Gamepad tester online

What this gamepad tester is for

This gamepad tester shows live everything your controller sends to the computer: every button lighting up, how far each trigger travels and where both sticks are. Use it as a quick controller test before buying a second-hand controller, to check a stick that drifts (your character walks on its own), to find the button that no longer responds, or to make sure the rumble motors still work. It also works as a joystick drift test for any controller your browser recognizes.

Connect or pair the controller

1. Plug the controller in with a USB cable, or pair it wirelessly in your device settings.
2. Press any button on the controller. Browsers only reveal a controller after a first input: the message "Controller 1 connected." then appears.
3. With several controllers plugged in, the "Controller 1", "Controller 2" buttons switch between them.

Reading the values

With the "standard" mapping, the "Controller diagram" comes alive: a pressed button turns blue, a button you have already tested keeps a green outline, and the "Buttons tested" counter goes up to 17 on a full controller. Triggers are analog: pulled halfway, a trigger fills its bar to 50%. Each stick's dot moves inside its circle: a stick pushed up and to the right reads, for example, "0.70 ; -0.30". On this diagram the vertical axis is positive downward.

The "All buttons and axes" table lists the raw value of every button (0 to 1) and every axis (-1 to 1). "Time between two readings" shows how often new data arrives: 4 ms means about 250 readings per second.

Stick drift in plain words

A released stick should snap back to dead center, 0 on both axes. As internal parts wear out or dust gets in, it stays slightly off: that is stick drift. Lay the controller flat, let go and click "Measure drift". After 2 seconds the tool shows the "Resting value", the "Offset from center" and a verdict. Example: a stick resting at x 0.060 and y -0.040 sits 7.2% away from center. Above 5%, the tool reports drift; up to 2%, it finds none.

Dead zone

The dead zone is the small radius around center that a game ignores. The tool suggests one by adding 2 points to the measured offset and rounding up to the next whole percent, with a 5% minimum. For the example above, 7.2 + 2 = 9.2, so the "Recommended dead zone" is 10%. Many PC and console games let you set it in their controller options.

Circularity

Click "Start tracing" and rotate the stick all the way around. The tool draws the outline it reaches and computes the "Average error from a circle". A perfect circle scores 0%. A stick that follows a square outline overshoots in the diagonals and scores about 13%.

What to do if something is wrong

• Careful cleaning: with the controller off, blow around the base of the stick and rotate it a few times. Do not spray liquid into it.
• Recalibration: many operating systems and consoles offer stick calibration in their settings.
• Warranty: drift on a recent controller is often covered.

Limits

Some controllers do not use the standard mapping. The tool then hides the diagram and lets you identify each button in the raw list. Vibration depends on the browser: "Vibrate" sets the strong motor, the weak motor and the duration, but many browsers do not support it.

FAQ

Why doesn't my controller show up?

Press a button after opening the page: the browser only exposes the controller after an input. If that fails, try another cable or port.

Is any data sent anywhere?

No. Everything is read and shown in your browser. Only the vibration settings stay on your device.

Is a small resting value a problem?

No. An offset of 1 or 2% is normal and the game's dead zone hides it. Worry when the offset keeps growing from one test to the next.

Does it work on a phone?

Yes, if the phone's browser supports controllers: connect the controller with a USB adapter or pair it wirelessly.