If you are using a PlayStation 5 controller (often called a “DS5”) on a PC, we help map inputs to Windows. However, if you are transitioning to native setups or troubleshooting double-input errors, knowing how to uninstall DS5Windows cleanly is critical.
Because these input wrappers operate as portable software rather than traditional installers, simply deleting the app icon leaves kernel-level drivers active in your background registry. This step-by-step tutorial covers how to remove DS5Windows drivers, flush custom layout caches, and restore your Windows operating system to a default state.
How to Uninstall DS5Windows – Complete Removal Workflow
To prevent input mapping dropouts, complete this sequence in order. Removing the virtualization system bus before disabling device cloaking can cause temporary peripheral freezes.
1.Deactivate Device Cloaking: Configuration Reset.
Launch the configuration client or open your standalone HidHide utility via the Windows Start Menu. Navigate to the Devices tab and uncheck the Enable device hiding master toggle. This restores direct line-of-sight communication between your operating system and your physical controller.
2.Uninstall Companion Drivers: Driver Removal.
Open the native Windows Apps & Features panel (or Installed Apps on Windows 11). Locate the entry for HidHide, click the context menu, and select Uninstall. Repeat this identical step for FakerInput if it is present on your system application lists.
3.Remove the ViGEmBus Framework: Bus Purge.
Within the same application list, find the Nefarius Virtual Gamepad Emulation Bus (ViGEmBus). Select Uninstall and follow the prompts to clear the virtual controller bus.
4.Clear Roaming AppData Repositories: Profile Wipe.
Press the Win + R shortcut keys simultaneously to open the Windows Run box. Type %appdata% into the field and hit Enter. Locate the hidden folders labeled DS4Windows or DS5Windows, right-click them, and choose Delete to wipe all saved controller profiles and settings.
5.Execute a Full System Reboot: Registry Flush.
Navigate to your Start menu and initiate a full computer restart. This forces Windows to clear all cached kernel controller configurations from system memory and reinitialize standard USB/Bluetooth parameters.
Verifying a Clean System State
Once your PC reboots, you can easily verify that the underlying software translation layers have been successfully wiped from your machine’s local device store:
- Press
Win + Xand select Device Manager. - Click the View dropdown menu at the top of the interface and select Devices by connection.
- Scan down the layout tree. There should no longer be any nodes pointing to a Nefarius Virtual Gamepad Emulation Bus or any stray Virtual Gamepad Emulation Bus system extensions.
If you encounter problematic residual system files or driver conflicts that refuse to uninstall through standard system paths, deploy administrative file managers like Driver Store Explorer on GitHub to forcefully isolate, un-stage, and delete old vigembus.inf system packages directly from your driver store index.
For a complete step-by-step visual demonstration covering file paths, folder structures, and driver cleaning processes on modern systems, watch this comprehensive DS4Windows Driver Removal Walkthrough. This guide breaks down how to systematically clean up your underlying registries, ensuring that your PC gaming setup functions cleanly and recognizes future hardware installations correctly.