Controller Tester

Test your game controller in the browser — buttons, sticks, triggers and a real stick-drift verdict, not just raw numbers. Connect a gamepad below to start.

  1. 1Connect via USB or Bluetooth
  2. 2Press any button to detect it
  3. 3Test inputs, read the verdict
Drift tester

Connect your controller (USB or Bluetooth), then press any button — it's auto-detected. Nothing is sent to a server; everything runs in your browser.

Run the drift test for a verdict.

Left stick

X / Y0.000, 0.000
Responds move it— not moved yet
Resting drift let go, then test

Right stick

X / Y0.000, 0.000
Responds move it— not moved yet
Resting drift let go, then test

Bumpers & Triggers

LB RB
LT 0.00
RT 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: rumble works on Windows; on macOS / Safari / Firefox the browser silently does nothing. 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.

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

Is a small stick offset normal? How the drift verdict works

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 a good controller test shouldn't cry wolf over it.

Controller Tester samples each stick for about two seconds while it's released, then judges how far it rests from center as a share of full stick travel:

For the full diagnosis — the exact reading, what causes drift, and the honest fix order — use the dedicated stick drift test.

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:

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. Run the stick drift test for 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. For a deeper diagnosis, use the stick drift test.

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.

Worried about stick drift?

The comprehensive test above checks the whole pad. For a deeper, decimal-exact drift diagnosis with the honest fix order, run the focused stick drift test.

Open the stick drift test