<b>OP Updated (1st June 2015).</b><br><br><b>UPDATE: SweetFX 2.0 works on Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 without the need of RadeonPro. Profiles designed for SweetFX 2.0 are required. Older profiles require SweetFX 1.5.1.</b><br><br>

__________________________________________<br><br><br><br><b>Introduction.</b><br><br>

Welcome to this little walk through on how to use SweetFX in Windows 8.1.<br><br><b>What is SweetFX?</b><br><br>

SweetFX is a handy tool that allows a user to increase the visual appeal of their games by changing colour, forcing AA, adding visual vignetting, sharpening, contrast changes, emulating bloom and much more.<br><br><br><b>What is required in order to use SweetFX in Windows 8.1?</b><br><br>

The software we will be using is RadeonPro, SweetFX and a SweetFX preset.<br><br><br><b>Did you say RadeonPro?</b><br><br>

As you can see, I listed RadeonPro, so this guide might only work for AMD users. However, I think I've seen some Nvidia users run RadeonPro. I'm not entirely sure. This will be investigated soon.<br><br><br><b>So, where can I find the required software?</b><br><br>

You can find everything you need right below:<br><br><a class="bbcode_url" href="http://www.radeonpro.info/2013/11/new-build-with-support-for-amd-radeon-r-series/" target="_blank">RadeonPro</a>, (You really need this)<br><a class="bbcode_url" href="http://dropcanvas.com/iz7s1" target="_blank">SweetFX</a>, (SweetFX v1.5.1 Boulotaur2024 + Chromatic Aberration)<br><a class="bbcode_url" href="http://sfx.thelazy.net/games/?page=1" target="_blank">SweetFX Preset</a> (Find the game you want to mod and download a preset for it)<br><br><br><b>What else do I need to know before we get started?</b><br><br>

We need RadeonPro to force SweetFX. It's the only way to get it working on Windows 8.1 due to changes in the OS.<br>

Now listen here, RadeonPro only supports SweetFX v1.4 and below. Sadly, v1.4 is outdated and is missing some cool features found within the later v1.5. To get around this, a modded version can be acquired. This modded version contains shaders and features from v1.5 and have been integrated with v1.4's core files. This modded version is called SweetFX v1.5.1. This is the version you will be downloading by clicking the link above! This version also contains support for 64 bit games which is very handy indeed.<br><br>

We are ready to now follow the guide. Follow each instruction carefully. The instructions are numbered to make things a little easier.<br><br><br><br><div class="bbcode_center" style="text-align:center;"><b><span style="font-size:16px;">GUIDE: (SWEET_FX_WINDOWS_8.1)</span></b></div>

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1) Install RadeonPro and launch the software. In the bottom right corner, it will say "32 bit" highlighted in blue like a hyper link. Click on it. Wait a second. Click again. Repeat until the blue text changes to "32/64 bit".<br><br>

2) Download SweetFX 1.5.1v. Extract the .zip or .rar folder. You will have an extracted folder. Place this folder into My Documents.<br><br>

3) Go back to RadeonPro and click on the little cogs icon:<br><br><a class="H-lightbox-open" href="http://www.overclock.net/content/type/61/id/1993267/"><img alt="" class="lightbox-enabled" data-id="1993267" data-type="61" src="http://www.overclock.net/content/type/61/id/1993267/width/500/height/1000/flags/LL" style="; width: 500px; height: 425px"></a><br><br>

4) A settings window will appear. Click on "Sweet FX settings" in the left hand side option panel:<br><br><a class="H-lightbox-open" href="http://www.overclock.net/content/type/61/id/1993269/"><img alt="" class="lightbox-enabled" data-id="1993269" data-type="61" src="http://www.overclock.net/content/type/61/id/1993269/width/500/height/1000/flags/LL" style="; width: 500px; height: 379px"></a><br><br>

5) Once clicked, check the "Enable SweetFX integration" checkbox. Then, point the software to your SweetFX location and assign a key to toggle SweetFX on or off:<br><br><a class="H-lightbox-open" href="http://www.overclock.net/content/type/61/id/1993270/"><img alt="" class="lightbox-enabled" data-id="1993270" data-type="61" src="http://www.overclock.net/content/type/61/id/1993270/width/500/height/1000/flags/LL" style="; width: 500px; height: 378px"></a><br><br>

6) Once you've completed step 5, click save to lock in your settings.<br><br>

7) Once the setting window has closed from clicking save, click on the + icon within the main window of RadeonPro as shown below:<br><br><a class="H-lightbox-open" href="http://www.overclock.net/content/type/61/id/1993271/"><img alt="" class="lightbox-enabled" data-id="1993271" data-type="61" src="http://www.overclock.net/content/type/61/id/1993271/width/500/height/1000/flags/LL" style="; width: 500px; height: 425px"></a><br><br>

8) An explorer window will appear. Navigate the software to the .exe file of the game you wish to apply SweetFX onto. In my example, I will be navigating to Crysis 3:<br><br><a class="H-lightbox-open" href="http://www.overclock.net/content/type/61/id/1993272/"><img alt="" class="lightbox-enabled" data-id="1993272" data-type="61" src="http://www.overclock.net/content/type/61/id/1993272/width/500/height/1000/flags/LL" style="; width: 500px; height: 325px"></a><br><br>

9) Go onto the SweetFX presets website (link provided above) and navigate through the game list until you find the game your planning to apply SweetFX onto.<br><br>

10) Download a preset and save it to the desktop.<br><br>

11) In notepad, open the preset.<br><br>

12) This next step is required even though it seems pointless. Without this next step, SweetFX won't work. So once you've opened the text file you just downloaded, you might see a bunch of stuff you don't understand included some developer notes written by the create of the SweetFX preset. You need to delete these notes. The notes are often found in the description section, above the SweetFX coding. Look at the example below:<br><br><a class="H-lightbox-open" href="http://www.overclock.net/content/type/61/id/1993275/"><img alt="" class="lightbox-enabled" data-id="1993275" data-type="61" src="http://www.overclock.net/content/type/61/id/1993275/width/500/height/1000/flags/LL" style="; width: 500px; height: 263px"></a><br><br>

13) The text highlighted in blue on the above image needs to be deleted from your text file!<br><br>

14) Save the text file once you've removed the description text.<br><br>

15) Rename your text file to the following: SweetFX_Settings<br><br>

16) Place the SweetFX_Settings text file in My documents. You may create a folder to place the file inside to keep things nice and neat in your documents folder.<br><br>

17) Go back to RadeonPro and click on the profile you created for your chosen game, then click on the SweetFX tab on the right hand side of the program:<br><br><a class="H-lightbox-open" href="http://www.overclock.net/content/type/61/id/1993280/"><img alt="" class="lightbox-enabled" data-id="1993280" data-type="61" src="http://www.overclock.net/content/type/61/id/1993280/width/500/height/1000/flags/LL" style="; width: 500px; height: 426px"></a><br><br>

18) Check "Enable SweetFx" checkbox and click on "Import settings...". Navigate using the file explorer and point the program to your SweetFX_Settings text file:<br><br><a class="H-lightbox-open" href="http://www.overclock.net/content/type/61/id/1993283/"><img alt="" class="lightbox-enabled" data-id="1993283" data-type="61" src="http://www.overclock.net/content/type/61/id/1993283/width/500/height/1000/flags/LL" style="; width: 500px; height: 360px"></a><br><br>

19) Now right click your game profile and click "Apply Now":<br><br><a class="H-lightbox-open" href="http://www.overclock.net/content/type/61/id/1993285/"><img alt="" class="lightbox-enabled" data-id="1993285" data-type="61" src="http://www.overclock.net/content/type/61/id/1993285/width/500/height/1000/flags/LL" style="; width: 500px; height: 212px"></a><br><br>

20) Launch your game from it's .exe file or via steam / origin / uplay. Once the game is loaded up, go in game and try toggling SweetFX on and off to verify it is working. Remember, you set the toggle key in step 5.<br><br>

If your game is x64, go to the SweetFX core folder and create a new folder called X32_dll's. Cut "d3d9.dll" and "dxgi.dll" and paste them into X32_dll's folder. Then copy over the 2 files inside X64_dll's and place them where you found "d3d9.dll" and "dxgi.dll". You can do this AFTER following the guide without any issues.<br><br>

Thank you for reading and I hope some people find this useful.<br><br><br><div class="bbcode_center" style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:24px;"><span style="text-decoration:underline;"><b>Troubleshooting</b></span></span></div>

<br><b>Edit: If you still can't get SweetFX to work, please uncheck the CA option within the SweetFX settings tab (via RadeonPro), then apply the change (via RadeonPro).</b><br><br><b>Make sure you are using the correct .dll files. For example, if you are modding a 32-bit application, use the x86 .dll's. For 64-bit applications, use the x64 .dll's.</b>