GAME TOOL / 04
Gamepad Tester
Connect a controller, press any button, and watch every input live: stick positions with a deadzone overlay, all buttons and analog triggers, plus a 2-second resting drift check. Nothing leaves your browser.
Wake it up
Browsers only expose a controller after a button press while this page is focused. Press any button once and it should appear.
USB
Use a data-capable USB cable (charge-only cables will not work), then press any button. Try another port if nothing shows up.
Bluetooth
Pair first in system settings: hold the pairing button (Xbox: top button; PS5/PS4: Share + PS; Switch Pro: top sync button), then come back and press any button.
Left stick
Right stick
Stick drift check
How it works
This page reads your controller through the browser's built-in Gamepad API and refreshes every animation frame. Inputs stay in local memory only; nothing is uploaded. The drift check samples each resting stick for 2 seconds and averages its distance from center: 0% is dead center, under 5% sits inside typical game deadzones, above that is flagged as suspected drift.
The deadzone slider is a visual reference for where a game would ignore the stick; it does not change what your controller outputs. If your resting dot sits outside the ring, the drift is big enough to leak into gameplay.
Connection checklist
- Keep this page focused and press any controller button once; browsers hide the device until then.
- For USB: use a cable that carries data, try another port, and avoid unpowered hubs.
- For Bluetooth: pair in system settings first, then wake the pad with a button press.
- Desktop Chrome and Edge expose the most complete Gamepad API; Safari misses some Bluetooth pads and has no rumble support.
Frequently asked questions
Why doesn't the page detect my controller?
For privacy, browsers only expose a gamepad after you press any button on it while the page is focused. For USB, re-plug with a data-capable cable; for Bluetooth, pair in system settings first, then press any button to wake it.
How is stick drift measured?
After you start the test, leave both sticks untouched for 2 seconds. The tool samples each stick's distance from center and averages it; an average offset above 5% of range is flagged as suspected drift. Moving a stick during sampling marks the run invalid.
How much drift is serious?
Under 5% is usually absorbed by in-game deadzones; a stable reading above 5% is worth cleaning or recalibrating the stick; a persistent 15% or more typically needs repair or a stick module replacement.
Which controllers are supported?
Any device the browser exposes through the W3C Gamepad API standard mapping: Xbox, PS4/PS5, Switch Pro, 8BitDo and most third-party pads. Desktop Chrome and Edge have the most complete support; Safari recognizes some Bluetooth pads poorly and has no rumble.
The button numbers don't match the labels on my pad?
The grid shows standard-mapping indices 0-16. Pads without standard mapping may report a different order — press a physical button and watch which cell lights up to confirm the real mapping.