# medusalix/xow

Linux driver for the Xbox One wireless dongle

Repository: https://github.com/medusalix/xow
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/xow
Homepage: https://medusalix.github.io/xow
Language: C++
License: GPL-2.0
License Family: copyleft
Topics: linux, xbox, xbox-one, user-mode, usb, wireless, dongle
Last push: 2022-04-24T16:22:09+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 23/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-03T02:20:16.233290+00:00)
- activity 0, release rhythm 8, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 2447, "days_push": 1592, "days_rel": null, "gap_med": null, "n_releases_24m": 0}
- flags: none
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 1454, forks 88 (observed 2026-08-28T04:04:46.736523+00:00)

## What it is
xow is a Linux user-mode driver for the Xbox One wireless USB dongle, communicating via libusb and exposing controller input through the uinput kernel module. It supports multiple Xbox One controller models and is now in maintenance mode in favor of xone.

## Use cases
- use an Xbox One wireless controller on Linux via the USB dongle
- connect Xbox One controllers wirelessly to a Steam Link or EmuELEC device
- get gamepad input events in Linux without a kernel driver
- support Elite and other Xbox One controller models on Linux
- set up a systemd service for wireless controller support

## When to choose
- you need wireless Xbox One controller support on Linux kernel 4.5+ using the USB dongle
- you run a distro or device (Steam Link, EmuELEC) that packages xow
- you prefer a user-mode driver over a kernel module

## When to avoid
- you are starting a new setup - use the successor project xone instead
- you need Bluetooth-only controller connectivity without the dongle
- you need a driver for controllers other than Xbox One models

## Facets
- artifact type: library
- maturity: maintenance
- function: database-driver, developer-tools
- domain: hardware, operating-systems, gaming-tools
- platform: cpp
- tags: driver, usb, xbox-one, gamepad, uinput, libusb, wireless-dongle, linux

## Member repositories
- medusalix/xow (main) score 23

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:04:46.736523+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-30T04:35:42.364249+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/medusalix/xow (fetched 2026-08-28T04:04:46.736523+00:00, sha 36c16489b1e7)
  - homepage: https://medusalix.github.io/xow (fetched 2026-08-29T11:44:53.904892+00:00, sha 5d4966948fd1)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.