Hello everyone!
VxKex author (vxiiduu) has recently dropped a major update. This is the biggest jump in functionality since the last several point releases, bumping VxKex from the 1.1.x line to 1.2.x.
Three changes headline this release. First, TLS 1.3 support, along with additional TLS 1.2 cipher suites, means Schannel-based applications can finally connect to modern websites that have dropped older, weaker TLS configurations - something that's been a growing pain point as more of the web moves on from the older protocols and ciphers Windows 7 is limited to. Second, ANSI escape sequence support in console applications means Python, Deno, Node.js, and other console-based applications can now render colors and formatting correctly instead of showing garbled escape codes. Third, mouse input issues affecting a range of Unity-based games have been fixed, restoring proper mouse support in Hollow Knight: Silksong, Haste, and many other Unity titles that were affected by the same underlying issue.
Beyond those three, this release includes many additional compatibility improvements and bug fixes. These include fixes for the infamous "not a valid Win32 application" error, the NieR Replicant Internet Explorer-related crash, and crashes caused by DLL rewrite logic. Qt6 compatibility has also been improved, along with new XAudio 2.8/2.9 support and additional Windows Sockets functionality for modern networked and .NET applications.
On the tooling side: KexCfg.exe gains a Clean button for removing stale entries, a resizable window, and a shortcut to open the registry editor (IFEO key) directly from the VxKex properties tab. Logging is now off by default to save disk space (it can be re-enabled from KexCfg.exe if needed), and the installer picks up several reliability fixes as well. VxKex now also has Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), and Russian translations, making VxKex accessible to a much wider audience.
As always, the changelog below or the Application Compatibility List.docx only lists applications the author was able to personally test and document. Many other applications that previously didn't work have also been tested and confirmed working by members of the community. So if there's an application that didn't work for you before, it's worth trying again with this release.
VERSION 1.2.0.2222
- Add support for TLS 1.3, and additional TLS 1.2 cipher suites which may be
required for connecting to modern websites.
- Add support for Vampire Crawlers, Timberborn, Hollow Knight: Silksong,
Haste, and probably other Unity games which were having mouse input issues.
- Add support for ANSI escape sequences in console applications. Applications
improved by this include Python (when Windows 10 version spoof is applied),
Deno, and Node.js.
- Add XAudio 2.8 and 2.9 support. This may fix broken audio in some games,
such as Teardown.
- Add support for the game "Teardown".
- Add support for MPV (video player) up to 20260711 build.
- Add miscellaneous Windows Sockets functionality. Applications improved by
this include osu!lazer, which can now download beatmaps. Other networked
applications, especially .NET applications, may also benefit.
- Add Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional) and Russian translations.
- Fix a crash which occurs when playing games which use the ALI213 Steam API.
- Fix the "... is not a valid Win32 application" bypass not working before
a Windows Explorer window is opened for the first time.
- Fix NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139 crashing when playing a pre-rendered
cutscene if Internet Explorer 10 or higher is not installed.
- Fix pyrepl-related Windows 10 warning in Python.
- Fix support for HandBrake up to version 1.11.1.
The use of the "Run each queued job in a separate worker process" option
is now supported.
- Fix support for Blockbench up to version 5.1.4.
Other Electron applications which were affected by a crash shortly after
launch may also be fixed.
- Fix RTSS/MSI Afterburner not displaying overlays on VxKex-enabled games.
- Fix Godot by forcing the OpenGL renderer. This should allow Godot games
to run on more hardware, such as Intel integrated graphics.
If you want to try and use the Vulkan renderer, enable the "Disable all
application-specific workarounds" checkbox in the VxKex properties tab.
- Fix statically linked Qt6 applications displaying boxes instead of text.
Removed app-specific hack for QBittorrent since it is no longer needed.
- Fix programs using Qt6 Quick Scene Graph not being able to initialize the
DirectX backend.
- Fix a crash when MacType attempts to hook into a program which has VxKex
enabled. If VxKex is enabled for a program, MacType will be forcibly
disabled for that program.
- Fix crashes and errors relating to faulty DLL rewrite logic which caused
unwanted rewriting of dynamic loads from Windows DLLs.
- Fix 32-bit WinDbg not displaying file open dialogs and other dialogs.
- Fix a bug where the installer does not work if the %Temp% directory and
the installation directory are on different drives.
- Uninstalling with the "Keep my compatibility settings" checkbox checked
will now automatically save and reapply all VxKex settings on the next
install.
- Fix minor UI glitches in installer related to the Finish button at the
end of the install/upgrade.
- Prevent installer from creating files with many .OLD_xxxx extensions
if repeated upgrades are performed while relevant files are open.
- Prevent .NET applications using .NET newer than 7.0 from using excessive
amounts of kernel-mode physical memory.
- Logging is now disabled by default in order to save disk space. If you need
logs, logging can be re-enabled from KexCfg.exe in the VxKex installation
folder.
- Add a Clean button to KexCfg.exe, which allows the automatic removal of
deleted applications from the VxKex-enabled applications list.
- Alt+double click on a KexCfg list item will open the properties window,
just like in Windows Explorer.
- KexCfg window is now resizable.
- Added a "Open in Registry Editor" button to the VxKex property page tab.
This allows you to directly edit the VxKex IFEO options if desired.
- Add KEX_DllRewriteEntries and KEX_DllRewriteExemptions IFEO options.
Refer to "VxKex Registry Keys.docx" in the source tree for more information.
This is only intended for use by developers or testers.
CLICK TO SEE SCREENSHOTS
TLS 1.3 on Internet Explorer 11
Mouse Input on Unity game
explorer_TLtoNRCQmi.mp4
Deno without VxKex ANSI Escape Sequence support
Deno with ANSI Escape Sequence support
Roblox Studio
Download the Release installer unless:
you have been instructed to use a Debug build,
you need PDB files, or
you are developing VxKex.
These binaries were automatically built from source using GitHub Actions:
KexSetup-Debug-ci-build.exeKexSetup-Release-ci-build.exe
These binaries were provided directly by the VxKex author:
KexSetup_Debug_1_2_0_2222.exeKexSetup_Release_1_2_0_2222.exe🚀 (recommended) 🚀
Full Changelog: Version1.1.5.1679...Version1.2.0.2222