution 3: Use Program Compatibility Troubleshooter
Windows 10 comes with a plethora of troubleshooters that automate the process of fixing issues with your device. There’s even one for fixing compatibility issues!
If the sections above weren’t remedies to your DirectPlay error, give the Program Compatibility Troubleshooter a try.
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Click on the Search icon in your taskbar, and type in ”compatibility.”
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Click on Run programs made for earlier versions of Windows.
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Click the Advanced link, then click on Run as administrator. This will re-launch the window with administrative permissions.
- Click Next.
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Select the game you’re having issues with and click Next. If you can’t find it from the list, select Not listed.
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If needed, locate the game launcher (.exe) file by clicking on Browse. When done, click Next.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to fix any compatibility issues found by Windows 10.
Activating DirectPlay and DirectDraw/Direct3D on Windows 10
DirectPlay and DirectDraw/Direct3D features could help run less recent games and other classics. Anyway, below are steps on how to activate them on Windows 10.
To activate DirectPlay:
- Press the Windows key (between Ctrl and Alt) and the R key at the same time.
- In the Open box, type Control Panel and click OK.
- Then, select Programs.
- Finally, click on Turn Windows Features on or off and turn on the DirectPlay feature in this new window.
Note that this feature is automatically activated during the installation of some games.
To activate DirectDraw/Direct3D, consult instructions in the official Microsoft guide.
If you are having trouble activating these features, get in touch with the Microsoft support teams, who are better equipped to troubleshoot this situation.
Final Thoughts
We hope this guide was able to help you solve issues with DirectPlay on Windows 10. If you need information about Microsoft Windows, need help with troubleshooting, or want to learn more about your operating system.
We’re glad you’ve read this article to the end 
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DirectPlay on Windows FAQ
What is DirectPlay used for?
DirectPlay is a high-level software interface between applications and communication services that allows games to be connected over the Internet, a modem link, or a network. It features a set of tools that allow players to find game sessions and sites to manage the flow of information between hosts and players.
Is DirectPlay necessary?
Yes and No. DirectPlay used to be a core API library primarily used to enable multiplayer functionality in computer games. As Microsoft decided to roll our Games for Windows Live, DirectPlay is no longer required for modern apps or games. However, you can still download DirectPlay on Windows 10.
What is DirectPlay in Windows?
DirectPlay is part of DirectX that allows players to establish a link. While DirectPlay isn’t used anymore in most newer games, it is still required for older games. Here’s how you can enable or disable DirectPlay on Windows 10 or 11.
How do I run DirectPlay?
Once you download and install DirectPlay, Press the Windows key (between Ctrl and Alt) and the R key simultaneously. In the Open box, type Control Panel and click OK. Then, select Programs. Finally, click on Turn Windows Features on or off and turn on the DirectPlay feature in this new window.
How do I enable DirectPlay on Windows 10?
Click Programs and Features to open the uninstaller utility. Click Turn Windows features on or off. Double-click Legacy Components to expand it, then select the DirectPlay checkbox. Reboot your desktop or laptop after installing DirectPlay.
How do I enable DirectX on Windows 11?
DirectX 12 Ultimate feature will be built in Windows 11. To download and install DirectX 12 Ultimate latest version, you can still use Windows Update. Just click Start -> Settings -> Windows Update -> Check for updates to do it.