DLSS Updates

Inject Next-Gen Tech: 

When a game launches with NVIDIA DLSS support, it includes a specific driver file, nvngx_dlss.dll, that the developers have tested and verified for that title. However, unlike your GPU drivers, which update every few weeks, these individual game files are rarely updated by developers during a title's lifespan. Even years after release, many games continue to use the same version they shipped with on day one. 

This can be a significant drawback for sim racers. Newer versions of the DLSS DLL often introduce improved machine learning models that can: 

• Reduce ghosting: A common issue on fast-moving tracks or when looking through fences and cockpit glass.

• Improve motion clarity: Providing a sharper image that helps with spotting braking markers at high speeds.

• Decrease shimmering: Minimizing "pixel crawling" on fine details like thin power lines or distant track edges. 

By manually swapping this file, you can "inject" the latest advancements from NVIDIA directly into your favorite title without waiting for an official game patch. 

A quick heads-up before you start:

• Backups are essential: Always save a copy of your original file before replacing it.

• Multiplayer Warning: While usually safe, some anti-cheat systems may flag or disable modified DLLs. Proceed with caution if you primarily race in competitive ranked leagues.

• Game Updates: If your sim receives an official update or you "verify game files" on Steam, it will likely overwrite your custom DLL with the original version, requiring you to re-apply the manual update. 

RTX Compatibility Note

While you can swap the nvngx_dlss.dll file across all RTX generations, your hardware determines which features the file actually "unlocks":

• RTX 20 & 30 Series (Turing & Ampere): 

  • Updating to the latest DLL is highly recommended. 

  • While these cards cannot use the newer "Frame Generation" feature, they benefit immensely from the improved Super Resolution and Ray Reconstruction models found in the newer files. 

  • This results in much better image stability and less ghosting on fast-moving objects. 

• RTX 40 Series (Ada Lovelace): 

  • These cards fully support Frame Generation (DLSS 3.0+), which requires a separate file called nvngx_dlssg.dll.

  • If you are updating for a 40-series card, you should update both the standard DLL and the Frame Gen DLL for the best results. 

• RTX 50 Series (Blackwell): 

  • Owners of these cards can utilize the latest Multi Frame Generation and advanced transformer models (introduced in DLSS 4.5)

  • This can multiply frame rates by up to 6X in compatible titles when using the newest DLLs.

The NVNGX Library

Super Resolution - nvngx_dlss.dll

This is the foundational file found in almost every modern sim. It handles the core AI upscaling (DLSS) or high-quality anti-aliasing (DLAA) to provide a sharp image without the massive performance hit of native 4K.

• The AI Upscaler: It renders the game at a lower resolution and uses machine learning to "reconstruct" the image back to your monitor's native resolution.

• The DLAA Powerhouse: If you have performance to spare, this file also enables Deep Learning Anti-Aliasing (DLAA), which uses the same AI model at native resolution for the best image quality possible in sim racing.

• The "Preset" Engine: Newer versions of this DLL (v3.7+) contain different Performance Presets (like "Preset E") that developers can use to fine-tune how the AI handles motion and detail.

Why update?

• Eliminate Ghosting: Older versions often leave "trails" behind fast-moving cars or the fluttering of a digital flag; newer versions are significantly better at tracking objects moving at 200mph. 

• Sharper Textures: Updates improve how fine details, like track surface cracks and distance markers, are reconstructed, reducing the "oil painting" blur effect found in launch-day DLLs.

• Reduced Shimmering: Newer AI models (specifically v3.7 and up) are much better at stabilizing thin lines, like catch-fencing or power lines, which often "crawl" or shimmer in older versions. 

Ray Reconstruction - nvngx_dlssd.dll

This file, introduced with DLSS 3.5, is the most recent addition to the NVIDIA library. It replaces traditional "denoisers" with an AI model trained to recognize lighting patterns. In sim racing, this manages how light, shadows, and reflections interact with your car and the track.

• The AI Denoiser: Instead of using basic math to "clean up" grainy ray-traced reflections, it uses a massive AI model to intelligently fill in the missing light data.

• Dynamic Lighting Specialist: It is specifically designed to handle rapidly changing lighting conditions, such as driving through a forest with flickering sunlight or racing under stadium lights at night.

• The Detail Preserver: It works in tandem with Super Resolution to ensure that while the image is being upscaled, the lighting data remains physically accurate and sharp.

Why Update?

• Fix "Boiling" Reflections: Older ray-tracing methods often make wet asphalt or chrome car liveries look like they are "boiling" or shimmering unnaturally. Newer versions of this DLL stabilize these reflections for a rock-solid image at 200mph

• Sharper Mirror Clarity: Ray-traced reflections in your rearview mirrors can often look blocky or smeared; updating this file ensures your mirrors provide the same high-fidelity information as the rest of your screen

• Better Lighting Accuracy: Newer versions (like those in DLSS 4.5) are significantly better at preventing light "leaking" through cockpit geometry or car bodies during high-speed transitions

Frame Generation - nvngx_dlssg.dll

This file is the "secret sauce" for the latest generations of hardware. While standard DLSS upscales existing frames, this library uses AI to look at two sequential frames and "calculate" an entirely new, intermediate frame to slot in between them.

• The Frame Multiplier: By creating new frames from scratch, it can effectively double or even triple your visual frame rate without increasing the load on your CPU.

• The Smoothness Specialist: It is specifically designed to overcome "CPU bottlenecks," which are common in sim racing when dealing with large grids of cars or complex physics engines like those in ACC or iRacing.

• Optical Flow Integration: It works by analyzing "Optical Flow" data, essentially tracking how every pixel is moving across the screen, to ensure the generated frames are geographically accurate.

Why Update?

• Fix "UI Flickering": Early versions of Frame Gen often caused digital dashboards, HUD elements, and text to flicker or "vibrate." Newer versions of this DLL have significantly better logic for ignoring UI elements.

• Improved Motion Clarity: Updating to the latest version (like those found in DLSS 4.5) reduces "warping" artifacts that can appear around fast-moving objects, such as the spokes of your wheels or trackside catch-fencing.

• Better Frame Pacing: Newer DLLs provide more consistent timing between the real and generated frames, resulting in a much smoother, "locked-in" feeling during high-speed cornering.

Execute the Injection

Download the Latest Version of DLSS:

• Go to the TechPowerUp DLSS Database and download the latest version

  • DLSS Super Resolution: https://www.techpowerup.com/download/nvidia-dlss-dll/

  • DLSS Ray Reconstruction: https://www.techpowerup.com/download/nvidia-dlss-3-ray-reconstruction-dll/

  • DLSS Frame Generation: https://www.techpowerup.com/download/nvidia-dlss-3-frame-generation-dll/

Find Your Game Folder:

• Open Steam, right-click on your desired title in your Library, 

• Select Manage, and then click Browse local files. 

• This opens the game's main folder on your computer.

Locate DLSS Files:

• Locate Search Bar Field, In the top-right corner of that folder window.

• Type nvngx_dlss and press Enter. 

• Windows will find exactly where the files are hidden.

• Note the path that returns for this file location.

Open the File Location:

• Once the search finishes, right-click the file named nvngx_dlss and select Open file location. 

• This takes you directly to the correct folder, no matter which game you are playing.

Create a Backup (Safety First):

• Locate the files you are wishing to update

  • nvngx_dlss.dll

  • nvngx_dlssd.dll

  • nvngx_dlssg.dll

• Ensure Show File Name extensions is enabled in File Explorer

• Right-click the original .dll and select Rename. 

• Change the file extention to .old

  • Example: 

    • nvngx_dlss.old

    • nvngx_dlssd.old

    • nvngx_dlssg.old

• This keeps the original safe in case you need to switch back.

Inject the New File:

• Extract the Download: Go to your Downloads folder. Right-click the .zip file you got from TechPowerUp and select Extract All.

• Locate the New File: Open the newly extracted folder and find the file dlss file 

  • Example: nvngx_dlss.dll

• Copy the File: Right-click that file and select Copy (or press Ctrl + C)

• Paste into Game Folder: Go back to the game folder you found in Step 4. 

• Right-click any empty space in that folder and select Paste (or press Ctrl + V).

• Confirm the Name: Ensure the file is named exactly nvngx_dlss.dll.

Launch and Race:

• Close the folder and start your game. 

• Your sim is now running the upgraded DLSS version.

Verify the Injection

Once you’ve "injected" your new DLL, you’ll want to confirm the game is actually using it. The best way to do this is by enabling the NVIDIA DLSS Indicator, a hidden on-screen overlay that displays the exact version number and performance preset currently active in your sim.

Think of this as your telemetry for DLSS. It’s a small watermark that appears in the corner of your screen during a session, proving that your manual update was successful and that the game isn't defaulting back to an older version. It is the only "idiot-proof" way to know for sure that your graphics are being powered by the latest tech.

Enable DLSS Indicator

Open the Registry Editor:

• Press the Windows Key + R on your keyboard

• Type regedit into the box, and hit Enter.

• If a security prompt pops up, click Yes.

Navigate to the NVIDIA Folder:

• Copy and paste the following path into the long address bar at the very top of the window and press Enter:

• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\NVIDIA Corporation\Global\NGXCore

Create the Indicator Entry:

• Right-click any empty white space in the right-hand panel. 

• Select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. 

• Name this new file exactly: ShowDlssIndicator

Set the Activation Value:

• Double-click your new ShowDlssIndicator file. 

• In the "Value data" box, type 1024 and click OK.

Confirm In-Game:

• Launch your racing sim. 

• You should now see a small watermark in the corner of your screen showing the DLSS version (e.g., v3.10.6.0) to prove your "injection" worked.

• This should match the version you dowloaded and injected.

Disable DLSS Indicator

Open the Registry Editor:

• Press the Windows Key + R on your keyboard

• Type regedit into the box, and hit Enter.

• If a security prompt pops up, click Yes.

Navigate to the NVIDIA Folder:

• Copy and paste the following path into the long address bar at the very top of the window and press Enter:

• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\NVIDIA Corporation\Global\NGXCore

Reset the Value:

• Double-click the ShowDlssIndicator entry created earlier. 

• Change the "Value data" from 1024 to 0 and click OK.

Optional (Clean Up):

• If you want to remove the entry entirely, simply right-click ShowDlssIndicator and select Delete.

The watermark will disappear the next time you launch your game.

A Final Word of Caution:

It is important to remember that while your manual DLSS injection is effective, it isn't always permanent. Here is what you need to know to keep your sim updated:

Steam "Verify Integrity" Will Undo Your Changes:

• If you ever use the Verify integrity of game files feature in Steam to fix a bug or crash, Steam will recognize that your nvngx_dlss.dll has been modified. It will automatically delete your "injected" version and redownload the original, outdated file that shipped with the game 

Major Game Updates:

• When a developer releases a large patch or a new DLC, the update process often overwrites core system files. This frequently includes the DLSS folder. After any major update, it is a good habit to quickly check your DLSS version using the indicator we set up earlier

The "Reset" Solution:

• If you notice your visuals looking blurry or ghosting again after a patch, re-inject the latest DLL. 

• Your backup file (the .OLD version) will remain untouched, so you can always revert if needed