InputMapper starts, your controller is connected, and then you hit an error about the virtual bus: the virtual bus is not found, cannot be opened, or the virtual Xbox controller never appears. Without that bus, InputMapper has nowhere to send its output, so the mapping has nothing to drive. The fix is almost always to install or repair one driver: ViGEmBus.
This guide covers removing conflicting old installs first, installing ViGEmBus 1.22.0 correctly, and rebooting so the driver actually loads. For the fuller background on what ViGEmBus is and how it fits into the InputMapper stack, see our ViGEmBus install guide alongside this repair walkthrough.
What the Virtual Bus Does in InputMapper 1.7
InputMapper 1.7 does not create its virtual Xbox 360 controller by itself. It outputs through ViGEmBus, an independent project by developer nefarius that provides virtual gamepad devices on Windows. InputMapper reads your physical DualShock 4 or other supported controller, translates the input, and asks ViGEmBus to present it as an Xbox controller that games can use.
Earlier generations worked differently: InputMapper 1.5 and 1.6 used ScpVBus from the SCP stack instead. That history matters for this error, because leftover pieces of the old stack are one of the main reasons a fresh ViGEmBus install does not take over cleanly. If your PC has carried InputMapper, SCPToolkit, or similar tools over several years, assume there are leftovers until you have checked.
Step 1: Remove Conflicting Old ViGEm and Scp Installs First
Before installing anything, remove what is already there. Open Windows Settings, go to Apps, and uninstall any existing ViGEmBus entries, especially very old versions that predate the current driver. Do the same for SCP components such as ScpVBus if you no longer use the old SCP stack for anything else. Two virtual bus drivers competing for the same job can leave InputMapper unable to open either one reliably.
Be deliberate here. Only remove virtual bus and SCP components you recognise as part of old controller setups, and note what you removed in case another old tool depends on it. If you still rely on SCPToolkit for a DualShock 3 setup, read our notes on SCPToolkit risks before deciding what to keep. InputMapper supports the DualShock 3 only via a Magic-NS dongle, so most users do not need the SCP stack for InputMapper at all.
Restart the PC after uninstalling. Driver removals often only complete during a reboot, and installing the new bus on top of a half-removed old one is a reliable way to get the same error back.
Step 2: Download ViGEmBus 1.22.0 from GitHub Only
The final ViGEmBus release is version 1.22.0, published on November 2, 2023, after which the project was archived. It is distributed through GitHub releases only. Use the button below, which goes to the project’s GitHub release, and download the installer for 1.22.0.
Download ViGEmBus 1.22.0 on GitHub
Affiliate link — see our Affiliate Disclosure.
Warning: never use vigem.org
Do not download ViGEmBus from vigem.org, and do not follow an old updater that points to that domain. The domain was handed over, and old updaters pointing there are a documented risk. The same caution applies to random driver sites offering newer-sounding ViGEmBus versions: there is no release newer than 1.22.0, because the project is archived. Anything claiming to be a 2024 or 2025 ViGEmBus update from a third-party site is not the genuine driver.
Step 3: Install and Reboot
Run the 1.22.0 installer with administrator privileges and let it complete without interruption. When it finishes, reboot the PC even if the installer does not force you to. The virtual bus is a kernel driver, and InputMapper can only open it once Windows has loaded it in a fresh session. Testing without rebooting is the most common reason people conclude the install did not work when it actually did.
After the reboot, start InputMapper before your game launchers, connect your controller, and check whether the virtual bus error is gone and the virtual Xbox controller now appears. You can confirm in the Windows Game Controllers panel (joy.cpl): with a controller mapped, the Xbox 360 controller entry should be present alongside InputMapper’s own device view.
Upgrading in place? Run the installer twice
One quirk from the ViGEmBus release notes catches people out: when upgrading in place over an existing ViGEmBus installation, run the installer twice. The first run handles the existing installation, and the second completes the upgrade to 1.22.0. If you upgraded, rebooted, and still see the old version or the same bus error, run the 1.22.0 installer a second time and reboot again before trying anything more drastic.
Step 4: Verify InputMapper Sees the Bus
With a clean install in place, work through a short verification. First, open InputMapper with no game or launcher running, so nothing else can interfere with the test. Second, connect a supported controller — DualShock 4, DualShock 4 V2, Xbox 360, Xbox One, DualShock 3 via Magic-NS, or a generic DirectInput or XInput device. Third, confirm InputMapper lists the controller without a virtual bus error and that a profile can be started, following the basics in how to use InputMapper.
If the bus error returns only when a particular launcher is open, the problem is no longer the driver install itself. Close that launcher, retest, and treat it as a conflict rather than a broken bus. Our troubleshooting hub covers those conflicts, including exclusive mode and double input, which often appear alongside bus problems on messy older installs.
If the Error Persists
If a clean removal, a GitHub-sourced 1.22.0 install, the double-installer step for upgrades, and a reboot still leave you with a missing virtual bus, check the basics once more: that you are logged in with permission to install drivers, that your antivirus did not silently quarantine the installer, and that Windows is fully updated enough to accept the driver. Re-download the installer from GitHub in case the first download was incomplete, and run it as administrator.
Resist the temptation to fix a stubborn bus error by installing HidGuardian or other legacy hiding components, or by downloading bus drivers from unofficial mirrors. Those steps add new variables without addressing the bus itself. A verified ViGEmBus 1.22.0 install on a clean base solves this error in the overwhelming majority of cases; if yours is the exception, capture the exact error text and compare it with the entries in our InputMapper FAQ before changing anything else.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does virtual bus not found mean in InputMapper?
InputMapper 1.7 outputs its virtual Xbox controller through the ViGEmBus driver. The error means ViGEmBus is missing, failed to install, or is blocked by a conflicting older bus driver. Removing old ViGEm and Scp installs, then installing ViGEmBus 1.22.0 from GitHub and rebooting, fixes most cases.
Which version of ViGEmBus should I install?
Install ViGEmBus 1.22.0, the final release from November 2, 2023. The project is archived, so there is no newer official version. Download it only from GitHub releases, never from vigem.org or third-party driver sites.
Why do I need to run the ViGEmBus installer twice?
When upgrading in place over an existing ViGEmBus installation, the release notes call for running the installer twice: the first run handles the existing install and the second completes the upgrade. Reboot afterwards and retest InputMapper.
Is ViGEmBus the same as ScpVBus?
No. ScpVBus was the virtual bus used by InputMapper 1.5 and 1.6 as part of the SCP stack. InputMapper 1.7 uses ViGEmBus instead. Leftover ScpVBus installs can conflict with ViGEmBus, which is why removing old Scp components is part of this fix.