It is worth noting that Benjamin Höglinger officially retired the classic ViGEmBus project to work on newer, architecture-independent input wrappers. If you encounter massive compatibility issues on newer builds of Windows 11, you can use a utility called (also by Nefarius). Legacinator safely purges old, broken legacy drivers from your system, clearing the way for modern alternatives like the Virtual Input Framework (VIF) or updated software configurations.
ViGEmBus solves this issue by creating a "virtual" hardware bus on the PC. Software tools hook into this bus to spawn virtual XInput or DualShock controllers on demand. The operating system treats these virtual devices exactly like physical gamepads plugged into a USB port. Why Version 1.16.116 Matters
A vast eco-system of gaming utilities requires a working installation of ViGEmBus_Setup_1.16.116.exe to function correctly: Releases · nefarius/ViGEmBus - GitHub
The installer will copy necessary files and load the driver into the Windows kernel.
Because DS4Windows relies heavily on this driver, Ryochan7 (the maintainer of the popular DS4Windows fork) often bundles or links to this exact version within the DS4Windows documentation and setup prompts. Technical Details & File Verification vigembussetup116116exe link
: Feeds virtual controller telemetry to target operating systems during local network play. Software That Relies on ViGEmBus
If you ever need to remove ViGEm Bus, simply run the installer again, and you will see an option to uninstall it from your system.
This indicates the driver is not functioning properly:
Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, and Windows 11 (64-bit recommended) Step-by-Step Installation Guide It is worth noting that Benjamin Höglinger officially
. This essential piece of software acts as a "bridge," allowing your computer to treat various controllers as standard Xbox 360 or DualShock 4 devices. One specific version often searched for is ViGEmBus_Setup_1.16.116.exe
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Download and install the package to supply the necessary underlying device drivers.
The ViGEm Bus Driver (Virtual Gamepad Emulation Bus) is a Windows kernel-mode driver that creates fully virtual game controllers at the system driver level. In simple terms, it tricks your Windows PC into thinking a real USB gamepad—such as an Xbox 360 or DualShock 4 controller—is physically connected, when in fact it exists entirely in software. ViGEmBus solves this issue by creating a "virtual"
sc query ViGEmBus
Open Device Manager and look under "System Devices." You should see Virtual Gamepad Emulation Bus listed without any yellow warning triangles.
If you’re a PC gamer using tools like , Sunshine , or Moonlight , you’ve likely encountered a prompt to install the ViGEmBus driver. This essential kernel-level driver allows your computer to emulate a virtual Xbox 360 or DualShock 4 controller, making non-native controllers work seamlessly with your games.
The download for is primarily archived on GitHub. This version was a maintenance release focused on fixing setup launch issues (Bug #25) while keeping the driver version at 1.16.112.0. Official & Archive Links