To ensure a system has the latest DirectX capabilities, a tiered approach is recommended:
DirectX facilitates communication between software (particularly games) and hardware (graphics cards, sound cards). As game developers adopt new rendering techniques (ray tracing, mesh shaders), end-users must ensure their DirectX installation is current. However, the term "updating DirectX" is ambiguous; it can refer to upgrading the core API version (dependent on the OS) or updating the dynamic link libraries (DLLs) that legacy applications require.
The Methodology and Implications of Updating DirectX in the Windows Environment
