Xbox bluetooth controller to VM Fusion Pro

[Zaki-Ahmed1]

I have VMware Fusion 12 Pro setup on my MacBook Pro. I am running Windows 10.
VMware Fusion 12 Pro on 2019 16-inch MacBook Pro, MacOS Big Sur 11.6
Professional Version 12.2.1 (18811640)

I am trying to connect my Xbox controller as a Bluetooth device to my VM Windows 10, so I can use it with the Xbox App (only available on Windows).

I cannot manage to get a successful connection of my Xbox controller to VM Windows 10. If I do a hard reboot into Windows 10, I am able to successfully connect my controller over Bluetooth, but this is not working using the VM.

Please help me, I have tried all the following options:
- share Bluetooth devices with VM checkbox
- connecting the Xbox controller to my Mac
- searching for Bluetooth devices in my VM Windows 10 (unsuccessful at finding any devices)

The support ticket section of this site is broken, I am unable to even submit a support ticket. Can someone please help?

[BillPa]

I wanted to do the same thing, but with Fusion 12.1.2 and Monterey 12.0.1. In my research regarding it, I found that it is not possible due to some Apple limitation regarding bluetooth sharing to a VM, I believe there is a document here on the VMware site explaining this subject. Sorry I can't recall the exact details any longer, just the unfortunate synopsis.  I hope one day that will change for both our sakes.

[bluefirestorm]

I think starting with the 2016 MacBook Pro, Apple switched to using UART for the Bluetooth module. Don't know for other Mac models such iMac, MacBook Air, etc.

You can see this in System Report -> Bluetooth -> Transport shows as UART instead of USB.

Not sure if you are referring to this thing, BillPA.

[BillPa]

I believe it had to do with MacOS (Host) which controls the Bluetooth, only sharing a one direction communication to the Bluetooth device of the Guest. Xbox controller's wants a bidirectional connection. The devices supported like mice, keyboards, headphones send data either only in, or only out. 

A USB connected Xbox controller will work.

[bluefirestorm]

If that were the case, AirDrop via Bluetooth between macOS devices and iOS/iPadOS devices would only work one way only. But it still works both ways (can share from macOS to iOS or share from iOS to macOS) within the same Bluetooth connected session. Keyboards in a sense also has an output direction (such as changing state of NumLock). So that's a strange explanation, in only or out only, unless I am not understanding the full picture.

[BillPa]

The following is copied from the VMware Fusion 12 documents. (In supported bluetooth devices, game controllers are not mentioned whatsoever}. I don't have the answer why not, but I want it to work also.

{Fusion has the following limitations for Bluetooth support:

• Only out going connections are allowed. A virtual machine may establish a connection to a remote Bluetooth device, but remote devices do not see services that virtual machines try to advertise.
• Virtual machines cannot change the name, class, or discoverability of the host's Bluetooth adapter. The host is exclusively in control over setting whether other Bluetooth devices can discover the host, and what name is used.
• The host is exclusively in control of the pairing process and collecting or displaying PIN numbers. The guest may scan for devices, and initiate a connection with any device. If pairing is required, the pairing dialog box appears on the host, not in the guest. From the guest's perspective, the device appears to pair without having needed a PIN.
• Any vendor-specific capabilities on the host's Bluetooth radio are not passed through to the guest. For example, some radios provide a vendor-specific command to change their BDADDR. These commands do not appear in the guest. The guest sees a generic VMware-brand radio.
• The virtual Bluetooth controller itself is not part of snapshots. During snapshots, it is disconnected and reconnected. Any ongoing connections with Bluetooth devices are terminated at the time of a snapshot.}

[bluefirestorm]

That makes more sense now as the limitation is coming from VMware Fusion and not from macOS.

A possible workaround then is to attach a USB Bluetooth device to the VM and then pair the Xbox controller with the USB Bluetooth device of the VM; although USB devices in VMware VMs can be a hit or miss as well.