Developing Windows applications for USB devices

This topic provides guidelines for deciding whether you should write a Windows Store app or a Windows desktop app to communicate with a USB device.

Windows provides API sets that you can use to write apps that talk to a custom USB devices. The API performs common USB-related tasks such as, finding the device, data transfers.

"Custom device" in this context means, a device for which Microsoft does not provide an in-box class driver. Instead, you can install WinUSB (Winusb.sys) as the device driver.

Choosing a programming model

If you install Winusb.sys, here are the programming model options:

• Windows Store app for a USB device

  Windows 8.1 provides a new namespace: Windows.Devices.Usb. The namespace cannot be used in earlier version of Windows. Other Windows Store resources are here: Windows Store app.

• Windows desktop app for a USB device

  Before Windows 8.1, apps that were communicating through Winusb.sys, were desktop apps written by using WinUSB Functions. In Windows 8.1, the API set has been extended. Other Windows desktop app resources are here: Windows desktop app.

The strategy for choosing the best programming model depends on various factors.

• Will your app communicate with an internal USB device?

  The APIs are primarily designed for accessing peripheral devices. The API can also access PC internal USB devices. However access to PC internal USB devices from a Windows Store app is limited to a privileged app that is explicitly declared in device metadata by the OEM for that PC.

• Will your app communicate with USB isochronous endpoints?

  If your app transmits data to or from isochronous endpoints of the device, you must write a Windows desktop app. In Windows 8.1, new WinUSB Functions have been added to the API set that allow a desktop app to send data to and receive data from isochronous endpoints.

• Is your app a "control panel" type of app?

  Windows Store apps are per-user apps and do not have the ability to make changes outside the scope of each app. For these types of apps, you must write a Windows desktop app.

• Is the USB device class supported classes by Windows Store apps?

  Write a Windows Store app if your device belongs to one these device classes.

  • name:cdcControl, classId:02 * *
  • name:physical, classId:05 * *
  • name:personalHealthcare, classId:0f 00 00
  • name:activeSync, classId:ef 01 01
  • name:palmSync, classId:ef 01 02
  • name:deviceFirmwareUpdate, classId:fe 01 01
  • name:irda, classId:fe 02 00
  • name:measurement, classId:fe 03 *
  • name:vendorSpecific, classId:ff * *

  Note  If your device belongs to DeviceFirmwareUpdate class, your app must be a privileged app.

  If your device does not belong to one the preceding device classes, write a Windows desktop app.

Driver requirement

Code samples

Development tools

Feature implementation

Documentation

Related topics

Universal Serial Bus (USB)

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