VulkanRT: What Is It? Should You Remove or Keep It?

Have you been wondering what the Vulkan Runtime Libraries in your computer is? You are probably thinking it is a malware.

This is a major concern for many Windows users; you are not alone. In this post, you will learn everything you need to know about these libraries. 

What Is Vulkan Run Time Libraries?

Vulkan run time Libraries, or VulkanRT, is a 3D graphics API that is built into Nvidia driver. In simple terms, it is used to deliver better 3D performance in video gaming and comes with most video card drivers. 

Nvidia installs this library in your computer automatically when you update your video card driver.

Since this software gets installed without any notification, many users often get worried that they could be dealing with malware. 

To check if your PC has this program installed, open Control Panel and click on Uninstall a Program. Check the programs listed to see if there is an item named Vulcan Runtime Libraries.

Why Graphics Card Manufacturers Use Vulkan RunTime Libraries?

Although not all video games use this RunTime library, some new games need it to work properly. Actually, we should expect more video games to use Vulkan run time library in the future. 

Most graphics cards manufacturers require PC users to install this program to run video games smoothly. 

Here are a few reasons why graphic card manufactures use Vulkan run time library today:

• Lower overhead reduces GPU usage 
• Efficient multi-threading delivers a smooth gaming experience 
• Better control over your graphics hardware
• Open and new architecture 
• Supports Android, Windows, and Linux 
• Supports Mac OS and iOS with the help of third-party services 

Why Is Vulkanrt Installed on My Computer?

Top graphics card manufacturers have started incorporating Vulkan RunTime Libraries into their products in a move to deliver better GPU performance. 

Manufacturers such as Nvidia and AMD have already started shipping graphics cards with Vulkan run time library. 

The library installs automatically on your computer when you are installing a video card driver. But you will not get any installation notification because the run time library usually installs in the background. 

For this reason, many people often don’t know if they have this program installed on their computers.

Should You Remove Vulkan Runtime Libraries?

By now you’ve probably learned that Vulkan RunTime Libraries is not something to worry about as it is a critical system component. 

So, it is not a virus, malware, or spyware.

As previously mentioned, not all video games use Vulkan RunTime Libraries. Therefore, if you don’t have games that rely on this program you can remove it. 

However, keep in mind that if you remove this program, you are likely to encounter the following glitches:

• Bad video quality after rendering 
• Overhead GPU might cause crashes and other issues
• You will not be able to set the screen resolution you desire 
• You will not be able to play new video games that rely on the run time library

But if you still want to remove the program, we’ll walk you through the process.

How to Remove Vulkan RunTime Libraries From Your PC

Follow these simple steps to remove VulkanRT from your computer:

1. Type Run in the Windows search box and press Enter 
2. Type appwiz.cp into the Run dialogue box and click OK
3. On the new window, scroll down and find a program named Vulkan Run Time Libraries
4. Right-click on the program and choose Uninstall/change 
5. When prompted, confirm that want to uninstall the program
6. Once the process is complete, you won’t see it again in your program list.

But can you get back Vulkan RunTime Libraries after uninstalling it?

Read on to learn more. 

Can You Reinstall Vulkan RunTime Libraries?

One thing you should keep in mind is that once you uninstall the run time library from your system, you cannot reinstall it. This is because the manufacturer doesn’t provide means for users to download the RunTime Library. 

But we’ve got you covered on this one. We’ll show you how to reinstall VulkanRT on your PC. Follow these steps:

Find the Model and Manufacturer of Your Graphics Card 

Before you download VuulkanRT, you must know the model and manufacturer of your graphics card.

Here are the steps you need to follow to find these details:

1. Type Run into the Windows search box and press Enter to open the Run 
2. Enter msc into the Run dialogue box and press Enter again
3. You will see a new window with your Display properties 
4. A note will then appear with your graphics card details on it 

Download Graphics Card Drivers 

Now that you’ve found your graphics card details, you need to download the drivers 

Follow these steps to do that:

1. Visit your graphics card manufacturer’s official website 
2. Search drivers for your graphics card on the site 
3. You should find the drivers under Downloads
4. Alternatively, you can visit https://www.khronos.org/vulkan/ to find graphics card drivers that support the library

While choosing the drivers for your graphics card, consider the bit-version of your Operating System.

You can now proceed to download the drivers.

Install Graphics Drivers 

Once the download process is complete, the next step is installing the drivers. 

Here are the steps you need to follow:

1. Double-click on the downloaded file 
2. Follow on-screen instructions to install the drivers 
3. Once the installation process is complete, restart your computer for the changes to take effect 

You can go to Features & Programs to see if the library is installed. 

FAQ

What Is VulkanRT EXE?

VulkanRT is a 3D graphics API program that is often mistaken for malware. The program is a creation of the Khronos Group. 

It is the successor to OpenGL and works in a similar way to DirectX. Windows users can find this tool installed in their list of programs.

Do I Need Vulkan Runtime Libraries?

Vulkan is not a virus or malware. So, you don’t need to remove it. Vulkan is actually a new graphics standard, just like DirectX and OpenGL. 

If your computer is using Nvidia, you probably have Vulkan Run Time Libraries installed. 

Does My Graphics Card Support Vulkan?

Your graphics card is likely to support Vulkan if it meets the DOOM’s minimum requirements. 

But you will need the correct version of your graphics card driver to take advantage. Note than currently Vulkan is not supported on Nvidia graphics cards with 2GB RAM on Windows 7.

Is Vulkanrt Available for Mac?

There are many gaming enthusiasts out there who use Mac computers. Many Mac users often wonder whether they can use Vulkan Run Time Libraries on their computers. 

Mac computers did support Vulkan run time library for a long time until February 2018 when the manufacturer announced that the Vulkan API would start working with Apple operating systems. 

Most Mac computers today use Intel or Nvidia graphics cards. But Mac has its API known as Metal. They prefer Mac users to use Metal instead of Vulkan. 

Conclusion 

Now that you understand what Vulkan run time library is, you know what to do about it. As mentioned in this post, you don’t have to remove it as it does not pose any threat to your computer.