DirectShow (sometimes abbreviated as DS or DShow), codename Quartz, is a multimedia framework and API produced by Microsoft for software developers to perform various operations with media files or streams. It is a replacement for Microsoft's earlier Video for Windows technology. Based on the Microsoft Windows Component Object Model (COM) framework, DirectShow provides a common interface for media across many programming languages, and is an extensible, filter-based framework that can render or record media files on demand at the behest of the user or developer. The DirectShow development tools and documentation are distributed as part of the Microsoft Platform SDK. DirectShow additionally contains DirectX plugins for audio signal processing and DirectX Video Acceleration for accelerated video playback.

DirectShow's counterparts include Apple Computer's QuickTime framework and gstreamer. Microsoft plans to replace DirectShow with Media Foundation in future Windows versions beginning with Windows Vista.