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Gamepad & Controller Tester

Connect your controller by USB or Bluetooth, start testing and press a controller button. Each button shows its state and stays marked once tested. Release the sticks to check movement around the center.

Gamepad Tester

Check buttons, triggers and stick drift. Connect your controller and press Start testing.

Stick readings come from your browser and are compared with the dead zone you choose; they are a guide, not a hardware diagnosis. Device-specific layouts use raw axis and button numbers.

  • No paywall
  • No signup
  • Nothing uploaded

How to use the Gamepad Tester

  1. Connect your controller by USB or Bluetooth and press Start testing.
  2. Press a controller button so the browser can detect your controller.
  3. Press every button and trigger. Each one lights up on the controller diagram and stays marked once tested.
  4. Open Sticks & drift, set the dead zone your game uses, start the drift check and let go of both sticks for three seconds.
  5. Rotate each stick slowly around its edge to trace its range and see the circularity error.
  6. Open Vibration and try each motor. Stop testing when done.

Check buttons and sticks separately

Press each button once and squeeze both triggers. The tested count helps spot inputs you have missed; trigger pressure shows the browser’s analog reading where the controller supports it.

To inspect drift, release the sticks without touching them. Compare the raw X/Y readings and the dot against your selected dead-zone circle. The slider is only a visual reference. It does not calibrate or repair the controller.

Fixing stick drift

  1. Recenter it. Unplug the controller, let go of the sticks and reconnect it. Many controllers set their center when they power on.
  2. Clean it. With the controller off, blow compressed air around the base of the stick and rotate it fully. Repeat a few times.
  3. Calibrate it. Windows has a calibration tool under Set up USB game controllers; Steam has one in its controller settings. PlayStation and Xbox consoles keep their own settings.
  4. Raise the dead zone in the game slightly above the drift check’s reading as a workaround.
  5. Repair or replace. Persistent drift usually means a worn stick module. Check your warranty first; replacement modules (including Hall-effect sticks) are a common repair.

If the controller isn’t detected or acts strangely

  • Close Steam (including Big Picture), DS4Windows, reWASD and similar apps. They can take over the controller or present it as a different device.
  • Press a button after connecting; browsers only show a controller after it is used.
  • Try a USB cable instead of Bluetooth, and a different USB port.
  • Use a current Chrome or Edge for the most complete support, including rumble.
  • For Bluetooth, remove the controller from your device list and pair it again.

Device-specific layouts

Standard controllers expose two stick pairs and familiar button labels. Racing wheels, flight sticks and nonstandard controllers may map controls differently; inspect the raw numbered axes and buttons instead.

Frequently asked questions

Why is my controller not detected?

Press a controller button after connecting it. Browsers often wait for a controller interaction before exposing it. Try a USB connection, another port, or a current browser, and open this page directly over HTTPS.

How do I check my controller for stick drift?

Open Sticks & drift, set the dead zone to match your game (5% is a common default), press Start drift check and let go of both sticks. After three seconds the tool says how far each stick strayed from center and whether that is inside your dead zone. Small offsets are normal; drift is when a released stick sits outside the dead zone your game uses.

What is a good circularity error?

Lower is rounder. It is the average gap between your stick's traced edge and a perfect circle. Many healthy controllers read a few percent. A high number alongside drift or a stick that can't reach full tilt in some directions points to a worn or dirty stick module.

Why doesn't my controller vibrate in the test?

Rumble in the browser works in Chrome and Edge for most Xbox and PlayStation controllers. Firefox and Safari usually can't vibrate a controller, and some Bluetooth connections ignore it. Try Chrome with a USB cable, and check that vibration isn't turned off in your controller or Steam settings.

What is a dead zone?

A dead zone is the region around the stick center that a game ignores. The slider changes the reference circle in this tester; it does not change your controller or game settings.

Do PlayStation and Xbox controllers work?

Controllers exposed through the browser's Gamepad API can be tested. Standard mappings use shared Xbox/PlayStation labels; other layouts show device-specific axis and button numbers.

Are controller inputs saved?

No. Inputs and controller names stay in this page's memory and are not stored or sent to analytics.

Last updated: · Sources: W3C Gamepad API specification

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