TenSecondCheck

Gamepad test

Connect your controller and press any button on it so the browser can see it.

Runs in your browser only

Connect your controller, then press any button on it so the browser can see it.

Getting the controller detected

Connect the controller by cable or Bluetooth, open this page and press any button. Until you do, the browser does not tell the page that a controller exists — that is a privacy rule, not a fault. The controller’s name appears as soon as it is detected.

If nothing happens:

  • Make sure the controller is connected to this computer and not still paired with a console in the same room.
  • Close games and launchers that may hold on to it.
  • Try a cable. A controller that works wired but not wirelessly has a pairing or battery problem, not a broken button.

Buttons and triggers

Every button lights up while you hold it and stays green afterwards, so you can go round the controller once and see what is left. The names follow the standard layout used by most modern controllers, with both common naming schemes side by side — for example A / Cross, or LB / L1.

The two triggers are analogue, so they have their own bars. Squeeze each one slowly: the value should climb smoothly from 0.00 to 1.00 and fall back to zero when you let go. A trigger that jumps straight to the end, never reaches it, or stays above zero at rest is worn or dirty.

Sticks

Each stick has a circle. The dot shows where the stick is, and the thin line behind it shows where it has been.

Roll each stick slowly around its full edge. As you do, an outline builds up showing how far the stick reached in every direction, and the coverage figure rises. A healthy stick draws an outline close to the edge all the way round. A flattened side means the stick no longer travels that far in that direction — often dirt in the housing or a worn guide.

Then let go and watch the dot. It should spring back to the centre and stay there.

The drift check

Drift is when a stick reports movement while nobody touches it. In a game it looks like a character walking slowly or a camera turning by itself.

To check for it, take your thumbs off both sticks, press Check for drift and put the controller down for three seconds. The test averages how far each stick sits from the centre during that time and compares it with the threshold for this site.

  • No drift found means both sticks settle close to the centre. A tiny offset is normal and will be hidden by the dead zone every game uses.
  • Drift found names the stick and shows the value. Repeat the check a couple of times: a reading that stays high is real.

Most sticks measure position with small sensors that slide against a track. Over time the track wears and collects dust, which is the usual cause of drift. Newer designs use magnetic sensors that do not rub, and they are much less prone to it.

Vibration

If your browser supports vibration for your controller, the Test vibration button makes it buzz for a moment. Both motors should start: one produces a deep, heavy rumble and the other a lighter buzz. A controller that clicks or rattles instead of vibrating has a loose weight inside one of the motors.

Common problems and what they mean

  • Buttons light the wrong boxes. The controller uses its own layout instead of the standard one. As long as every button lights a different box, it works.
  • The controller disconnects during the test. Low battery or Bluetooth distance. Charge it and move closer.
  • One trigger reads less than 1.00 at full press. Many triggers stop slightly short on purpose. A reading far below the end, on one trigger only, suggests wear.

Testing your reflexes rather than your controller? The reaction time test lets you challenge a friend with a link. The keyboard test covers the other common game input, and My device shows what the browser reports about your computer.

If it does not work

On your system

  1. Press a button on the controller after connecting it — a browser only sees a gamepad once it sends something.
  2. Open the Windows game controller settings, where connected controllers are listed and can be tested outside the browser.
  3. For a wireless controller, replace the battery or charge it: a low battery causes dropped inputs and false stick movement.
  4. If the sticks drift, a thorough clean around the stick base sometimes helps, but a worn potentiometer needs replacing.
  1. Press a button on the controller after connecting it, so the browser registers it.
  2. Check the controller in System Settings under the Bluetooth or game controller section before blaming the browser.
  3. Xbox and PlayStation controllers connect over Bluetooth on recent macOS versions; older ones may need a cable.
  4. Safari supports gamepads, but a controller paired to another device nearby can steal the connection — turn that device off.
  1. Pair the controller in the Bluetooth settings, then press a button on it inside this page.
  2. Some controllers have a mode switch that changes how the phone sees them; the mode meant for Android usually works best.
  3. Close any game that is already holding the controller.
  1. Pair the controller in Settings → Bluetooth, then press a button on it inside this page.
  2. Xbox and PlayStation controllers are supported on current iOS and iPadOS versions; very old controllers are not.
  3. Vibration through the browser is not available on iPhone or iPad, so that part of the test stays empty.

Questions and answers

Why do I have to press a button before the controller appears?
Browsers hide connected controllers from websites until you use one. Otherwise any page could see which controllers are plugged in and use that to recognise your computer. One press of any button is enough.
What drift reading is bad?
A stick at rest never sits at exactly zero, and small offsets are normal — games ignore them with a dead zone. The check warns you above the threshold set for this site. If a stick drifts well past it, or you can see characters or cameras moving on their own in games, the stick needs attention.
Can stick drift be fixed?
Sometimes. Dust under the rubber collar can be cleared with compressed air while you roll the stick around. When the sensor inside is worn, the stick module has to be replaced. Some games and system settings let you enlarge the dead zone, which hides mild drift at the cost of a little precision.
The buttons show up in a strange order. Is the controller faulty?
Probably not. The test labels buttons using the standard layout most controllers follow. Controllers that do not use it report their buttons in their own order, so pressing A may light a different box. Check that every physical button lights something, and that each one lights something different.
Why doesn't vibration work?
Vibration from a web page depends on the browser, the system and the controller. Chrome and Edge support it for many common controllers, while other browsers support it partly or not at all. If the button is hidden or nothing happens, check vibration in a game before assuming the motors are broken.