ONLINE CONTROLLER TESTER
Test your PS5, PS4 or Xbox controller in your browser: buttons, triggers, sticks and stick drift. Free, with nothing to install.
Connect your controller via USB or Bluetooth and press any button.
X 0.000 · Y 0.000
Distance from centre: —
X 0.000 · Y 0.000
Distance from centre: —
Rotate each stick slowly around the edge: the trail should draw a circle with no gaps.
Let go of both sticks and press “Measure drift”: for 3 seconds we measure how much they move on their own.
The test runs in your browser: we don't store or send any data from your controller.
HOW TO TEST YOUR CONTROLLER
1. Connect your controller
To your computer, laptop or phone, by USB cable or Bluetooth. It works with the PS5 DualSense, the PS4 DualShock 4 and Xbox controllers.
2. Press any button
For privacy reasons, the browser does not show the controller until you press a button. Once you do, you will see its name and the buttons will light up.
3. Measure the drift
Let go of both sticks and press “Measure drift”. For 3 seconds, we measure how much they move on their own.
4. Rotate the sticks
Slowly circle the edge: the trail should draw a full circle, with no gaps or flattened areas.
HOW TO READ THE RESULTS
The test measures the position of each stick when you are not touching it. On a healthy controller, the resting value is very close to 0.
No drift (less than 0.04)
The stick returns to the centre properly. If you still notice odd movements, check the in-game sensitivity.
Mild drift (0.04 to 0.10)
It does not fully return to the centre. The deadzone in many games hides it, but it is usually the start of wear.
Drift (more than 0.10)
The stick moves on its own: this is stick drift. Your character walks or the camera turns without you touching anything.
A circle with gaps or a flattened side means the stick does not reach its full range of movement, another sign of wear.
CAN YOU CALIBRATE YOUR CONTROLLER?
The PS5 and PS4 have no menu for calibrating the sticks on the DualSense or DualShock 4. Some advanced controllers, such as the DualSense Edge, let you adjust the deadzone: the margin around the centre that the controller ignores. Raising it can hide mild drift, at the cost of some precision.
We explain step by step what you can adjust on each controller in how to calibrate a PS5, PS4 and Xbox controller.
Neither calibration nor the deadzone fixes wear. Stick drift on original controllers comes from the potentiometers in the stick, which wear out with use. We explain it in why Hall effect sticks do not suffer the wear that causes drift.
IF YOUR CONTROLLER HAS STICK DRIFT
PS5 controller
We replace the damaged stick with the PS5 controller drift repair, or replace both with Hall effect sticks in your DualSense.
PS4 controller
We fit the Hall effect stick for the DualShock 4. Also see our PS4 controller repair.
By post or at the workshop
Bring it to our workshop in Alcobendas (Madrid) or send it to us. We confirm the quote before we start.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I run the test with the controller connected to the console?
No. The test reads the controller from the browser, so it must be connected to the computer or phone where you open this page.
Does it work on a phone?
Yes, on Android with Chrome and on iPhone or iPad with Safari, with the controller paired by Bluetooth and the system up to date.
Why does my controller not appear?
Press a button after connecting it: the browser does not show it until then. If it still does not appear, try another USB cable (some only charge) or pair it again by Bluetooth.
Do you store any data from my controller?
No. The test runs in your browser; we do not store or send anything.
What is the deadzone?
The small margin around the centre of the stick that the game ignores so the controller does not react to tiny movements. If the drift is larger than that zone, your character or the camera moves on its own.
PlayStation, DualSense and DualShock are registered trademarks of Sony Interactive Entertainment; Xbox, of Microsoft Corporation. Tigernicks is not affiliated with or sponsored by them.