FAQ
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Frequently asked questions about ClawTweaks. Each entry can be expanded.
Transition to VIIPER UsbIP
Only for users who installed ClawTweaks before 0.1.6: from 0.1.6 onward VIIPER is the default backend — fresh installs need to do nothing. Only if you are upgrading from an older version (e.g. 0.1.5 or 0.1.4) do you have to switch over manually, as described below.
VIIPER is ClawTweaks' new virtual controller backend. Instead of going through ViGEm, the virtual controller runs over USB/IP (usbip-win2). Benefits: the device type (Xbox 360, DualShock 4, DualSense Edge, Switch Pro …) can be hot-swapped at runtime, and in many cases VIIPER is more stable than ViGEm.
Note: VIIPER is still experimental and needs
usbip-win2. If it isn't installed, ClawTweaks automatically falls back to ViGEm, so you never end up with a dead controller. For the Xbox Game Bar the Xbox 360 type is the most compatible — other types can cause issues there (see steps 4 & 5).
Turn on the VIIPER backend switch in the Settings tab under Debug. The next time controller emulation starts, a VIIPER device is mounted instead of a ViGEm controller.
Switching the backend automatically disables controller emulation once — this cleanly restores the physical Claw controller before the new backend takes over. Afterwards turn virtual controller emulation back on so the VIIPER device gets mounted.
In the Controller Status card you can confirm everything is running: it should read "Virtual VIIPER controller active", the physical MSI controller is hidden via HidHide, and the active virtual device type is shown below. Changing the "Virtual device" dropdown takes effect immediately (hot-swap).
Device types other than Xbox 360 are highly experimental. In games DS4 and Switch Pro usually work fine, but the Xbox Game Bar doesn't handle them reliably (e.g. DS4 RT spamming, see step 5). If you stay on a non-Xbox type, the opt-in "Auto-switch to Xbox in Game Bar" toggle helps: it temporarily presents the device as Xbox 360 only while the Game Bar is open, then switches back. Please test and give feedback.
A DS4 device can spam the right trigger in the Game Bar (this doesn't happen in games). Because VIIPER runs over USB/IP, you can detach the device to stop the spamming — or use the Auto Switch from step 4, or simply stay on Xbox 360.
What are the features of ClawTweaks?
ClawTweaks is an Xbox Game Bar widget (plus a background helper) for the MSI Claw. Here's an overview of the features by type:
Quick-access tiles right inside the widget – the heart of the day-to-day controls.
Freely arrange tiles, show/hide them and assign hotkeys.
Several themes to choose from – including the new default look "Next Gen Claw".
A large set of built-in actions for tiles and shortcuts (OS, performance, launcher, program, website and media actions).
Add your own programs (.exe), PowerShell scripts (.ps1) and website URLs, and bind them to tiles, controller combos or the MSI button.
Assign separate actions for single- and double-click to the left MSI / front OEM button.
Freely remap the virtual controller's buttons (keyboard, mouse, gamepad action).
Configure gyro control globally or individually per game.
Set TDP / performance profiles and switch between them quickly.
Dedicated per-game profiles that apply automatically when the game starts.
Control fan curves and presets right from the widget.
Adjust color and display settings via the Intel GPU.
Lossless Scaling integration for higher frame rates.
A configurable performance overlay – compact or detailed.
How to enable Virtual Controller & Mouse
To use ClawTweaks' controller and mouse emulation on the MSI Claw, first hand control over from MSI's software, then enable the virtual controller and mouse.
In the Main tab, disable MSI Center M so it stops managing the device and ClawTweaks can take over. This also unlocks all features.
In the Controls tab, turn on Virtual Controller & Mouse. Here you can also define the front MSI button actions (single or double click).
How To Create Per Game Settings
Per-game settings apply automatically when the game is running. There are two independent kinds you can enable per game:
Enable the per-game controller profile to give a game its own button remappings and gyro configuration.
Enable the per-game performance profile for game-specific TDP / performance and Intel display settings.
