PhysPanelDrv - Physical Panel Dimensions Override Driver

🌐 English

A minimalist and lightweight Windows kernel driver designed to override the physical display panel dimensions reported to the operating system. This allows simulating different screen sizes (e.g., a handheld device) to influence UI behavior in certain applications and system components, such as the Windows Shell or DirectX games.

⚠️ WARNING: Please Read Before Proceeding

This is a kernel-mode driver that interacts with undocumented Windows internals. By using this software, you acknowledge and agree to the following:

• System Instability – Kernel-mode code runs with the highest privilege. Any bugs or incompatibilities can cause system instability, crashes (Blue Screen of Death - BSOD), data corruption, or require a complete OS reinstallation.
• Use Entirely at Your Own Risk – You are solely responsible for any consequences. The developer provides no warranty, support, or liability for any damages whatsoever.
• Security Implications – Installing this driver requires disabling security features like Secure Boot and enabling Test Signing Mode, which can lower your system's security posture.
• Undocumented APIs – This driver relies on internal Windows functions (ZwUpdateWnfStateData) that are not officially supported and may change or be removed in any Windows update, causing the driver to fail or crash the system.
• Backup Is Essential – Always create a full system backup and a System Restore Point before installing any kernel-mode driver.

If you are not comfortable with these risks, do not use this software.

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⚙️ System Requirements

• Operating System: Windows 11 Build 26100 / 26200 / 26220 (x64)
• Permissions: Administrator privileges are required for installation and removal.
• System State: Secure Boot must be disabled and Test Signing Mode must be enabled.
• Required Tools: The installation and removal process relies on devcon.exe, which is part of the Windows Driver Kit (WDK).

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💻 Technical Details

• Language: C
• Toolchain: Windows Driver Kit (WDK)
• Core API: The driver utilizes the undocumented kernel API ZwUpdateWnfStateData to publish a new value for a well-known Windows Notification Facility (WNF) state.
• WNF State Name: WNF_DX_INTERNAL_PANEL_DIMENSIONS. This state is used internally by DirectX and other components to determine the physical size of the primary display panel.

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🙏 Acknowledgements

This project is a practical implementation based on the research and discovery of the WNF_DX_INTERNAL_PANEL_DIMENSIONS state name by:

• physpanel by @riverar

A huge thank you for their invaluable contributions to the Windows internals community.

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🛠️ Building from Source

1. Clone the Repository

   git clone https://github.com/8bit2qubit/PhysPanelDrv.git
   cd PhysPanelDrv

2. Prerequisites
   • Install Visual Studio.
   • Install the latest Windows Driver Kit (WDK).
3. Configure Dimensions & Build
   • Open PhysPanelDrv/Driver.c and modify the widthMm and heightMm variables as needed.
   • Open PhysPanelDrv.sln in Visual Studio, select the Release and x64 configuration, and build the solution.

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📄 License

This project is licensed under the GNU General Public License v3.0 (GPL-3.0).

This means you are free to use, modify, and distribute this software, but any derivative works based on this project must also be distributed under the same GPL-3.0 license and provide the complete source code. For more details, please see the official GPL-3.0 terms.