Gamepad Tester

Free online gamepad tester, connect any controller and see every button, trigger and analog stick respond live. Detect stick drift, read exact axis values, adjust the deadzone, check polling rate and test rumble/vibration. Works with Xbox, PlayStation, Switch Pro and generic USB controllers, 100% in-browser.

Built and maintained by Shehzad Munir ·

Gamepad Tester
Loading Polling Controller Inputs
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<a href="https://www.toolnova.org/diagnostics-tools/gamepad-tester">Gamepad Tester</a> by ToolNova

APA

ToolNova. (2026, October 17). Gamepad Tester [Online tool]. https://www.toolnova.org/diagnostics-tools/gamepad-tester

MLA

“Gamepad Tester.” ToolNova, 17 Oct. 2026, www.toolnova.org/diagnostics-tools/gamepad-tester.

How a browser gamepad tester works

Test any game controller directly in your browser. Press buttons and pull triggers to watch them light up in real time, see live analog stick positions with a deadzone ring and drift detection, read the exact button and axis values, check the polling rate, and fire the rumble motors to confirm vibration works. Supports Xbox, PlayStation (DualShock/DualSense), Switch Pro and generic USB gamepads, everything is read locally via the Gamepad API and nothing is uploaded.

Modern browsers expose connected controllers through the Gamepad API. This tester polls that API on every animation frame, typically 60 times a second, and reads the pressed state and analog value of every button, plus the position of every axis. Because browsers only surface a gamepad once it has sent input (a privacy measure), you always need to press a button first. Once active, everything you see is your controller's real, live data: the button that lights up is the exact button your games receive, and the axis numbers are the raw values a game would read. No drivers or downloads are involved, and nothing about your controller leaves your device.

Features

  • Live button map that lights up each button the instant you press it, with per-button press counters and raw pressed/value readouts.
  • Analog stick visualizers showing the exact X/Y position, an adjustable deadzone ring, L3/R3 clicks and automatic stick-drift detection.
  • Analog trigger bars (LT/RT) showing live pressure from 0.00 to 1.00 plus a max-travel marker to confirm full range.
  • Rumble / vibration test with light, strong and single-motor effects via the Gamepad vibrationActuator API.
  • Live device readout: controller name, slot index, standard-mapping status, button and axis counts, timestamp and the input report rate the browser receives, in Hz.
  • Multi-controller support with a selector to switch between connected gamepads.
  • Runs entirely in your browser using the Gamepad API, no drivers, no install, and nothing is uploaded.

How to use Gamepad Tester

  1. 1

    Connect your controller

    Plug in via USB or pair over Bluetooth. Xbox, PlayStation (DualShock/DualSense), Switch Pro and most generic USB gamepads are supported in Chrome, Edge and Firefox on desktop.

  2. 2

    Press any button to wake it

    Browsers only reveal a gamepad after it sends input, so press any button once. The tester then switches from the 'connect a controller' prompt to the live dashboard.

  3. 3

    Test every button and trigger

    Work through all the buttons and watch each one light up, then squeeze the triggers and check the bars travel smoothly from 0.00 to 1.00. The press counters help catch a button that double-fires.

  4. 4

    Check the sticks for drift

    Move both analog sticks and confirm the on-screen dots track them fully. Then let go: if a dot doesn't return to the centre and 'Drift?' appears, your stick may be drifting. Raise the deadzone slider to see how much compensation it would need.

  5. 5

    Test the rumble

    Press the Light, Strong and Weak-motor buttons to fire the vibration motors and confirm both work. If your controller or browser doesn't support rumble, the tool will say so.

Common use cases

  • Checking a new or used controller for faulty buttons, triggers or sticks before the return window closes
  • Diagnosing analog stick drift on an Xbox, PlayStation or Switch Pro controller
  • Confirming a controller is detected and correctly mapped before gaming or streaming
  • Testing whether rumble / vibration motors still work
  • Finding the exact button index and axis values for remapping or game development

Detailed guide

Understanding stick drift and the deadzone

Stick drift is when an analog stick reports movement while you're not touching it, usually from a worn potentiometer. It's one of the most common controller faults, and it makes characters wander or the camera spin on its own. To check, let go of both sticks and watch the position dots: with the deadzone set low, any dot that won't settle at the exact centre, and the 'Drift?' warning: points to drift. The deadzone slider shows the trade-off: a deadzone is a small central region where input is ignored, so a bigger deadzone can mask mild drift at the cost of precision. If a stick needs a large deadzone just to sit still, it's wearing out.

Triggers, rumble and mapping

Good controllers have analog triggers that report smoothly from 0.00 (released) to 1.00 (fully pressed); the trigger bars and their max-travel markers let you confirm the full range and spot a trigger that no longer bottoms out. The rumble test uses the Gamepad vibrationActuator interface to drive the motors directly, so you can verify vibration independently of any game, support varies by controller and browser, and the tool tells you when it isn't available. Finally, the 'standard mapping' readout matters: when a controller reports the standard layout, its buttons and axes line up with the well-known indexes shown here, which is exactly what most games and remapping tools expect.

Frequently asked questions

How do I test my controller online?

Connect your controller by USB or Bluetooth, open this page, and press any button to wake it. Every button lights up as you press it, the triggers and sticks show live values, and you can fire the rumble motors, all in your browser with nothing to install.

Why isn't my controller detected?

Browsers only reveal a gamepad after it sends input, so press any button once to make it appear. If it still doesn't show, check the cable or Bluetooth pairing, use a desktop version of Chrome, Edge or Firefox, and make sure another app or game isn't holding exclusive control of the controller.

How do I check for stick drift?

Let go of both analog sticks and watch the on-screen position dots with the deadzone set low. If a dot won't settle exactly in the centre and a 'Drift?' warning appears, that stick is drifting. Raising the deadzone slider shows how much dead space would be needed to hide the drift, a large amount means the stick is worn.

Which controllers are supported?

Any controller the browser's Gamepad API recognises: Xbox, PlayStation DualShock and DualSense, Nintendo Switch Pro, and most generic USB and Bluetooth gamepads. Controllers reporting the 'standard' mapping line up perfectly with the on-screen button labels.

Does the rumble / vibration test work on every controller?

It works wherever the browser and controller support the Gamepad vibrationActuator API, commonly Xbox and DualSense controllers in Chrome and Edge. If your setup doesn't support it, the tool shows a 'not supported' note instead of failing silently.

What does the polling rate show?

Report rate counts how many fresh input updates your browser actually receives from the controller each second while you move a stick, shown next to the page's sample rate (one read per screen refresh, usually 60 to 240 Hz). Browsers can't read a controller's USB or Bluetooth polling rate directly, so a 1000 Hz pad will show at most your screen's refresh rate here. A report rate well below the sample rate while moving a stick points to a slow wireless link or a laggy adapter.

Is my controller data private?

Yes. Everything is read locally through the Gamepad API and rendered in your browser. No button presses, stick movements or device details are logged, stored or uploaded.

How do I test my controller for stick drift?

Connect the controller and leave the sticks untouched; if the on-screen readout moves on its own, that is stick drift. The tester detects drift in about 30 seconds and also shows deadzones.

Does it work with Xbox, PlayStation and Switch controllers?

Yes. It reads Xbox, PlayStation (PS4/PS5), Nintendo Switch Pro and generic USB or Bluetooth gamepads via the browser Gamepad API, showing every button, trigger and stick.

Is my controller input sent anywhere?

No. All button and stick readings stay in your browser, so testing is private with no download or account.

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