You bought an OBDLink — MX+, EX, SX, LX or CX — and you are looking for OBDLink software for Windows that uses the hardware you paid for. Diagnost is free, runs on Windows 7 through 11, and treats the adapter as an STN device rather than as an expensive ELM327: it scans every module on the car, switches the Ford and GM second buses itself, and explains each fault in plain English.
That distinction is concrete. On connect the program sends STI and STDI to identify the exact model and firmware — necessary because the STN chip deliberately answers ATI with an ELM327 string for backward compatibility, so the usual identification tells you nothing. From there it uses STP protocol presets to open channels, STFAP hardware filters to keep foreign traffic out of the serial link, and STCSWM to wake sleeping single-wire GM modules. Almost no consumer software goes past the ELM327 command set; this is the part of your adapter that usually sits unused.
OBDwiz and Diagnost side by side
OBDwiz is a solid generic OBD-II tool and it costs nothing extra. The table is not about better or worse — it is about where the bundled software stops by design.
| On the laptop you want to… | OBDwiz | Diagnost |
|---|---|---|
| read and clear the check engine light, watch PIDs, check emissions readiness | yes | yes |
| pull codes from ABS, airbags, transmission, body and cluster | legislated OBD-II modes only | yes |
| reach Ford MS-CAN or GM SW-CAN without unplugging anything | not offered | MS-CAN on MX+ and EX, SW-CAN on MX+ only |
| record a drive, replay it as interactive graphs, keep the log | logging to file | yes, with trip recording and session history by VIN |
| understand what the code means and what to check first | code description | plain-English explanation plus an AI mechanic that queries modules itself |
What you get on each adapter
Over the main bus, identical on every model in the line: a scan of all modules — engine, transmission, ABS and ESP, airbags, body, cluster, climate — with codes, freeze frame, and clearing either wholesale or one module at a time; readiness monitors for an emissions test; live sensors on interactive graphs with trip recording; the car's ID card with VIN, CALID and CVN and module names; module backups and fault comparison between visits; and high-voltage battery block voltages with a verdict on Toyota and Lexus hybrids.
Over the second buses, where the adapter has them: MX+ and EX open Ford, Mazda and Lincoln body modules, instrument cluster and audio on MS-CAN (pins 3 and 11, 125 kbps). MX+ alone opens Opel, Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC body, airbags and cluster on SW-CAN (pin 1, 33.3 kbps), along with GMLAN fault codes read through service $A9.
The GMLAN reader, the Mercedes and Smart module for 2004 and newer, and VAG 2004–2008 over TP2.0 all shipped in version 3.1.13. They were written from protocol documentation and are being verified on real cars right now.
Three steps to a first scan
- Connect the adapter. SX and EX go into a USB port and install the FTDI driver themselves on Windows 10 and 11. MX+ and LX pair over Bluetooth with PIN
0000— press the Connect button on the MX+ first and set device discovery to Advanced. CX connects over Bluetooth Low Energy. - Download and run the program from the download page. It finds every attached interface — USB, Bluetooth, BLE, Wi-Fi, J2534 — and picks the one actually sitting in the car. No COM port to choose by hand, and you can leave several adapters connected at once.
- Turn the ignition on and scan. The car is identified by VIN, modules are swept, and faults come back with explanations. Ask the built-in AI mechanic what to check first.
How it compares to the other options
FORScan remains the deepest tool for Ford and Mazda specifically, with service procedures we do not attempt — if a Ford is the only car you own, it is a strong choice, and the same OBDLink serves both programs. ScanMaster-ELM and OBD Auto Doctor overlap with us on generic scanning but do not switch the second buses from the app.
Requirements
- Windows 7, 8.1, 10 or 11. A macOS build exists for USB and Wi-Fi adapters. There is no Android or iOS version.
- Any OBDLink model. Plain ELM327 adapters and J2534 pass-thru devices work too; BMW dealer-level depth needs a K+DCAN or ENET cable instead.
- Driver. FTDI virtual COM port for SX and EX, usually automatic. Bluetooth and BLE models need pairing only.
- A car with a CAN bus, roughly 2008 and newer, for the full all-module scan. Engine codes read on older cars as well.
Still choosing hardware? Start with the model-by-model breakdown: which OBDLink to buy and what each one reaches.
Questions and answers
What software comes with an OBDLink?
OBDwiz for Windows, free with the adapter and supported on Windows 7 SP1 through 11. It covers engine codes, over ninety PIDs, modes $05, $06 and $09, emissions readiness with a built-in standards database, custom dashboards and logging to file.
Is OBDwiz enough, or do I need something else?
For a check engine light OBDwiz is enough. You need something else when you want ABS, SRS, transmission or body modules, when the car is a Ford or a GM and the module you want lives on the second bus, or when you want the fault explained rather than just listed.
Which Windows software supports OBDLink MX+ over Bluetooth?
Diagnost does, and so does any ELM327-compatible program, since the STN chip answers ATI with an ELM327 identification string. Pair the adapter first: press the Connect button on the MX+, set Bluetooth discovery to Advanced in Windows settings, then pair with PIN 0000.
Can OBDLink read ABS and SRS codes on a PC?
Yes, with software that knows manufacturer module addresses rather than only the legislated OBD-II modes. Diagnost sweeps modules over UDS and KWP using standard addresses plus specific ones for Toyota and Lexus, Nissan, VAG, GM, Mercedes and Ford.
Does OBDLink need drivers on Windows 11?
USB models, SX and EX, use the FTDI virtual COM port driver, which Windows 10 and 11 normally install on first plug-in. Bluetooth and BLE models need pairing, not a driver.
Can I use the MS-CAN switch from a PC program?
Yes, if the adapter has the transceiver. MX+ and EX reach Ford MS-CAN, and only MX+ reaches GM SW-CAN. Diagnost switches buses with the adapter's STP protocol presets during a scan, so a full-vehicle pass needs no toggling on your part.
Download Diagnost
Free program: scans every module on any make, live data, service functions and an AI mechanic built in. Finds the connected adapter on its own and picks the one that is on the car.
The program for other adapters and makes
Updated: 2026-09-05