DisplayTuneHow to clear the shader cache
The shader cache stores already compiled shaders so a game does not rebuild them on every launch. It usually helps, but after a driver update or a crash it can become a source of stutter.
When to clear it
- Stutter and hitching appeared right after a GPU driver update.
- Graphics artifacts or crashes while loading in one particular game.
- The cache takes a lot of space on the system drive.
Where the cache lives
| Whose | Folder |
|---|---|
| NVIDIA | %LOCALAPPDATA%\NVIDIA\DXCache and GLCache |
| AMD | %LOCALAPPDATA%\AMD\DxCache, DxcCache, GLCache, VkCache |
| Intel | %LOCALAPPDATA%\Intel\ShaderCache |
| DirectX (Windows) | %LOCALAPPDATA%\D3DSCache |
| Steam | Steam\steamapps\shadercache |
How to clear it by hand
- Close all games and launchers.
- DirectX: Windows Disk Cleanup → tick "DirectX Shader Cache" → OK.
- AMD: Adrenalin → Graphics → Advanced → Reset Shader Cache.
- NVIDIA and Intel: press
Win+R, enter the path from the table and delete the folder contents. - Skip files that are in use by the system — that is fine.
NVIDIA shader cache size
NVIDIA Control Panel → Manage 3D settings has a "Shader Cache Size" option. If you have disk space, raise it: a cache that is too small keeps evicting shaders, which then compile again — another source of stutter.
In one click
The "Shader cache" step of the DisplayTune system optimization clears every folder from the table at once — Steam, NVIDIA, AMD, Intel and DirectX — and shows how much was freed. More about the tab: Quick optimization.
The Quick optimization tab: Rust FPS boost through client.cfg, map and shader cache cleanup, RAM cleanup, the "DisplayTune Ultimate" power plan and Windows game settings. Everything it changes can be reverted with one button. First day free.
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Frequently asked questions
Should I clear the shader cache after a driver update?
If stutter or artifacts appeared after the update — yes. If everything runs fine, there is no need.
Why does my game stutter after clearing the shader cache?
Shaders compile again during the first launches. The stutter goes away after one or two sessions.
Where is the NVIDIA shader cache?
In %LOCALAPPDATA%\NVIDIA\DXCache (and GLCache for OpenGL). Open it with Win+R.