A HID descriptor composition tool. It offers a high-level of abstraction, eliminates common errors (by design), and optimizes the descriptor to reduce byte size. It implements the HID 1.11 specification so developers don't have to.
Publisher’s description
What is Waratah?
Waratah by Matthew Williams @ Microsoft Corporation is open-source Windows software. It is written in C#.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides Portable installers for 32-bit Windows. It runs without installation (portable).
Updates and version history
The current version is 1.90, released on February 1, 2026. The version history goes back to December 29, 2025: 2 releases, all linked to the official files.
Popularity and file types
The source code on GitHub (microsoft/hidtools) has 295 stars.
Project description on GitHub: “Human Interface Device (HID) Tools for Windows and Devices”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Portable: runs without installation
Cons
- No native ARM64 build
- 32-bit only
In short: Waratah is an open-source Windows tool for 32-bit PCs.
Is Waratah safe to download?
- The file is served by github.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
42CE82235DA9338265694A1D59A43DEB2AF39760A638BBE3565B6D615F8AD878· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link has not been checked yet
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Recent versions
All 2 versions ›| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.90Latest | February 1, 2026 | — | 32-bit ZIP |
| 1.80 | December 29, 2025 | — | 32-bit ZIP |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id Microsoft.HIDTools.Waratah -eRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Information
- Publisher
- Matthew Williams @ Microsoft Corporation
- Licence
- MIT
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/microsoft/hidtools
- Written in
- C#
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 32-bit
- Installer
- Portable
- Version
- 1.90
- Released
- February 1, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- December 29, 2025
- Versions listed
- 2
- GitHub stars
- 295
- GitHub forks
- 39
- Website
- github.com
- winget ID
- Microsoft.HIDTools.Waratah
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
Frequently asked questions
Is Waratah free?
Yes. Waratah is open-source software under the MIT licence.
Is Waratah safe to download?
The download comes from github.com, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install Waratah with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Does Waratah run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
There is no ARM64 build; Windows 11 on Arm can run the 32-bit version through emulation.
Where can I download an older version of Waratah?
The versions page lists all 2 versions with links to their official installer files, back to December 29, 2025.
Can I use Waratah without administrator rights?
Yes, it is portable: unpack and run it.