Controller Tester Test my controller

Controller Tester

Is it your controller or the game? Test your gamepad for stick drift and dead buttons in seconds.

  1. 1Connect via USB or Bluetooth
  2. 2Press any button to detect it
  3. 3Test inputs, read the verdict
Controller Tester Press any button to connect
A Xbox controller diagram — its buttons, sticks and triggers light up as you test each one.
Press anything — each button and stick lights up here, so you see at a glance what works.
Stick health
Run the quick check to see your sticks’ resting health.

Analog sticks

Left

X / Y0.000, 0.000
Responds— not moved yet
Resting drift—
—

Right

X / Y0.000, 0.000
Responds— not moved yet
Resting drift—
—

Bumpers & Triggers

LB RB
LT L2 0.00
RT R2 0.00

Buttons

press each one to test it

What we can & can't test

  • ✓ Can test: sticks (drift), face buttons, D-pad, bumpers, triggers, L3/R3, View/Menu.
  • ✗ Can't test — OS-reserved: the Guide / Xbox / PS / Home button, the Share / Capture button, and the pairing button. The browser's Gamepad API never receives them — the operating system swallows the input. A dimmed button here is normal, not a fault.
  • ✗ Vibration: whether a browser can rumble your pad depends on the controller as much as the system — we've had one Mac buzz a DualShock 4 and ignore an Xbox pad. We never fake a "motor OK" — we only confirm a motor responds where the browser allows it (a later test).
  • ✗ Drift limits: we read your stick's current resting offset. We can't predict future failure, and a stick held off-center will read like drift — so let go of the sticks before running the test.

Everything runs in your browser, on your device — no install, nothing uploaded. This controller tester checks:

  • Stick-drift verdict
  • Analog sticks
  • Face buttons
  • D-pad
  • Bumpers
  • Analog triggers
  • L3 / R3

The basics

What is a controller tester?

A controller tester — also called a gamepad tester or game controller checker — reads the live input from your game controller and shows you, in real time, whether every part of it works. This page is a free online controller test: plug in or pair a gamepad, press your buttons, roll the analog sticks, squeeze the triggers — and watch each input light up the moment your hardware sends it. If something on your controller feels off, the test tells you whether the fault is real or in your head.

Most "gamepad test" sites stop at raw numbers — a wall of axis values and button indices you have to interpret yourself. Controller Tester is built differently: it reads the same numbers, then answers the question you actually came with. Is my right stick drifting? Do my bumpers respond? Are my triggers analog or just on/off? You get a plain-language verdict, not homework.

Full coverage

What this controller tester checks

The homepage test is the comprehensive one — it checks the whole controller at once, so you can spot any fault in a single pass:

A few inputs sit outside what any browser can read — the pair, Share and home buttons are held by the operating system, and rumble strength can't be measured (only triggered). The tester is upfront about those rather than pretending to test them.

Reading drift

What the verdict tells you about a small stick offset

No analog stick — or joystick — is mechanically perfect; even a brand-new controller rests a hair off dead-center. That's why games apply a deadzone: a small central area where movement is ignored. So a tiny resting value is not drift, and the controller test above shouldn't cry wolf over it — when a stick rests too far from center, the verdict flags it for you.

The exact reading, the PASS / DRIFTING / FAIL thresholds, what causes drift and the honest fix order all live on the dedicated stick drift test — that page is built for this one question and goes deeper than the all-in-one tester can here.

Step by step

How to test your controller online

  1. Connect the controller. Plug it in over USB, or pair it over Bluetooth. Xbox, PlayStation (DualSense / DualShock 4) and Switch controllers are all detected by the browser's Gamepad API.
  2. Wake it up. Press any button. Browsers only reveal a controller after it sends its first input — so a single button press makes it appear in the tester above.
  3. Test every input. Work through the controller: press each face and shoulder button, move both sticks in full circles, and pull both triggers all the way. Each one highlights as it registers, so a dead button or a stuck trigger is obvious.
  4. Read the stick-drift verdict. Let go of the sticks and leave the controller still. The tester reports whether each stick rests where it should — PASS, DRIFTING or FAIL — so you don't have to guess from decimals.

Why this one

Why use this controller test

Compatibility

Supported controllers

Controller Tester works with any gamepad your browser exposes through the standard Gamepad API. That covers the controllers most people are testing:

When the browser can't identify the brand, the tester defaults to a standard layout and lets you switch the labels manually — because guessing wrong is worse than asking. Use Chrome or Edge for the widest controller support.

Focused tests

Popular controller tests

Testing for a specific problem? Go straight to the focused test:

Stick Drift Test Verdict

Get a clear PASS / DRIFTING / FAIL verdict on each analog stick, with the exact resting offset.

Vibration Test Rumble

Confirm each rumble motor fires — left, right, strong and weak — step by step.

Circularity Test Guide

Roll each stick around its edge and read the shape it traces — a round ring, a worn flat spot, or a squared gate.

PS5 Controller Test DualSense

The same engine, locked to a DualSense — every shape, the analog triggers and the touchpad click, named the way Sony names them.

Xbox Controller Test Xbox

The same engine, locked to an Xbox pad — every button, the analog triggers, and whether yours announces impulse-trigger support.

Troubleshooting

Controller not working? Common fixes

If the tester doesn't see your controller, or an input looks wrong, run through these in order:

Nothing shows up
Press a button — browsers hide a controller until its first input. Still nothing? Re-seat the USB cable or re-pair Bluetooth, then refresh the page.
Paired, but the browser still can't see it
A background app has usually grabbed the controller first. Steam is the most common culprit — Steam Input wraps the driver and hides the pad from the browser's Gamepad API. Fully close Steam (check the system tray) or turn off its desktop controller layout, then refresh. On handheld PCs like the Steam Deck or ROG Ally, switch the built-in controls from desktop/auto to gamepad mode before the browser can read them.
Buttons are mislabeled
The browser may have guessed the wrong brand. Use the manual layout switch in the tester to set Xbox or PlayStation labels.
A stick won't sit still
That's drift, and it's the most common controller fault. Test your controller for stick drift to get a precise reading and the honest fix order (recalibrate → clean → replace).
A button doesn't register
If it stays dark in every test, the contact or membrane is likely worn — a hardware issue, not a browser one.
It works here but not in a game
The hardware is fine; check the game's input settings or Steam's controller configuration.

FAQ

Controller tester FAQ

The short answers. The live tool above and the sections on this page cover the rest.

Is this controller test free?

Yes. The full test — buttons, sticks, triggers, bumpers and the stick-drift verdict — is free, with no sign-up.

Do I need to install anything?

No. It runs entirely in your browser using the Gamepad API. There's no app, extension or download.

Does my controller data get uploaded?

No. Everything is read and shown locally on your device. Nothing about your controller leaves the browser.

Which browsers work best?

Chrome and Edge have the broadest gamepad support. Firefox works too; Safari's support is more limited.

Can I test an Xbox controller?

Yes. Xbox Series, Xbox One and Elite controllers are detected over USB and Bluetooth, with correct A/B/X/Y and LB/RB/LT/RT labels.

Can I test a PS5 DualSense controller?

Yes. The DualSense and DualShock 4 are supported with PlayStation labels (Cross/Circle/Square/Triangle, L1/R1/L2/R2). Adaptive-trigger resistance and haptics aren't readable from a browser.

Can it detect stick drift?

Yes — that's a core feature. Leave the sticks centered and the tester reports PASS, DRIFTING or FAIL plus the exact resting offset.

Why doesn't the vibration / rumble strength show?

Browsers can command a controller to rumble but can't read back how strong the motor actually is. The tester can confirm a motor fires; it can't measure its health. The vibration test walks through each motor honestly.

Why are some buttons (pair / share / home) untestable?

Those buttons are reserved by the operating system and never reach the browser, so no web tester can read them. That's a platform limit, not a fault in your controller.

My controller passes here but fails in games. Why?

That points to software, not hardware — usually a game's input mapping or Steam's controller settings. If every input passes the test, the controller itself is working.

I plugged in my controller but nothing shows up — why isn't it detected?

Browsers keep a controller hidden until it sends its first input, so press any button or nudge a stick and it should appear. Still missing? Make sure you're using a data USB cable (not charge-only), try a rear or motherboard USB port, or re-pair over Bluetooth — then refresh. Chrome and Edge detect the widest range of pads.

My controller is detected but pressing buttons does nothing.

Another app is usually holding the controller. Steam is the common cause — Steam Input can intercept or remap the pad so the browser doesn't see its raw input. Fully close Steam, or turn off its desktop controller layout, then refresh. On a Steam Deck or ROG Ally, switch the built-in controls to gamepad mode first.

Should I test over USB or Bluetooth?

Either works, but a data USB cable gives the cleanest read — wired removes pairing drops and wireless latency from the picture. If a pad keeps disconnecting or won't be detected over Bluetooth, plug it in and test that way first, then compare wireless.

My third-party controller (8BitDo, GameSir, PowerA) isn't recognized.

Many third-party pads power on in the wrong input mode, so Windows and browsers don't see them. Most have a model-specific power-on combo to switch modes (XInput / DInput / Switch) — check your controller's manual for the exact combo for your model, switch modes, then refresh.

How do I check a used controller before I buy it?

Run this test with the seller present, or right after it arrives: press every face button, D-pad direction, bumper and trigger to confirm each registers, push both sticks to their full range, then let go and watch for resting drift. A couple of minutes catches dead buttons, weak triggers and stick drift before you're stuck with them.

How do I know if my controller is actually broken, or if it's just a settings issue?

Test it here first: if every button, trigger and stick responds, the hardware is likely fine and the problem is software — a game's input mapping, a deadzone setting, or an app like Steam holding the pad. A button that stays dark points to a worn contact; a stick that won't sit still points to drift. Testing the same pad on a second device helps confirm whether the fault is the hardware or the setup.

How do I test whether a stick reaches its full range?

Push each stick slowly around its full circle and watch the readout. A healthy stick reaches the edge in every direction and traces a smooth path — look for spots where it stalls, skips, or can't hit the far edge. This checks the stick's full physical range and travel. Our controller circularity test guide shows what each trace shape means.

Worried about stick drift?

The comprehensive test above checks the whole pad. For a deeper, decimal-exact diagnosis with the honest fix order, use the focused tool below.

Open the stick drift test