BetterJoy’s current stable release is v7.1 (22 November 2021) — the project has been quiet since, the repository is not archived, and v7.1 is still the version to run. If you are on v7.0, v6.x, or something truly ancient, this guide shows how to update cleanly: what actually changes, how to keep your configuration, and the driver housekeeping that old installs need. It also answers the fair question of whether you need to bother.
What changed in v7.1 (the honest, complete list)
V7.1 is a hotfix with exactly one official fix: config reading did not work when your locale uses a comma as the decimal separator instead of a full stop. That is the entire changelog. If your Windows uses a comma-decimal locale (common across Europe and South America) and you are on v7.0, updating is genuinely worthwhile — your settings file may not be read correctly today. If your locale uses full-stop decimals and v7.0 works for you, v7.1 changes nothing else; update anyway when convenient, but nothing is on fire.
The bigger step is v7.0 (four days earlier): third-party controller support via Add Controllers, gyro-to-joystick, a much more accurate gyro-to-mouse (DCM filter), stick double-click orientation switching, the DoNotRejoinJoycons setting, updated ViGEm drivers, and DS4 mapping fixes. Anyone on v6.x or older gains real features by coming up to v7.1.
Step 1: Back up your configuration
Your settings live in BetterJoyForCemu.exe.config, in the same folder as the executable. Copy that file somewhere safe before you touch anything. After the update you will drop it into the new folder, and your calibration values, rejoin behaviour, and preferences come with you. Our config file guide explains what is in it.
Step 2: Handle very old versions’ drivers first
Coming from a v4-era or earlier install? The upstream release notes for v4 carry a warning that still applies in reverse: each era installed its own driver set, and the old one should be uninstalled before the new version’s drivers go in. Two specifics:
- Old installs put your controllers on the HIDGuardian “affected devices” list so other programs could not grab them. Before uninstalling old drivers, open http://localhost:26762/ in a browser (the local HidCerberus page) and remove your controllers from Currently affected devices, then restart. Skip this and a controller can stay invisible to other software afterwards.
- Uninstall the old ViGEmBus/HIDGuardian-era driver components through Windows’ normal app/driver removal, then reboot, rather than layering new drivers over old ones.
Coming from v6.x? The jump is gentler — drivers from that era are the ViGEmBus line the new package expects; still, a clean reboot between uninstalling the old folder and installing fresh costs nothing.
Step 3: Install v7.1 fresh
- Get BetterJoy_v7.1.zip from the download page (it links to the official GitHub release; SHA-256 is printed there for verification).
- Extract it to a new permanent folder — do not run from inside the ZIP.
- Install the driver from the Drivers folder: ViGEmBusSetup_x64.msi (or the x86 MSI on 32-bit Windows), then reboot.
- Copy your backed-up
BetterJoyForCemu.exe.configinto the new folder, replacing the stock one. - Run
BetterJoyForCemu.exe, pair your controller, and confirm it appears — the full checklist is in the first-run guide.
A note on driver versions
The ViGEmBus bundled inside the v7.1 ZIP is old — upstream’s own README text still references the 1.16.116-era installer. The driver works, but the final ViGEmBus release is 1.22.0 (the project has since been retired, with 1.22.0 as its last version), and our download page links to it directly. If you hit a ViGEmBus not found style error after updating, installing the current 1.22.0 driver and rebooting is the documented fix. Do not install random “driver updater” repacks from download portals — get ViGEmBus only from its official GitHub releases.
One more boundary to keep straight: the HIDGuardian components in the original package are legacy. Their modern successor is HidHide, and the two must not be installed together. If you are moving toward the community-maintained BetterJoy fork (which uses HidHide), uninstall the HIDGuardian side first and reboot — mixing the generations is a reliable way to make controllers vanish.
Verify the update worked
After the move, spend two minutes confirming you actually gained a clean install rather than a new folder with old problems. Launch BetterJoy and pair a controller — it should appear without coaxing. Open your emulator, confirm the XInput source still points at the virtual controller, and check one motion game to see gyro data arriving via the motion server (127.0.0.1 port 26760). If you carried your config across, spot-check the setting you care most about — a calibration value or DoNotRejoinJoycons — against the backup you made. Only once all of that passes should you delete the old folder; until then it is your rollback.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a newer version than v7.1?
Not from the original project — v7.1 is the latest official release, and there is no official nightly channel. A community fork (maintained by d3xMachina, currently on a v8.5 LTS line) continues development; it is a separate download from a separate author, and we cover it separately rather than presenting it as an official update.
Will updating delete my pairings?
No. Bluetooth pairings live in Windows, not in BetterJoy. Updating the program folder does not unpair your controllers.
Can I just overwrite the old folder with the new files?
It usually works, but the clean-folder method above is safer: it guarantees no stale DLLs or an old config in a mixed state, and your backup means nothing is lost either way.
Where are the other guides?
The BetterJoy tutorials hub indexes everything, including pairing, gyro, and remapping guides — and our Pro Controller connection guide if anything needs re-pairing after the move.