Corrupt Shader Cache: Clean and Recover FPS on NVIDIA, AMD, and Intel without Losing Profiles

If you've been noticing weird stutters, long loading times, or FPS drops that just aren't right lately, it might not be your overclock or the latest game patch: often the culprit is a Corrupt or outdated shader cacheThere are real-life cases where, after purging it, titles like Doom or Forza Apex have regained their former vigor, increasing frames per second and smoothing out stuttering.

The good news is that clearing and rebuilding this cache is a simple process and, if done wisely, You don't have to delete your profiles or personalized settings. on NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel. Below we'll tell you, step by step, how to identify the problem, what exactly this cache does, how to clear it on each platform, and which settings to adjust—and which not—to improve fluidity without ruining your configuration. We'll try to solve everything about the Shader cache corrupted.

What is shader cache and why does it matter?

Shaders are small programs that the GPU runs for tasks like lighting, texturing, and effects, and every game loads hundreds or thousands of them; to avoid compiling everything every time you start, the driver saves pre-compiled versions in a shader cache.

When you first open a game, the card compiles all the necessary shaders and saves them to disk (and some to VRAM), which can take from seconds to several minutes depending on the title and your hardware; hence the first run may be slower and sometimes with low performance and micro-cuts.

In later releases, the driver retrieves these files from the cache and loads them on the fly, reducing loading times, decreasing stuttering, and generally achieving a smoother experience. more stable experience with more sustained FPS.

This cache is managed by the driver (NVIDIA/AMD/Intel) and stored on disk; some drivers allow you to adjust the maximum allocated size, so if you play heavy titles, More space can help reduce rebuilds and jerks.

How it works and when it is rebuilt

The compilation process is triggered upon launch of the game and runs only once per game/driver version combination; if you uninstall the game, update the driver, or reformat your PC, this cache may be invalidated and will have to be recompiled when you start again.

It is normal for performance to drop during cache creation or update; ideally, you should let the process complete before competing or raiding, as once completed, The following starts will be much more agile.

There are titles that show the “loading shaders” bar (for example, various Call of Duty), while others do not indicate anything; the behavior varies, and in games with large worlds and very rich textures (Death Stranding, Cyberpunk 2077) the impact is especially palpable.

Keep in mind that the cache takes up disk space and consumes some VRAM for its management; depending on the graph, you can assign different sizes or leave the option on “driver default” so that the driver self-manage according to your resources.

Signs of a corrupted shader cache and the benefits of clearing it

A corrupt or old cache often manifests itself as sudden stutters after an update, unexplained lags in areas that were previously smooth, or FPS drops despite nothing being changed; if that sounds familiar, clear the cache and force rebuild usually fixes it.

There are reports from users who, after purging it, saw Doom reach around 130 FPS again and Forza: Apex hover around 105 FPS at 1440p with high settings; although each machine is different, the objective improvement by eliminating problematic shaders is there.

There have also been cases where the NVIDIA cache caused boot issues in certain games (as discussed in Cyberpunk 2077 communities); when cleared, the game stopped hanging on startup and was able to compile again without conflicts.

On modern AMD cards (e.g. RX 7900 XT with driver 23.9.3), clearing the cache from Adrenalin or deleting the corresponding DX12 folder may resolve the issue. Persistent stuttering and uneven loading after driver or game updates.

Clear and rebuild the cache without losing profiles

The key is to delete only the cache files, without resetting the global settings; this way you keep your per-game profiles, quality options, FPS limits and so on, while forcing the driver to regenerate shaders from scratch.

NVIDIA (Classic Control Panel)

To adjust the size and make sure the driver redoes the cache, you can check “Shader Cache Size” in the Control Panel; you don't need to touch your profiles to make the system recompile shaders at next boot.

1. Right click on the desktop and open NVIDIA control panel.
2. Sign in Control 3D settings.
3. Scroll to Shader cache size and leave it at “Controller Default” or set a reasonable limit.
4. Avoid using global “Reset” options that return everything to factory settings if you want preserve your profiles per game.

If you need to clear it manually, you can use Windows Cleanup (below) for the “DirectX Shader Cache”; this removes cache files without touching profiles, and when you start the game it will will automatically rebuild.

NVIDIA App (modern replacement)

On newer computers, the NVIDIA App is replacing the classic Dashboard; from the Graphics section you can adjust the cache size and keep it at reasonable values, with options ranging from a minimum of 128 GB to unlimited limit depending on version.

1. Opens NVIDIA App and go to Graphics.
2. In Global Settings, locate Shader cache size and leave the dynamic mode or set a limit according to your SSD.
3. Avoid resetting all global options; only resizing or cleaning with Windows causes shaders to be reset. will recompile on startup.

As a practical reference, do not allocate more than 20% of the total capacity of your SSD to this cache; it is usually better to let the controller manage dynamically space.

AMD Adrenalin (DX12 and Fast Method)

AMD offers a dedicated button to clear the cache without touching profiles; in some cases, it may be worth repeating the process after a major driver update or before start games that have changed a lot.

1. open the tab Games on AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition.
2. Click on Recorders.
3. Scroll and enter Advanced settings.
4. press Reset shader cache.

Alternative DX12 method: Create a shortcut to AppData\Local\AMD\DxcCache and deletes its contents before starting the game; it does not delete profiles, it just forces the DX12 cache to regenerate clean.

Intel (Arc/Integrated): Secure Wipe

On Intel, much of the DirectX compilation is handled through the Windows cache, so with Space Cleanup you can clear the cache. “DirectX Shader Cache” without losing Intel panel profiles.

If you use Intel Arc Control or Intel Graphics Command Center, keep your profiles and avoid resetting all settings; you don't need to touch anything else, because when you restart the games shaders will be recompiled automatically.

Universal Method in Windows: Disk Cleanup

This method works with NVIDIA, AMD and Intel and is the safest if you don't want to touch panels or profiles; it clears exclusively the DirectX cache, causing the driver to rebuild at next startup.

1. Open Windows Search and type Disk Cleanup.
2. Choose the system unit and let it calculate the potential space.
3. Brand DirectX Shader Cache (uncheck the rest if you don't want to touch them).
4. Click on Clean system files and accept; when finished, close and restart your game to regenerate the cache.

After the cleanup, it is normal for the first launch of each game to take longer and have some stuttering; once the initial compilation is complete, fluency should improve compared to the previous state.

Adjusting the cache size: myth vs. reality

There is a popular recommendation to set the NVIDIA cache to 10GB to increase FPS; tests have been done comparing 4–5GB (default), 10GB, 100GB and “unlimited”, with results where the frame rate difference was only a few FPS.

In a quick test recorded on the same route (Area18 tram line) and after clearing the cache before each attempt, the FPS increase was marginal; however, with the cache enabled, it was noticeable. less stuttering during the passes.

Practical conclusion: don't expect miracles by increasing the maximum size; what does help is having a functional cache and not too restricted, so leaving it as it is “driver default” or ~10 GB It is a sensible bet.

Remember that the default size may vary depending on the driver version; unless your SSD is very tight, allowing the system to dynamically manage space is usually the most effective way. balanced and comfortable.

Steam Pre-caching Shader

Steam includes a feature to download and prepare shaders before running the game, which reduces initial loads and cuts in compatible titles; it comes activated and takes up to a limit that Valve has set around 105 MB.

2. Go to Downloads and verify that “Shader pre-caching” is active.
3. Check the MB counter used; if you are worried about space, you can adjust it, but it is recommended keep it enabled.

Steam pre-caching does not replace the driver cache, but it complements it; by combining the two, many games start smoother and with fewer compilation spikes, reducing microcuts in new areas.

Good practices to avoid losing profiles and gaining fluency

Avoid the “reset all” options in the NVIDIA/AMD/Intel panels unless strictly necessary; instead, clear the cache exclusively (using Space Cleanup or the AMD-specific button) to preserve profiles and settings.

On AMD, use the “Reset Shader Cache” button from Adrenalin, or delete the DX12 folder in AppData\Local\AMD\DxcCache; both methods clear the cache without touching the per-game settings.

On NVIDIA, keep the cache size at “Driver Default” or a reasonable limit; if you need to clean it up, use Windows Cleanup for the DirectX cache and allow the driver to run the cache. recompile on next boot.

On Intel, the safest way is also the Cleanup; if you use Intel Arc/IGCC, avoid global resets and let the games redo their shaders automatically. transparent and controlled.

Enable Steam pre-caching and when a game does shader compilation, wait for it to finish; if you have limited VRAM, don't try to force absurd cache values, look for the breakeven where the system does not run out of space.

Real cases and quick tricks

If a previously smooth game suddenly starts stuttering after updating drivers, clear the cache and try again; there have been cases where after purging it, Doom returned to peaking at 130 FPS and Forza: Apex hovered around 105 FPS at 1440p with high graphics.

If a title won't boot or hangs on startup (some have happened after major patches), clearing the driver cache has unlocked booting on multiple machines, allowing the game to compile. from scratch without old waste.

For AMD and DX12, write down a shortcut to AppData\Local\AMD\DxcCache It allows you to perform an “express cleanup” before hitting play; remember, it only clears the cache; your profiles remain intact in Adrenalin.

On Windows, the “DirectX Shader Cache” Cleanup option is your friend; use it when changing drivers, after major patches, or if you notice strange compilation spikes on Windows. areas that were previously smooth.

If you're obsessed with cache size, consider the cost/benefit: bigger doesn't guarantee more FPS, and in controlled tests the differences between 4–5 GB, 10 GB, 100 GB and “unlimited” have been just a few paintings; focus on keeping the cache clean and active.

A healthy shader cache is key to smoothness: understanding what it does, when to clear it, and how to force it to rebuild without touching profiles lets you fix stutters and performance drops with a couple of clicks; with the AMD button, Windows Cleanup, and sensible tweaks on NVIDIA/Intel, plus Steam pre-caching, you can regain stability and sustained frame rates without sacrificing performance. your settings per game.