Controller Stick Drift Test
Observe analog stick positions at rest, view both stick axes and estimate a deadzone from browser-reported values. Connect a gamepad, then press a button or move a stick.
Live stick positions
Release the sticks to observe their center positions. Values are read from the selected gamepad exposed by your browser.
Connect a controller and press a button or move a stick.
Left stick
Right stick
Deadzone and margin use a 0 to 1 scale. A 0.02 margin is 2%.
Resting drift has not been observed yet.
What this means: these are values exposed by the Gamepad API. Small center offsets can be normal, and controller, driver or platform processing may change the values before the browser sees them.
Resting observation
Suggestion = maximum observed resting magnitude + your safety margin, capped at 95%. It is a starting point from this observation, not a universal ideal setting.
Observe the resting center over time
Start the resting observation, let go of both sticks and keep the controller still for five seconds. The test records the largest center offset observed for each mapped stick. Select axes manually if the controller does not report the standard mapping.
A larger deadzone can reduce unwanted movement near center, but also reduces fine control. Test a setting in the game you use, and adjust it to your preference.
Controller stick drift FAQ
Does a non-zero center value mean drift?
Not by itself. Small center offsets are common. This page reports values observed by the browser and does not decide whether a controller is defective.
Why is my controller not recognized?
Some browsers expose a gamepad only after a button press or stick movement. Support, connection method, driver and controller mapping can also affect detection.
What does the deadzone suggestion mean?
It adds a configurable safety margin to the largest resting magnitude recorded in this test, then caps the suggestion. It is a transparent starting point, not a universal ideal.