HID Driver Documentation – Windows Hardware

Overview

The Human Interface Device (HID) class driver provides a framework for creating drivers for keyboards, mice, game controllers, and other input devices that conform to the USB HID specification. The HID stack abstracts low‑level device interactions, allowing developers to focus on device‑specific logic.

Key Features

Plug‑and‑play support through the Windows Driver Framework (WDF).
Automatic report parsing and delivery to user‑mode applications.
Compatibility with both USB and Bluetooth HID devices.
Extensible data‑exchange mechanisms via custom report descriptors.

Getting Started

Follow these steps to create a basic HID driver using KMDF.

Install the Windows Driver Kit (WDK) and Visual Studio.
Create a new KMDf Driver project.
Add the hidclass library reference.
Implement the EvtDeviceAdd callback to register your device.

#include <ntddk.h>
#include <wdf.h>
#include <hidport.h>

DRIVER_INITIALIZE DriverEntry;
EVT_WDF_DRIVER_DEVICE_ADD HidEvtDeviceAdd;

NTSTATUS
DriverEntry(_In_ PDRIVER_OBJECT DriverObject, _In_ PUNICODE_STRING RegistryPath)
{
    WDF_DRIVER_CONFIG config;
    WDF_DRIVER_CONFIG_INIT(&config, HidEvtDeviceAdd);
    return WdfDriverCreate(DriverObject, RegistryPath, WDF_NO_OBJECT_ATTRIBUTES, &config, WDF_NO_HANDLE);
}

For a complete walkthrough, see the full example.

Design Guidelines

Adhere to these best practices to ensure a robust and maintainable HID driver.

Guideline	Description
Use KMDF	Leverage the Kernel‑Mode Driver Framework for lifecycle management and power handling.
Validate Report Descriptors	Validate all incoming report descriptors to prevent malformed data from causing crashes.
Minimize IRQL Levels	Perform heavyweight processing at PASSIVE_LEVEL; keep ISR short.
Secure User‑Mode Interaction	Use `IOCTL_HID_GET_FEATURE` and related IOCTLs with proper access checks.

Sample Drivers

Microsoft provides several reference implementations:

API Reference

Key functions and structures are listed below. Click each name for the full MSDN description.

Troubleshooting

Common issues and resolutions:

Device not enumerating: Verify the VendorID and ProductID in the INF match the hardware.
Reports return garbage: Check that the report descriptor aligns with the device's firmware format.
Driver fails to load (0xC0000005): Enable Driver Verifier to pinpoint the offending code path.

FAQ

Q: Do I need to write a mini‑driver for each HID device?
A: Most devices can share a single driver by handling multiple report IDs.

Q: Can I use a user‑mode driver?
A: Yes, the UMDF HID class driver is available but lacks some low‑level features.