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HIDMaestro

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Architecture, performance charts, logos & fact sheetZIP · 1.6 MB

HIDMaestro.CoreC#
using var ctx = new HMContext();
ctx.LoadDefaultProfiles();
ctx.InstallDriver();

using var ctrl = ctx.CreateController(
    ctx.GetProfile("xbox-360-wired")!);

ctrl.SubmitState(new HMGamepadState {
    Buttons = HMButton.A
});
SDK excerptRead the quickstart

HIDMaestro 2.1.0October 26, 2026

Release notes

The technology

Product graphic

Architecture documentation
HIDMaestro architecture: application input reaches virtual Windows controllers through the SDK and drivers. Output events return to the application.

Architecture overview

1600 × 960 SVG

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Performance

Release over release

All 20 paths

Time relative to 1.12.0. Lower is faster. Each step is the side-by-side comparison published with that release, both builds measured in one session on the development laptop.

Process start to the first controller, DualShock 4

76% of 1.12.0's time

Measured values, in ms
StepBeforeAfterChange
1.12.0 to 2.0.0724.6824.8552.6653.0-23.7%
2.0.0 to 2.0.1520.5652.4515.3668.4-1.0%
2.0.1 to 2.0.2526.0692.6527.3688.5+0.2%
2.0.3 to 2.1.0524.0666.3520.3646.2-0.7%, level at the median, plotted flat

Medians, with the 95th percentile under each. A step whose median its release's notes read level is plotted flat.

CreateController, Xbox 360

43% of 1.12.0's time

Measured values, in ms
StepBeforeAfterChange
1.12.0 to 2.0.0673.5829.4357.8421.5-46.9%
2.0.0 to 2.0.1440.6756.1355.1672.9-19.4%
2.0.1 to 2.0.2357.9757.7363.5567.1+1.6%
2.0.3 to 2.1.0478.5672.6460.4664.6-3.8%, level at the median, plotted flat

Medians, with the 95th percentile under each. A step whose median its release's notes read level is plotted flat.

Dispose, DualSense over USB/IP

0.8% of 1.12.0's time

Measured values, in ms
StepBeforeAfterChange
1.12.0 to 2.0.0509.2511.85.926.0-98.8%
2.0.0 to 2.0.111.023.87.924.2-28.2%
2.0.1 to 2.0.211.322.511.223.3-0.9%
2.0.3 to 2.1.011.325.48.721.4-23.0%, level at the median, plotted flat

Medians, with the 95th percentile under each. A step whose median its release's notes read level is plotted flat.

SubmitState to a game's ReadFile, DualShock 4

77% of 1.12.0's time

Measured values, in µs
StepBeforeAfterChange
1.12.0 to 2.0.065.5107.648.787.8-25.6%
2.0.0 to 2.0.142.385.542.193.8-0.5%
2.0.1 to 2.0.244.083.546.080.2+4.5%
2.0.3 to 2.1.039.194.541.293.5+5.4%, level at the median, plotted flat

Medians, with the 95th percentile under each. A step whose median its release's notes read level is plotted flat.

SubmitState to XInputGetState, Xbox 360

98% of 1.12.0's time

Measured values, in µs
StepBeforeAfterChange
1.12.0 to 2.0.090.6150.883.9156.9-7.4%
2.0.0 to 2.0.168.8122.670.8125.5+2.9%
2.0.1 to 2.0.272.3129.474.2134.6+2.6%
2.0.3 to 2.1.070.8133.2113.6180.2+60.5%, level at the median, plotted flat

Medians, with the 95th percentile under each. A step whose median its release's notes read level is plotted flat.

SubmitState, Xbox 360

24% of 1.12.0's time

Measured values, in ns
StepBeforeAfterChange
1.12.0 to 2.0.0687.4704.7633.0801.4-7.9%
2.0.0 to 2.0.1744.9799.3744.4800.8-0.1%
2.0.1 to 2.0.2855.71,255.6792.41,108.2-7.4%
2.0.3 to 2.1.0649.3823.8180.6186.4-72.2%, faster at the median

Medians, with the 95th percentile under each.

Download these charts, 1600 × 960 SVG

Identity

Brand assets

The HIDMaestro conductor mark,
for light and dark backgrounds.

MIT license

Dark mark

1024 × 1024 PNG

Light HIDMaestro conductor mark

Light mark

1024 × 1024 PNG

The project

About HIDMaestro

HIDMaestro is a free, open-source SDK for creating virtual game controllers, keyboards and mice on Windows. Applications use its C# API and JSON device profiles to define device identity, submit input, and receive output such as rumble and force feedback. PadForge uses HIDMaestro for virtual controller output. HIDMaestro is available under the MIT license, including for commercial use.

Download fact sheet

Built on the UMDF2 approach pioneered by Nefarius in DsHidMini. The DualShock 3 profile uses DsHidMini's report descriptor. Composite USB profiles use usbip-win2 by Vadym Hrynchyshyn. Third-party notices.

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