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The package commonly called the libUSB Devel Filter Driver is the libusb-win32 package. Its currently linked installer is libusb-win32-devel-filter-1.2.6.0.exe.

However, this is not the driver currently specified by MTKClient’s Windows documentation. Current MTKClient instructions use the normal MediaTek serial-port driver, or a working Windows COM-port driver, together with UsbDk 64-bit. For general libusb applications, the libusb project recommends WinUSB installed through Zadig rather than the old libusb-win32 filter mode.

If you are following an older MTKClient guide that specifically requires the filter installer, the procedure below explains how to install it and attach a filter to a MediaTek Preloader USB VCOM device. It also shows when that approach should be avoided.

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Download the libUSB Devel Filter Driver

Download the Windows installer from the libusb-win32 1.2.6.0 release:

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libusb-win32-devel-filter-1.2.6.0.exe on SourceForge

The installer supports both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows and includes the libusb-win32 device-driver and filter-driver components. SourceForge notes that libusb-win32 development moved to GitHub in February 2024; the 1.2.6.0 installer is still hosted on SourceForge.

Do not confuse this package with the current MTKClient Windows setup. The package name appears in older tutorials, but the current MTKClient README specifies the stock MTK port and UsbDk instead.

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Install the package in Windows

  1. Download libusb-win32-devel-filter-1.2.6.0.exe from the SourceForge link above.
  2. Open the downloaded .exe file. Approve the Windows User Account Control prompt if it appears.
  3. Follow the installer’s on-screen steps and accept the default installation options unless your setup requires a different folder.
  4. When installation finishes, open the newly installed libusb-win32 filter installer.

The first installation only places the tools and driver files on Windows. You still need to attach a filter to the specific MediaTek USB device.

Install the filter for MediaTek Preloader USB VCOM

Have the phone powered off before beginning. Keep the filter-installer window open while you connect the device.

  1. In the filter installer, select Install a Device Filter.
  2. Click Next.
  3. Power the MediaTek phone off completely.
  4. Hold Volume Up + Volume Down.
  5. While holding both buttons, connect the USB cable to the phone.
  6. Watch the device list in the filter installer. Select MediaTek Preloader USB VCOM when it appears.
  7. Click Install and wait for the completion message.

The preloader device may be visible for only one or two seconds. That is normal for this connection state. If it disappears before you can select it, disconnect the cable, power the phone off again, and repeat the button-and-connect sequence.

Important: the button sequence is not universal

The Volume Up + Volume Down procedure above is the documented sequence for detecting the device in the libusb-win32 filter installer. It should not be treated as the universal MTKClient connection method.

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For standard MTKClient BROM detection, the project documentation says to power off the device, hold either Volume Up + Power or Volume Down + Power, connect the phone, and release the buttons after MTKClient detects it.

Several newer chipsets use a different procedure:

Situation Documented connection approach
Standard BROM detection Power off the phone, hold Volume Up + Power or Volume Down + Power, then connect it.
MT6781, MT6789, MT6855, MT6886, MT6895, MT6983, MT8985 Use preloader mode with no hardware buttons pressed. Connect the powered-off device directly.
Some devices that do not react in preloader mode Use adb reboot edl to reactivate the preloader, where supported.

Check the MTKClient README for your chipset and mode before repeatedly trying button combinations.

Current MTKClient Windows setup

If your goal is to use the current MTKClient release rather than an older guide, use its current Windows requirements instead of installing the filter driver by default.

1. Check the MTK serial port

  1. Open Device Manager. A quick way is to press Win + X and select Device Manager.
  2. Connect the powered-off MediaTek device in the required mode.
  3. Expand Ports (COM & LPT) and inspect the MediaTek entry.
  4. Install the normal MTK Serial Port driver if Windows does not identify it correctly.
  5. Resolve any yellow exclamation mark before continuing.

MTKClient’s Windows instructions allow the default Windows COM-port driver, but Device Manager must show the port without an exclamation mark.

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2. Install UsbDk 64-bit

Install the 64-bit UsbDk driver specified by the MTKClient Windows README. The documented procedure is intended for Windows 10 and Windows 11.

After installing it, open Command Prompt and run:

UsbDkController -n

For the expected MTK connection, look for a device with:

USB field Expected value
Vendor ID 0x0E8D
Product ID 0x0003

3. Install MTKClient from source, if needed

The current Windows README gives these commands:

git clone https://github.com/bkerler/mtkclient
cd mtkclient
pip3 install -r requirements.txt

Run them in Command Prompt or PowerShell after installing the required Git and Python tools. Use the project’s current README for the exact command for the operation you intend to perform.

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Should you use libusb-win32, WinUSB, or UsbDk?

Driver or method Best use Relevant caution
MTK serial-port driver + UsbDk Current MTKClient Windows instructions UsbDk must enumerate the expected MTK USB device.
WinUSB through Zadig Normal current libusb device-driver setup Replacing a serial driver can affect tools that expect a COM port.
libusbK through Zadig Cases where WinUSB has a documented limitation Choose the correct device and interface.
libusb-win32 filter mode Older guides or software that specifically requires it Filter-driver support is considered unreliable by the libusb project.

The libusb project ranks WinUSB first, libusbK for cases where WinUSB is unsuitable, and libusb-win32 only when those options do not work. It specifically says support for the libusb-win32 libusb0.sys filter mode is poor and recommends device-driver mode when libusb0.sys is required.

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For that reason, do not install the filter driver simply because a guide mentions “libUSB.” First identify whether the program expects a COM port, UsbDk, WinUSB, libusbK, or libusb-win32.

Common problems and fixes

The MediaTek device never appears in the filter installer

The preloader USB state can last only one or two seconds. Reopen the filter-installer detection step, power the phone off, and reconnect while holding the documented buttons. Try another known-good data cable and a direct USB port rather than a hub.

The device appears and disappears immediately

This usually means the phone has left the temporary preloader state. Select it as soon as it appears. If the list refreshes before selection, disconnect and repeat the procedure.

Device Manager shows a yellow exclamation mark

Do not move on to UsbDk or MTKClient until the MTK serial-port problem is fixed. Install the normal MTK Serial Port driver, reconnect the phone, and confirm that the COM-port entry has no warning icon.

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MTKClient cannot detect a newer MediaTek phone in BROM mode

Current MTKClient documentation attributes this behavior on several chipsets to a patched boot ROM. Use the documented preloader procedure instead: connect the powered-off device without holding hardware buttons, and use the correct V6 loader where required.

Installing libusb-win32 did not fix libusb access

Installing only libusb0.sys may not be enough. The libusb Windows backend also requires libusbK.dll when accessing a device through libusb0.sys. The libusb documentation says a recent Zadig installation normally installs the required library automatically.

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A composite USB device works incorrectly

Composite devices expose multiple interfaces, and the driver package must provide the correct device-interface GUID. The old libusb-win32 inf-wizard has a known composite-device interface-GUID problem and is being deprecated. Use Zadig instead when a device-driver installation is appropriate.

An older program fails with libusb-win32 1.2.6.0

With libusb0.sys version 1.2.6.0, libusb_control_transfer cannot send a transfer with wLength = 0. The libusb documentation points to the 1.2.7.3 snapshot or later for that behavior and recommends libusb-win32 1.4.0.0 or later. The commonly linked MTKClient-related filter installer, however, is still 1.2.6.0.

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Also note that libusb 1.0.24 and later dropped Windows XP support. Modern MTKClient and driver workflows should be performed on a supported Windows version.

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Remove the filter if it causes conflicts

A filter driver affects how Windows handles the selected USB device and can interfere with another application’s driver. If the phone stops appearing correctly after installation, open the libusb-win32 filter installer again, choose the device-filter management option, select the affected MediaTek entry, and remove the filter. Then disconnect and reconnect the phone and verify its driver in Device Manager.

If another program needs WinUSB or the normal MTK serial driver, reinstall that program’s required driver after removing the filter. Avoid stacking several competing USB drivers on the same device interface.

FAQ

What is the libUSB Devel Filter Driver?

It is the commonly used name for the libusb-win32 package. The currently linked Windows installer is libusb-win32-devel-filter-1.2.6.0.exe.

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Is libusb-win32 required for current MTKClient?

No. Current MTKClient Windows instructions specify a working MTK serial-port or default Windows COM driver plus UsbDk 64-bit. The filter package is mainly relevant to older guides or software that explicitly requires libusb-win32.

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Which buttons should I hold when connecting a MediaTek phone?

For the libusb-win32 filter installer, the documented procedure is Volume Up + Volume Down. For MTKClient BROM detection, the current README specifies either Volume Up + Power or Volume Down + Power. Several newer chipsets require preloader mode with no buttons pressed, so the correct sequence depends on the device and mode.

Why does MediaTek Preloader USB VCOM disappear from the filter-installer list?

The device can remain in that USB state for only about one or two seconds. Reconnect the powered-off phone and repeat the detection step, selecting the entry as soon as it appears.

Should I use Zadig instead of libusb-win32?

For general libusb use, yes: the libusb project recommends Zadig with WinUSB as the normal choice. Use libusbK only when WinUSB has a relevant limitation, and use libusb-win32 only when the other options are unsuitable or a legacy application specifically requires it.

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How can I test UsbDk for MTKClient?

Open Command Prompt after installing UsbDk 64-bit and run UsbDkController -n. The expected MTK entry uses vendor ID 0x0E8D and product ID 0x0003.

The Bottom Line

You can install the legacy libUSB Devel Filter Driver by running libusb-win32-devel-filter-1.2.6.0.exe, opening the filter installer, choosing Install a Device Filter, connecting the powered-off phone while holding Volume Up + Volume Down, selecting MediaTek Preloader USB VCOM, and clicking Install.

That procedure is still useful when a specific older guide requires it, but it is not the current universal MTKClient solution. For current MTKClient on Windows, fix the MTK COM-port driver first and install UsbDk 64-bit. For general libusb applications, prefer WinUSB through Zadig unless the application documents another driver.

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