diff --git a/pcsx2/USB/Win32/Config_usb.cpp b/pcsx2/USB/Win32/Config_usb.cpp
index dd78030a1e..015fe62bbe 100644
--- a/pcsx2/USB/Win32/Config_usb.cpp
+++ b/pcsx2/USB/Win32/Config_usb.cpp
@@ -79,7 +79,8 @@ void PopulateAPIs(HWND hW, int port)
 	std::string selApi = GetSelectedAPI(std::make_pair(port, devName));
 
 	std::string var;
-	if (!LoadSetting(nullptr, port, rd.Name(devtype), N_DEVICE_API, str_to_wstr(var)))
+	std::wstring tmp;
+	if (!LoadSetting(nullptr, port, rd.Name(devtype), N_DEVICE_API, tmp))
 	{
 		if (apis.begin() != apis.end())
 		{
@@ -88,6 +89,7 @@ void PopulateAPIs(HWND hW, int port)
 		}
 	}
 
+	var = wstr_to_str(tmp);
 	int i = 0, sel = 0;
 	for (auto& api : apis)
 	{
diff --git a/pcsx2/USB/configuration.cpp b/pcsx2/USB/configuration.cpp
index 95abd150a7..598b9b98a9 100644
--- a/pcsx2/USB/configuration.cpp
+++ b/pcsx2/USB/configuration.cpp
@@ -205,7 +205,8 @@ void LoadConfig()
 	{
 		std::string api;
 #ifdef _WIN32
-		LoadSetting(nullptr, i, conf.Port[i], N_DEVICE_API, str_to_wstr(api));
+		LoadSetting(nullptr, i, conf.Port[i], N_DEVICE_API, tmp);
+		api = wstr_to_str(tmp);
 #else
 		LoadSetting(nullptr, i, conf.Port[i], N_DEVICE_API, api);
 #endif
diff --git a/pcsx2/USB/usb-eyetoy/usb-eyetoy-webcam.cpp b/pcsx2/USB/usb-eyetoy/usb-eyetoy-webcam.cpp
index 2e134a6337..32a1ff8a77 100644
--- a/pcsx2/USB/usb-eyetoy/usb-eyetoy-webcam.cpp
+++ b/pcsx2/USB/usb-eyetoy/usb-eyetoy-webcam.cpp
@@ -504,7 +504,9 @@ namespace usb_eyetoy
 		VideoDevice* videodev = nullptr;
 		std::string varApi;
 #ifdef _WIN32
-		LoadSetting(nullptr, port, TypeName(), N_DEVICE_API, str_to_wstr(varApi));
+		std::wstring tmp;
+		LoadSetting(nullptr, port, TypeName(), N_DEVICE_API, tmp);
+		varApi = wstr_to_str(tmp);
 #else
 		LoadSetting(nullptr, port, TypeName(), N_DEVICE_API, varApi);
 #endif
diff --git a/pcsx2/USB/usb-hid/usb-hid.cpp b/pcsx2/USB/usb-hid/usb-hid.cpp
index 16d115b40e..9269fe641a 100644
--- a/pcsx2/USB/usb-hid/usb-hid.cpp
+++ b/pcsx2/USB/usb-hid/usb-hid.cpp
@@ -730,7 +730,9 @@ namespace usb_hid
 
 		std::string varApi;
 #ifdef _WIN32
-		LoadSetting(nullptr, port, TypeName(), N_DEVICE_API, str_to_wstr(varApi));
+		std::wstring tmp;
+		LoadSetting(nullptr, port, TypeName(), N_DEVICE_API, tmp);
+		varApi = wstr_to_str(tmp);
 #else
 		LoadSetting(nullptr, port, TypeName(), N_DEVICE_API, varApi);
 #endif
@@ -825,7 +827,9 @@ namespace usb_hid
 
 		std::string varApi;
 #ifdef _WIN32
-		LoadSetting(nullptr, port, TypeName(), N_DEVICE_API, str_to_wstr(varApi));
+		std::wstring tmp;
+		LoadSetting(nullptr, port, TypeName(), N_DEVICE_API, tmp);
+		varApi = wstr_to_str(tmp);
 #else
 		LoadSetting(nullptr, port, TypeName(), N_DEVICE_API, varApi);
 #endif
@@ -901,7 +905,9 @@ namespace usb_hid
 
 		std::string varApi;
 #ifdef _WIN32
-		LoadSetting(nullptr, port, TypeName(), N_DEVICE_API, str_to_wstr(varApi));
+		std::wstring tmp;
+		LoadSetting(nullptr, port, TypeName(), N_DEVICE_API, tmp);
+		varApi = wstr_to_str(tmp);
 #else
 		LoadSetting(nullptr, port, TypeName(), N_DEVICE_API, varApi);
 #endif
diff --git a/pcsx2/USB/usb-mic/usb-headset.cpp b/pcsx2/USB/usb-mic/usb-headset.cpp
index 89bc794536..503953e2dd 100644
--- a/pcsx2/USB/usb-mic/usb-headset.cpp
+++ b/pcsx2/USB/usb-mic/usb-headset.cpp
@@ -971,11 +971,14 @@ namespace usb_mic
 	{
 		std::string api;
 #ifdef _WIN32
-		if (!LoadSetting(nullptr, port, TypeName(), N_DEVICE_API, str_to_wstr(api)))
+		std::wstring tmp;
+		if (!LoadSetting(nullptr, port, TypeName(), N_DEVICE_API, tmp))
+			return nullptr;
+		api = wstr_to_str(tmp);
 #else
 		if (!LoadSetting(nullptr, port, TypeName(), N_DEVICE_API, api))
-#endif
 			return nullptr;
+#endif
 		return HeadsetDevice::CreateDevice(port, api);
 	}
 
diff --git a/pcsx2/USB/usb-mic/usb-mic-logitech.cpp b/pcsx2/USB/usb-mic/usb-mic-logitech.cpp
index 6bc1c20e3a..c662f19e3e 100644
--- a/pcsx2/USB/usb-mic/usb-mic-logitech.cpp
+++ b/pcsx2/USB/usb-mic/usb-mic-logitech.cpp
@@ -244,11 +244,14 @@ namespace usb_mic
 	{
 		std::string api;
 #ifdef _WIN32
-		if (!LoadSetting(nullptr, port, TypeName(), N_DEVICE_API, str_to_wstr(api)))
+		std::wstring tmp;
+		if (!LoadSetting(nullptr, port, TypeName(), N_DEVICE_API, tmp))
+			return nullptr;
+		api = wstr_to_str(tmp);
 #else
 		if (!LoadSetting(nullptr, port, TypeName(), N_DEVICE_API, api))
-#endif
 			return nullptr;
+#endif
 
 		USBDevice* dev = SingstarDevice::CreateDevice(port, api);
 		if (!dev)
diff --git a/pcsx2/USB/usb-mic/usb-mic-singstar.cpp b/pcsx2/USB/usb-mic/usb-mic-singstar.cpp
index 00632eed8b..c2e9c61d6c 100644
--- a/pcsx2/USB/usb-mic/usb-mic-singstar.cpp
+++ b/pcsx2/USB/usb-mic/usb-mic-singstar.cpp
@@ -765,7 +765,9 @@ namespace usb_mic
 	{
 		std::string api;
 #ifdef _WIN32
-		LoadSetting(nullptr, port, SingstarDevice::TypeName(), N_DEVICE_API, str_to_wstr(api));
+		std::wstring tmp;
+		LoadSetting(nullptr, port, SingstarDevice::TypeName(), N_DEVICE_API, tmp);
+		api = wstr_to_str(tmp);
 #else
 		LoadSetting(nullptr, port, SingstarDevice::TypeName(), N_DEVICE_API, api);
 #endif
diff --git a/pcsx2/USB/usb-pad/dx/dinput-config.cpp b/pcsx2/USB/usb-pad/dx/dinput-config.cpp
index 0ae484a42c..c71c8f36a6 100644
--- a/pcsx2/USB/usb-pad/dx/dinput-config.cpp
+++ b/pcsx2/USB/usb-pad/dx/dinput-config.cpp
@@ -1282,11 +1282,15 @@ namespace usb_pad
 
 					swprintf_s(text, TEXT("CONTROL %i"), cid);
 #ifdef _WIN32
-					if (!LoadSetting(section, text, str_to_wstr(control)))
+					std::wstring tmp;
+					bool res_control = LoadSetting(section, text, tmp);
+					control = wstr_to_str(tmp);
+					if (!res_control)
+						continue;
 #else
 					if (!LoadSetting(section, text, control))
-#endif
 						continue;
+#endif
 
 					ss << control;
 					std::getline(ss, guid, ',');
diff --git a/pcsx2/USB/usb-pad/usb-pad.cpp b/pcsx2/USB/usb-pad/usb-pad.cpp
index 4fd3612145..2454fddaab 100644
--- a/pcsx2/USB/usb-pad/usb-pad.cpp
+++ b/pcsx2/USB/usb-pad/usb-pad.cpp
@@ -533,7 +533,9 @@ namespace usb_pad
 	{
 		std::string varApi;
 #ifdef _WIN32
-		LoadSetting(nullptr, port, TypeName(), N_DEVICE_API, str_to_wstr(varApi));
+		std::wstring tmp;
+		LoadSetting(nullptr, port, TypeName(), N_DEVICE_API, tmp);
+		varApi = wstr_to_str(tmp);
 #else
 		LoadSetting(nullptr, port, TypeName(), N_DEVICE_API, varApi);
 #endif
@@ -659,7 +661,9 @@ namespace usb_pad
 	{
 		std::string varApi;
 #ifdef _WIN32
-		LoadSetting(nullptr, port, TypeName(), N_DEVICE_API, str_to_wstr(varApi));
+		std::wstring tmp;
+		LoadSetting(nullptr, port, TypeName(), N_DEVICE_API, tmp);
+		varApi = wstr_to_str(tmp);
 #else
 		LoadSetting(nullptr, port, TypeName(), N_DEVICE_API, varApi);
 #endif
@@ -730,7 +734,9 @@ namespace usb_pad
 	{
 		std::string varApi;
 #ifdef _WIN32
-		LoadSetting(nullptr, port, TypeName(), N_DEVICE_API, str_to_wstr(varApi));
+		std::wstring tmp;
+		LoadSetting(nullptr, port, TypeName(), N_DEVICE_API, tmp);
+		varApi = wstr_to_str(tmp);
 #else
 		LoadSetting(nullptr, port, TypeName(), N_DEVICE_API, varApi);
 #endif
diff --git a/pcsx2/USB/usb-pad/usb-seamic.cpp b/pcsx2/USB/usb-pad/usb-seamic.cpp
index 5b5a69045f..bfd13c89dc 100644
--- a/pcsx2/USB/usb-pad/usb-seamic.cpp
+++ b/pcsx2/USB/usb-pad/usb-seamic.cpp
@@ -389,7 +389,9 @@ namespace usb_pad
 	{
 		std::string varApi;
 #ifdef _WIN32
-		LoadSetting(nullptr, port, TypeName(), N_DEVICE_API, str_to_wstr(varApi));
+		std::wstring tmp;
+		LoadSetting(nullptr, port, TypeName(), N_DEVICE_API, tmp);
+		varApi = wstr_to_str(tmp);
 #else
 		LoadSetting(nullptr, port, TypeName(), N_DEVICE_API, varApi);
 #endif
@@ -404,7 +406,9 @@ namespace usb_pad
 
 
 #ifdef _WIN32
-		if (!LoadSetting(nullptr, port, usb_mic::SingstarDevice::TypeName(), N_DEVICE_API, str_to_wstr(api)))
+		if (!LoadSetting(nullptr, port, usb_mic::SingstarDevice::TypeName(), N_DEVICE_API, tmp))
+			return nullptr;
+		api = wstr_to_str(tmp);	
 #else
 		if (!LoadSetting(nullptr, port, usb_mic::SingstarDevice::TypeName(), N_DEVICE_API, api))
 #endif