Gamepad Test
Check every button, trigger and stick on a PS5, Xbox or other controller, and spot stick drift.
Stick Drift Test
Put the controller down and press Measure drift: for 4 seconds the page records where each stick rests, then shows how far off center it sits, whether that counts as drift, and the smallest deadzone that hides it.
No controller yet. Connect one and press any button on it.
Left stick
- Position
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- From center
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- Resting offset
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- Suggested deadzone
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Press Measure drift with the controller put down to check this stick.
Edge reach: Push the stick to its edge and roll it around slowly: 0 of 32 directions so far.
Right stick
- Position
- —
- From center
- —
- Resting offset
- —
- Suggested deadzone
- —
Press Measure drift with the controller put down to check this stick.
Edge reach: Push the stick to its edge and roll it around slowly: 0 of 32 directions so far.
Set it to your game's deadzone to see whether the resting dot stays inside.
Measure drift to get a result you can copy or share.
Runs entirely in your browser. Test results, audio and video never leave your device.
How to test a controller for stick drift
- Connect the controller by USB or Bluetooth and press any button so the browser shows it. With more than one connected, choose one from the Controller list.
- Flick each stick to its edge a few times and let it spring back, so it settles the way it does in play.
- Put the controller on a table, take your hands off both sticks and press Measure drift. Keep this tab in front for the 5 seconds it takes.
- Read the verdict under each circle, its Resting offset and the Suggested deadzone. Measure a few times: drift that changes from one measurement to the next points to wear.
- Push each stick to its edge and roll it slowly around a few times. Edge reach shows whether it reaches the edge in every direction.
- To check a game setting, move the Deadzone ring slider to the game’s deadzone and watch whether the resting dot stays inside the ring.
How do I know if my controller has stick drift?
Put the controller down so nothing touches the sticks, then press Measure drift. For 4 seconds the page records where each stick rests. A healthy stick stays close to x 0, y 0. This page flags one resting more than 0.08 from center as drifting, and suggests the smallest deadzone that hides it.
What the results mean
Offsets are straight-line distances from the center, from 0 to 1 at the edge. The cutoffs are this page’s own, not a standard, and match the drift flag on the Gamepad Test.
| Result | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Centered: 0.04 or less | The stick returns close to the middle. | Nothing. |
| Slightly off center: up to 0.08 | The stick rests a little off the middle. | If a game reacts, set its deadzone to the suggested value. Measure again later to see whether it grows. |
| Drift: above 0.08 | The stick rests well off center while nobody touches it. | Set at least the suggested deadzone, then try the fixes below. |
| The stick moved during the measurement | A reading strayed more than 0.15 from the rest, so the stick was touched or knocked. | Put the controller on a table and measure again. |
| Edge reach short of the edge | The stick reports less than its full range in some directions. | Recalibrate the stick where your console or the maker’s app offers it, or have it checked. |
Which deadzone to set
A deadzone is the area around the center that a game ignores. The suggested deadzone is the largest resting offset measured plus 0.02, rounded up to the next 0.01, so it covers every resting position the page recorded with a small margin.
Games and controller apps show the setting as a number from 0 to 1 or as a percentage: 0.08 is 8 percent. A larger deadzone hides more drift but swallows small, precise movements too, so use the smallest value that stops the drift.
Microsoft’s guidance for game developers says to always use a small deadzone, because sticks differ from unit to unit and wear over time. So a small resting offset is normal, and a game’s deadzone is there to ignore it.
Sources: Microsoft Learn: Gamepad and vibration; Microsoft Learn: Getting started with XInput. Checked October 6, 2026.
How to fix stick drift
Update the controller first, then recalibrate where the maker offers it, and measure again after each step. Recalibration does not cure a worn stick: that needs a repair or a new controller.
Xbox Wireless Controller
- Open the Xbox Accessories app. On the console, press the Xbox button, then under Profile & system select Settings > Devices & connections > Controllers & headsets. On a Windows PC, install the app from the Microsoft Store.
- Select “…” on your controller’s screen. If a firmware update is available, install it first.
- Select Recalibration options, choose the left or right stick and follow the on-screen steps. Microsoft says the tool works on the Xbox Wireless Controller and the Elite Series 2 only, and cannot fix drift from normal wear and tear.
PlayStation DualSense
- Update the controller. On a PS5, go to Settings > Accessories > Controller (General) and select DualSense Wireless Controller Device Software. On a Windows PC, use Sony’s PlayStation Accessories app.
- If a stick still misbehaves, Sony’s DualSense troubleshooting page points analog stick issues to PlayStation repairs.
Nintendo Switch Joy-Con and Pro Controller
- Update the controllers: System Settings > Controllers and Sensors > Update Controllers.
- Remove any skin or cover from the controller, then go to System Settings > Controllers and Sensors > Calibrate Control Sticks and fully tilt the stick in one direction for a few seconds when asked. On Nintendo Switch 2 the menu is Controllers & Accessories.
- If the stick still responds incorrectly, Nintendo says the controller needs to be serviced.
Sources: Xbox Support: Using the Xbox Accessories recalibration tool; PlayStation: Controllers support; PlayStation: How to troubleshoot DualSense wireless controller issues; Nintendo Support: How to update the controller firmware on Nintendo Switch; Nintendo Support: How to calibrate the controllers on Nintendo Switch; Nintendo Support: How to calibrate the controllers on Nintendo Switch 2; Nintendo Support: Joy-Con control sticks are not responding or respond incorrectly. Checked October 6, 2026.
What this test can detect
- How far each stick rests from center, measured over 4 seconds while nothing touches it.
- Drift: a stick resting more than 0.08 from center, with a suggested deadzone that hides it.
- Wobble: how much a resting stick’s reading wanders.
- Edge reach: whether each stick reaches the edge of its range in every direction.
- Whether a game’s deadzone is big enough, using the Deadzone ring.
How it works
The page reads the controller through the browser’s Gamepad API on every display frame. Measure drift ignores the first second while the sticks settle, then records each stick’s x and y for 4 seconds. Resting offset is the largest straight-line distance from center among those readings, and wobble is the furthest any reading strays from their average.
The suggested deadzone is the resting offset plus 0.02, rounded up to the next 0.01. A reading more than 0.15 from the average means the stick was touched, so the measurement is not scored. Edge reach splits the circle into 32 directions and keeps the furthest distance reached in each, counting only positions past 0.5.
Limitations
- The page sees only what the browser reports. If a driver or the system applies its own deadzone, small offsets never reach the page.
- Drift that comes and goes, or only shows after a stick has been moved, may not appear in one measurement. Flick the sticks and measure several times.
- Controllers without the standard layout are read as axes 0 and 1 for the left stick and 2 and 3 for the right, which may not match their sticks.
- Browsers stop reading controllers in a hidden tab, so a measurement stops if you switch tabs.
- The page cannot recalibrate or repair a controller. It only reads it.
Frequently asked questions
What deadzone should I use for stick drift?
Start with the suggested deadzone this page gives for the stick, and set it in the game or app you play with. If the drift still moves things, measure again: a stick whose resting offset keeps growing needs a repair rather than an ever larger deadzone.
Why does my game still drift when this page shows the stick centered?
Check the game’s own deadzone and sensitivity settings, and whether a second controller or another input device is connected. If the drift only appears after you move the stick, flick it a few times and measure again: some worn sticks settle in a different spot each time.
Can I test Joy-Con or Switch Pro Controller drift here?
Yes, where your browser reads the controller. Pair it with your computer or phone by Bluetooth, press a button and measure. If the status line says the controller has no standard layout, the page guesses which axes are the sticks, and the guess may not match a single Joy-Con.
Does the stick drift test work on a phone?
Usually, yes. Pair the controller with the phone or tablet, open this page and press a button on the controller. It works where the browser supports the Gamepad API, which most current phone browsers do.