Gamepad Tester

What the gamepad test shows

Once your controller is detected, the tester lights up every input in real time. Buttons fill in when pressed and show an analog value from 0 to 1, the two thumbsticks appear as crosshair plots with live X and Y readouts, and the triggers show as fill bars so you can see partial pulls. The panel also reports the controller ID string, the button and axis counts, and whether the pad exposes a vibration actuator.

Button labels match your hardware where possible, showing the PlayStation face buttons for a DualSense or the A, B, X, and Y layout for an Xbox pad. If your controller reports a non-standard mapping, inputs still show up under generic numbers so nothing is hidden. When a vibration actuator is present, the test vibration button drives both rumble motors so you can confirm they fire.

This is the fastest way to check a controller before a match, verify a used or repaired pad, or prove that a stick or trigger is faulty before you contact support. Everything runs locally in your browser, and no controller input is recorded or sent anywhere.

Spotting stick drift from the crosshair

Stick drift is the most common controller fault, and the crosshair plots make it easy to see. Let go of both sticks and watch the dots, which should sit dead center at rest with X and Y both reading close to 0.00. If a dot sits off center, wanders on its own, or the numbers hover at values like 0.15 while you touch nothing, that stick is drifting.

Confirm it by slowly rolling the stick in a full circle and watching whether the dot reaches the edge evenly in every direction, since a stick that cannot hit full range or snaps back unevenly is worn. A small resting offset can sometimes be cleared by updating the controller firmware or recalibrating it, and blowing compressed air around the stick base can dislodge dust that causes false movement.

If the drift returns after cleaning and recalibration, the analog module itself is failing and the stick or controller needs repair or replacement. The same crosshair check exposes a dead zone that is too large, where the dot does not move until you push the stick well past center, which points to a worn or miscalibrated sensor.

Wired, wireless, and multiple controllers

A controller can behave differently depending on how it is connected. A wired USB connection is the most reliable for testing, since it exposes the full input set and usually supports the vibration motors, while some pads over Bluetooth report fewer features or no rumble at all. If a control seems missing, reconnecting with a cable is a quick way to tell a connection limit from a hardware fault.

When more than one controller is plugged in, use the dropdown to switch between them, and check that each one you own reports the button and axis counts you expect. If a pad never appears in the list, it may not have sent any input yet, so press a button to wake it, or try a different port or cable.