Borderlands 4 shader cache location: How to reset compiled shaders

Borderlands 4’s latest update has sparked numerous complaints from the community regarding stuttering and lower frame rates. Gearbox acknowledged the issue in a response and stated that the reason may be that the shaders are compiling in the background. The problem should resolve over time while playing the game. However, if you’re still experiencing issues in-game, manually clearing the shader cache may help.

This guide will show you how to reset compiled shaders for Borderlands 4 across various GPUs.

How to clear the shader cache in Borderlands 4?

Uncompiled shaders can cause micro-stutters in the game (Image via 2K)

Compiling shaders is a necessary process across all video games. Some take their time and complete the process before letting anyone play, which usually takes around 10 to 15 minutes. However, there are a few that perform this process in the background and only complete the necessary ones to run the game.

Sometimes, the game is unable to complete the process on its own, resulting in annoying microstutters that make the game feel like a slide show. Here’s how you can find and clear the cache to restart the entire process.

How to clear the shader cache on an Nvidia GPU

If you have an Nvidia graphics card, follow these steps to locate the shader cache folder and delete the necessary files.

Open Windows ‘Run’ command through search or by pressing the Win+R key.
Type or paste %LOCALAPPDATA%\NVIDIA\DXCache and press Enter.
Delete any files above 10mb.

How to clear the shader cache on an AMD GPU

If you have an AMD graphics card, follow these steps to reset the shader cache.

Open the AMD Adrenalin app.
Select 'Gaming' and then 'Graphics.'
Scroll down to the bottom and select the 'Reset Shader Cache' option.

Note that the process will reset compiled shaders for all games installed on the system and not just Borderlands 4. The next time you launch the game, it will perform the entire shader compilation process from the beginning, which should resolve the issue.

To ensure there are no problems, update the graphics drivers for your GPU. If you’re playing using Steam, verify the file integrity of the game by heading to game properties and then installed files.

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About the author

Mayank Singh Rathour is an MMO writer at Sportskeeda. He graduated from college with a degree in Business Administration and has over two years of experience as an esports journalist.

Mayank was introduced to gaming at an early age and played Contra, Double Dragon, Castlevania, etc., on his Nintendo DS. When he was a little older, Counter-Strike — a title that majorly helped develop his passion for gaming — became his favorite pastime. Though he's played a bunch of games since then, his love of CS has remained strong. Shroud, a former Counter-Strike: Global Offensive pro, is an inspiration to him. He's also a fan of series' esports scene, following teams like Vitality, NAVI, and The Mongols closely.

When Mayank has some free time, he plays basketball and helps people build PCs.

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Edited by Mayank Singh Rathour