linux-drivers/
drivers/input/misc

Miscellaneous input devices (power buttons, haptics, uinput, capacitive controllers)

A grab-bag of input devices that don't fit the keyboard, mouse, or touchscreen categories: power and on/off buttons on PMIC chips, rotary encoders, haptic vibrators, capacitive touch and proximity controllers, lid and rotation switches, and the uinput facility that lets userspace inject synthetic input events. Hardware ranges from old laptop buttons to chips launched in 2025.

keep conf=0.95 last_sold=2025 deploy=high replacement=none subsystem=input category=input-hid
95%

recommendation

It should stay because this directory is a busy catch-all that still picks up new hardware support and bug fixes through 2025 and into 2026, including modern PMIC power-key drivers (pf1550, TWL603x), Azoteq IQS7222 capacitive touch controllers that are actively sold today, and the widely used uinput facility that lets userspace synthesize input events. There is no sign of removal discussion on the kernel mailing list, and the mix of devices it serves remains current.

repository signals

97 files
38,644 source lines
285 commits, 5y
+8,785 / −3,344 lines added / removed, 5y
95 authors, 5y
monthly commits · 2021-04-21 → 2026-04-21 · 285 total · active in 53/61 months
2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2021-04: 1 commit · +2 −2 2021-05: 0 commits · +0 −0 2021-06: 2 commits · +73 −32 2021-07: 2 commits · +1 −197 2021-08: 1 commit · +0 −218 2021-09: 1 commit · +5 −1 2021-10: 9 commits · +28 −32 2021-11: 3 commits · +17 −13 2021-12: 0 commits · +0 −0 2022-01: 2 commits · +36 −40 2022-02: 1 commit · +23 −1 2022-03: 3 commits · +9 −16 2022-04: 7 commits · +2,588 −32 2022-05: 2 commits · +3 −2 2022-06: 9 commits · +121 −91 2022-07: 0 commits · +0 −0 2022-08: 5 commits · +354 −13 2022-09: 7 commits · +17 −16 2022-10: 6 commits · +303 −457 2022-11: 20 commits · +205 −50 2022-12: 1 commit · +2 −3 2023-01: 36 commits · +346 −504 2023-02: 2 commits · +206 −1 2023-03: 0 commits · +0 −0 2023-04: 1 commit · +0 −2 2023-05: 11 commits · +119 −78 2023-06: 6 commits · +47 −67 2023-07: 9 commits · +503 −56 2023-08: 0 commits · +0 −0 2023-09: 17 commits · +35 −77 2023-10: 2 commits · +12 −3 2023-11: 0 commits · +0 −0 2023-12: 9 commits · +55 −68 2024-01: 3 commits · +281 −45 2024-02: 0 commits · +0 −0 2024-03: 3 commits · +114 −3 2024-04: 4 commits · +74 −33 2024-05: 3 commits · +127 −22 2024-06: 11 commits · +729 −231 2024-07: 5 commits · +80 −95 2024-08: 2 commits · +16 −2 2024-09: 25 commits · +274 −408 2024-10: 6 commits · +42 −66 2024-11: 2 commits · +170 −2 2024-12: 2 commits · +23 −1 2025-01: 4 commits · +22 −9 2025-02: 1 commit · +2 −2 2025-03: 2 commits · +23 −29 2025-04: 1 commit · +16 −6 2025-05: 2 commits · +7 −1 2025-06: 5 commits · +71 −196 2025-07: 2 commits · +2 −1 2025-08: 6 commits · +347 −2 2025-09: 4 commits · +871 −4 2025-10: 2 commits · +209 −4 2025-11: 7 commits · +40 −50 2025-12: 2 commits · +56 −6 2026-01: 1 commit · +3 −4 2026-02: 2 commits · +43 −43 2026-03: 0 commits · +0 −0 2026-04: 2 commits · +28 −7

sources

  1. git.kernel.org

    The directory remains actively maintained, with fixes and new support landing through 2025-2026 rather than showing removal-only churn.

  2. git.kernel.org

    Kconfig covers a broad, still-relevant mix of devices and use cases, including modern PMIC power keys, capacitive controllers, haptics, and `uinput`.

  3. cateee.net

    `CONFIG_INPUT_UINPUT` is still present through Linux 7.0, indicating an actively used non-legacy deployment niche inside this directory.

  4. azoteq.com

    Azoteq markets the IQS7222A touch/proximity controller in 2025, showing this directory still covers currently sold hardware families.

  5. digikey.com

    A current distributor listing shows the IQS7222 evaluation kit as an active product, reinforcing present-day availability of hardware served by this directory.

codex reasoning notes (technical)

Local shell inspection (`git -c safe.directory=... log` and `sed` on `drivers/input/misc/Kconfig`) showed substantive activity through 2026-04-08 (`uinput` fixes), late-2025 additions (`pf1550-onkey`, TWL603x power button), and recent configs such as IQS7222. The two kernel.org URLs are canonical-recall URLs mapped to those local findings. The LKDDb, Azoteq, and DigiKey URLs were obtained via web search. A web search against lore (`site:lore.kernel.org/all "drivers/input/misc" remove/deprecate`) found no removal discussion, so the evidence supports keeping this active mixed-driver subtree rather than deprecating it.