# IOHIDInterface A provider object for a HID device’s interface. ``` class IOHIDInterface; ``` ## Overview An `IOHIDInterface` object represents a specific interface of the HID device. Typically, you don’t create `IOHIDInterface` objects directly. Instead, you specify that your driver relies on an `IOHIDInterface` as its provider, and the system creates the interface object for you during the matching process. To use a HID interface object directly, call [`Open`](/documentation/HIDDriverKit/IOHIDInterface/Open) to create a new session between the interface and your custom driver. When calling that method, you specify an object to execute each time a new report is ready to process. When a new report arrives, the `IOHIDInterface` object parses the device’s report data, puts the data into a set of [`IOHIDElement`](/documentation/HIDDriverKit/IOHIDElement) objects, and notifies your action object. Use your action object’s [`ReportAvailable`](/documentation/HIDDriverKit/IOHIDInterface/ReportAvailable) method to parse the element objects and dispatch events. ## Topics ### Running the Interface [`virtual bool init();`](/documentation/HIDDriverKit/IOHIDInterface/init) Handles the basic initialization of the interface. [`virtual void free();`](/documentation/HIDDriverKit/IOHIDInterface/free) ### Managing the Session [`virtual kern_return_t Open(IOService *forClient, IOOptionBits options, OSAction *action);`](/documentation/HIDDriverKit/IOHIDInterface/Open) Opens a session to the device and begins the delivery of input reports. [`virtual kern_return_t Close(IOService *forClient, IOOptionBits options);`](/documentation/HIDDriverKit/IOHIDInterface/Close) Closes the interface and stops the delivery of input reports. ### Getting and Setting Input Reports [`virtual void ReportAvailable(uint64_t timestamp, uint32_t reportID, uint32_t reportLength, IOHIDReportType type, IOMemoryDescriptor *report, OSAction *action);`](/documentation/HIDDriverKit/IOHIDInterface/ReportAvailable) Notifies the interface that an updated report is available from the HID device. [`virtual kern_return_t AddReportToPool(IOBufferMemoryDescriptor *report);`](/documentation/HIDDriverKit/IOHIDInterface/AddReportToPool) Adds a memory descriptor to the report pool. [`virtual void processReport(uint64_t timestamp, uint8_t *report, uint32_t reportLength, IOHIDReportType type, uint32_t reportID);`](/documentation/HIDDriverKit/IOHIDInterface/processReport) Parses the contents of the specified report and updates the interface’s elements. [`virtual kern_return_t GetReport(IOMemoryDescriptor *report, IOHIDReportType reportType, uint32_t reportID, IOOptionBits options);`](/documentation/HIDDriverKit/IOHIDInterface/GetReport) Retrieves a new input report from the HID device. [`virtual kern_return_t SetReport(IOMemoryDescriptor *report, IOHIDReportType reportType, uint32_t reportID, IOOptionBits options);`](/documentation/HIDDriverKit/IOHIDInterface/SetReport) Sends a report to the HID device. ### Accessing the Elements of a Report [`virtual OSArray * getElements();`](/documentation/HIDDriverKit/IOHIDInterface/getElements) Returns the array of elements that the interface uses to store parsed report data. [`virtual kern_return_t commitElements(OSArray *elements, IOHIDElementCommitDirection direction);`](/documentation/HIDDriverKit/IOHIDInterface/commitElements) Gets or sets the contents of the interface’s stored elements. ## Relationships ### Inherits From [`IOService`](/documentation/DriverKit/IOService) --- Copyright © 2026 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. | [Terms of Use](https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/terms/site.html) | [Privacy Policy](https://www.apple.com/privacy/privacy-policy)