UtilityBaseDevice Tests
Gamepad Tester
Test every button, trigger, and stick on your controller — with stick drift detection.
Updated July 7, 2026
How to use the gamepad tester
- 1Connect the controller by USB or Bluetooth and press any button so the browser detects it.
- 2Press every button and pull both triggers fully — tested inputs stay highlighted.
- 3Rotate both sticks through full circles and check they reach the edges of the diagrams.
- 4Release everything and don't touch the controller for two seconds — the drift check runs while it's at rest.
Common uses
- Diagnosing stick drift before paying for a repair or replacement
- Testing a used controller before buying it (or before your return window closes)
- Confirming every button works after a cleaning or stick module swap
- Checking analog trigger travel registers smoothly from 0 to 100%
Frequently asked questions
How does the stick drift detection work?
After 1.5 seconds without any button press or large stick movement, the tool checks whether either stick is still reporting displacement beyond ±0.08 from center. A resting stick should read near zero — persistent values beyond the threshold indicate the potentiometers are worn or dirty, which is what players experience as drift.
My controller is connected but nothing shows. Why?
Browsers hide gamepads from pages until the controller sends its first input — press any button and it should appear. If it still doesn't, check that the controller works elsewhere, try a different USB port or re-pairing Bluetooth, and note that some controllers need to be in a specific mode (Switch Pro pads sometimes need a button combo).
A small stick reading at rest — is that always drift?
Tiny values (under ±0.05) are normal sensor noise, which is why games apply deadzones. Values that sit beyond ±0.08–0.10 at rest, or that visibly pull the dot off-center, are genuine drift. Sometimes compressed air around the stick base helps if it's dirt rather than wear.
Which controllers work?
Anything your OS and browser expose through the Gamepad API: DualSense, DualShock 4, all modern Xbox pads, Switch Pro Controller, and most PC gamepads. Button labels follow the standard layout, so a few extra buttons on exotic pads may show as numbered.
About this tool
The gamepad tester reads your controller live through the browser's Gamepad API: every button press lights up, triggers show their analog pull percentage, and both sticks render on crosshair diagrams with exact axis values. Its standout feature is automatic stick drift detection — leave the controller completely untouched for two seconds and the tool watches for sticks reporting movement at rest, the telltale sign of worn potentiometers behind PS5, Xbox, and Joy-Con drift. Works with any controller the browser recognizes over USB or Bluetooth: DualSense, DualShock 4, Xbox Series/One pads, Switch Pro, and most third-party pads. Test before buying used, before a warranty window closes, or to confirm a drift repair worked.
Like everything on UtilityBase, the gamepad tester runs entirely in your browser — nothing you enter is uploaded or stored on a server. It's free to use with no account required. Browse more device tests here.
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