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Installation

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hifihedgehog edited this page Mar 19, 2026 · 18 revisions

Installation

Quick Start (2 Minutes)

  1. Download PadForge-v{version}-win-x64.zip from the Releases page.
  2. Extract the zip to any folder (e.g., C:\PadForge\).
  3. Run PadForge.exe.
  4. Go to Settings and click Install next to ViGEmBus to enable virtual Xbox 360 and DualShock 4 controllers.
  5. On the Dashboard, click Add Controller and choose Xbox 360.
  6. Connect a physical controller. It appears on the Devices page — click the slot badge on its card to assign it.
  7. Done. Games now see a virtual Xbox 360 controller.

Requirements

Requirement Details
OS Windows 10 or 11 (x64)
Runtime .NET 10 Desktop Runtime (bundled — no separate install needed)
Format Portable single-file executable — no installer, extract and run

PadForge stores settings in PadForge.xml in the same folder as the executable. To relocate PadForge, move the entire folder.

First Launch

On first launch, PadForge opens the Dashboard with no drivers installed. Follow these steps:

  1. Install ViGEmBus — Go to Settings and click Install next to ViGEmBus. Approve the UAC prompt. This enables Xbox 360 and DualShock 4 output.
  2. Create a virtual controller — On the Dashboard, click Add Controller and pick a type (Xbox 360, DualShock 4, etc.).
  3. Check your devices — Go to the Devices page. PadForge auto-detects all connected controllers (Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, generic USB gamepads, etc.).
  4. Assign a device — Click the slot badge on a device card to route that physical controller through PadForge's virtual controller.

Games now see the virtual controller as a standard gamepad.

Optional Drivers

Install and uninstall all drivers from the Settings page — no external downloads needed.

ViGEmBus — Virtual Xbox 360 and DualShock 4
Purpose Creates virtual Xbox 360 and DualShock 4 controllers recognized by Windows and games as real gamepads
Install when Almost always — this is the primary output method for most users
Skip when You exclusively use vJoy, MIDI, or Keyboard+Mouse output

vJoy — Virtual DirectInput Joystick
Purpose Creates virtual DirectInput joysticks with configurable buttons, axes, and force feedback
Install when Games require DirectInput (flight sims, racing sims, older PC games)
Skip when All your games work with Xbox 360 or DualShock 4 output

HidHide — Controller Hiding
Purpose Hides physical controllers from games so they only see PadForge's virtual controllers
Install when Games detect both physical and virtual controllers, causing double input
Skip when You have no double input issues

Windows MIDI Services — MIDI Output
Purpose Enables PadForge to create virtual MIDI devices for music software
Install when You want to send MIDI messages to DAWs, synthesizers, or VJ software
Skip when You do not use MIDI output (most users)

Requires Windows 11 24H2 (build 26100) or later. The Install button is disabled on older versions.

Keyboard+Mouse — No Driver Needed

Always available. Maps controller inputs to keyboard keys and mouse movements without any driver.

Auto-Elevation (Administrator Privileges)

PadForge normally runs without admin privileges. If the vJoy driver is installed, PadForge auto-requests elevation (UAC prompt) on startup because vJoy device node management requires admin access.

Scenario Behavior
Accept UAC PadForge runs elevated; vJoy works normally
Decline UAC PadForge runs without elevation; Xbox 360, DS4, MIDI, and Keyboard+Mouse work, but vJoy does not
vJoy not installed No UAC prompt; PadForge runs with standard privileges

Start at Login

Enable Settings > Window > Start at login to launch PadForge automatically on sign-in.

For a fully silent background experience, enable all three:

Option Effect
Start at login Launches PadForge on sign-in
Start minimized Skips showing the main window
Minimize to system tray Keeps PadForge in the notification area instead of the taskbar

With all three enabled, PadForge runs in the background with only a system tray icon.

Uninstalling

PadForge has no installer, so removal is straightforward:

  1. Go to Settings and click Uninstall next to each installed driver (ViGEmBus, vJoy, HidHide, Windows MIDI Services).
  2. Close PadForge.
  3. Delete the PadForge folder.

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