wiki/gofurther/evdev.md

---
title: Share an input device with a guest using evdev
description: 
published: true
date: 2023-05-13T15:56:21.915Z
tags: 
editor: markdown
dateCreated: 2022-08-13T00:26:02.801Z
---

# Share an input device

In this section, we focus on sharing a locally attached input device with a guest virtual machine.

## Evdev event device

Since version 7.4.0, Libvirt added a low-latency local-only way to share an input device with a guest, using the [Linux evdev event interface](https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/latest/input/input.html?highlight=evdev#evdev).

- List input devices based on their identification, only listing those with an *event* in their name and excluding these with *if*: `ls /dev/input/by-id/* | grep event | grep -v if`

```
/dev/input/by-id/usb-Corsair_CORSAIR_HARPOON_RGB_PRO_Gaming_Mouse_1902B02BAF5E04655DEB612AF5001C05-event-mouse
/dev/input/by-id/usb-Logitech_G513_RGB_MECHANICAL_GAMING_KEYBOARD_156930783132-event-kbd
/dev/input/by-id/usb-Logitech_USB_Keyboard-event-kbd
/dev/input/by-id/usb-Logitech_USB_Optical_Mouse-event-mouse
```

- Before attempting to share a device, make sure that the correct one is selected by registering its inputs in the console:

```
cat /dev/input/by-id/usb-Logitech_G513_RGB_MECHANICAL_GAMING_KEYBOARD_156930783132-event-kbd
```

- Clicking or typing on the device you wish to share should display gibberish characters on the screen:

```
<EFBFBD><EFBFBD>c      $
<EFBFBD><EFBFBD>c<EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>c<EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>c<EFBFBD>$<24><>c<EFBFBD>$<24><>c׏<63><D78F>c׏<63><D78F>c                                             
```    

- Add the following snippet to the XML domain definition of an existing virtual machine, inside the `<device>` section:

```
<input type='evdev'>
      <source dev='/dev/input/by-id/usb-Logitech_G513_RGB_MECHANICAL_GAMING_KEYBOARD_156930783132-event-kbd' grab='all' repeat='on'/>
</input>
```

- Then start the machine!

Press <kbd>Left Ctrl + Right Ctrl</kbd> simultaneously to switch your device between 


## Resources

* https://libvirt.org/formatdomain.html#input-devices