For many players diving into the vast desert landscapes of Dune: Awakening in 2025, performance issues can sometimes interrupt the immersive experience of surviving on Arrakis. One common culprit behind these performance hiccups is the shader cache, which has become a hot topic in the gaming community. But where exactly is the Dune: Awakening shader cache stored, and how can you manage it for better performance?
Understanding Shader Cache in Dune: Awakening
Shader cache is essentially a collection of pre-compiled shader programs that your GPU uses to render the game's visuals. When properly functioning, this cache helps Dune: Awakening load faster and run smoother by eliminating the need to recompile shaders each time you play. However, corrupted cache files can lead to extended "checking shaders" loading times, stuttering, and even crashes.
Many players have reported that after a crash or system freeze, the shader checking process suddenly takes significantly longer - jumping from about 1 minute to 3-5 minutes on startup. Could this be happening to you too?
Where Is the Shader Cache Actually Stored?
For Dune: Awakening players using NVIDIA graphics cards, the shader cache is primarily stored in these locations:
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%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\NVIDIA\DXCache -
%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\NVIDIA\GLCache -
%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\NVIDIA Corporation\NV_Cache
For AMD users, the shader cache is managed differently through the AMD Software interface.
It's worth noting that according to some players with high-end systems (like RTX 4080), Dune: Awakening can use upwards of 14.7GB of shader cache! This massive cache size explains why shader issues have become increasingly common as the game has evolved through 2025.
Fixing Shader Cache Issues in Dune: Awakening
If you're experiencing choppy graphics, extended shader checking times, or performance degradation since recent updates, clearing your shader cache might be the solution. Here's how to do it based on your GPU:
For NVIDIA Users:
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Open the NVIDIA App
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Navigate to "Graphics"
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Set "Shader Cache Size" to "Disabled"
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Close the app and reboot your PC
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After rebooting, press Win+R and enter:
%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\NVIDIA\DXCache -
Delete all items in the folder
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Return to the NVIDIA App and set the Shader Cache Size to 10GB or larger
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Restart your PC
For AMD Users:
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Open AMD Software
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Go to Settings → Graphics
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Expand the "Advanced" section
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Click "Perform Reset" next to Reset Shader Cache
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Reboot your PC
Many players have reported significant improvements after following these steps. One user commented: "After deleting the shader cache, freezes are gone. Thank you gently, kind sir!"
Why Does This Keep Happening?
Dune: Awakening runs on Unreal Engine, which handles shader compilation in a specific way. When you encounter new areas or objects in the game, the engine compiles new shaders, which can cause temporary stuttering. This is particularly noticeable when approaching newly constructed bases or complex structures.
One player noted: "I noticed my FPS drops heavily when looking at a new base that appeared which is fairly large, but other pre-existing bases I fly over and drive around don't affect my FPS at all."
This suggests that Dune: Awakening dune awakening's shader cache management might need optimization from the developers' side.
Looking Forward
As we move through 2025, Funcom continues to update Dune: Awakening, and with each patch, shader management becomes increasingly important. The current default cache size of 16GB might soon prove insufficient as one player pointed out: "The game is currently using about 14.7GB of shader cache... The new 16GB default looks like it may need to be increased even more very soon as we're close to that limit now."
For optimal performance in the challenging environment of Arrakis, regularly maintaining your shader cache might become as essential as protecting your water in the game's harsh desert.
Have you encountered shader issues in Dune: Awakening? Did clearing the cache resolve your problems? The community continues to share experiences and solutions as we all navigate the technical challenges of this ambitious survival game.