HidHide configuration

To prevent or fix the issue of double input it’s necessary to hide the real controller in order to make only DS4Windows’ virtual controller visible to games. This can be done in two ways:

• HidHide (recommended)
• DS4Windows’ Hide DS4 Controllers option (legacy, non-recommended option)

HidHide

HidHide is a driver that acts as a barrier between Windows and game controllers connected to the system. It allows the user to selectively hide gamepads and only allow specific software to still detect them.

It is the recommended method because once it has been properly setup the double input issue is solved for good for the hidden controller.

In DS4Windows case, the user needs to set HidHide to:

• Hide the real controllers from the system once when connected via USB and once when via Bluetooth
• Allow DS4Windows to see all hidden devices, otherwise it would think there are no supported gamepads connected

Configuration:

Alternativaly, you can follow the official HidHide guide.

Usage and tips

General Info

• After installing the HidHide driver you MUST reboot your system before using it
• If HidHide is properly configured then the Hide DS4 controllers option under DS4Windows’ Settings tab is redundant and should be left disabled

Client Configuration

• In order to avoid confusion, make sure DS4Windows is stopped or fully closed BEFORE opening HidHide’s Client so only real controllers appear on its devices list
• Remember to close HidHide’s Client before re-opening DS4Windows, otherwise the Ex check will fail even if the controller is correctly hidden

DS4Windows built-in hider

If you have HidHide installed and correctly setup then this option is redudant and should be left disabled to prevent issues or confusion.

This option exists on DS4Windows’ Settings tab. When enabled, DS4Windows will kindly ask Windows for exclusive access to detected devices, meaning the later would only allow DS4Windows to detect the gamepads and preventing the double input issue.

The problem with this method is that Windows can deny the exclusive access request when another process already has a open connection to the gamepad. Common reasons for this request to fail are:

• A game already is running
• Google chrome/Opera is running (why does it have a connection to the gamepad you ask? A mystery)
• Nvidia Geforce experience process having a hold of the gamepad
• Random non-obvious process having a hold of the gamepad

Even if it works initially, if your gamepad disconnects in the middle of a game chances are that you’ll lose exclusive access upon reconnection, requiring you to close the game to try again.

For the reasons explained above, the Hide DS4 Controllers option is NOT RECOMMENDED, though it remains available to users that need to use it for whatever reason. HidHide is the better option all around for those who can use it.