Welcome to Analog Stick Test — Gamepad Tester
Free Online Tool

Analog Stick Test! Free Online Analog Stick Tester

Test Both Analog Sticks for Drift, Dead Zone, Range and Axis Accuracy Free Online - Works with PS5, PS4, Xbox, Nintendo Switch and All PC Controllers, No Download Required

Test both analog sticks on your controller directly in your browser. Visualise raw axis values in real time, detect stick drift before it affects your gameplay, measure your dead zone, and check full range of motion. Works with any controller on Windows, Mac, or Linux — no software installation needed.

Live Axis Data Stick Drift Test Dead Zone Check PS5 DualSense PS4 DualShock Xbox Series X/S Nintendo Switch No Download
Live Stick Preview
Simulating
Left Stick
Right Stick
LS X
0.00
LS Y
0.00
RS X
0.00
RS Y
0.00
Connect a controller to see live stick data
What Is an Analog Stick Test

What It Tests

An analog stick test reads raw axis values from your controller's left and right thumbsticks via the Gamepad API. It visualises the X and Y position of each stick on a circular graph, reports numeric values from -1.00 to +1.00, and detects drift, dead zone limits, and range of motion issues in real time at up to 60 polls per second.

What Is Stick Drift

Stick drift occurs when a controller's analog stick reports movement without being touched. Your character walks, the camera rotates, or your aim creeps on its own. Drift is caused by mechanical wear on the potentiometer inside the stick, dust buildup around the sensor, oxidised contacts, or a failing Hall-effect sensor. This tester shows the raw hardware values before any game applies a dead zone, so you see drift the game is currently hiding.

What Is a Dead Zone

A dead zone is a deliberate neutral zone around the stick's centre position where small movements are ignored by the game. Dead zones exist to prevent electrical noise and minor physical variation from causing unintended movement. Games apply their own dead zones on top of the hardware output. This tester shows the raw hardware axis values so you can measure your stick's natural resting offset and see exactly where your hardware dead zone needs to begin.

Live Analog Stick Test Tool
Analog Stick Tester — Live Axis Visualiser
Auto Simulation
Dead Zone: 0.05
Left Stick (LS) No Drift
X Axis (horizontal) 0.00
Y Axis (vertical) 0.00
Max X
0.00
Max Y
0.00
Rest offset
0.00
Right Stick (RS) No Drift
X Axis (horizontal) 0.00
Y Axis (vertical) 0.00
Max X
0.00
Max Y
0.00
Rest offset
0.00
Controller Info
ControllerNot Connected
StatusSimulating
Axes4
Dead Zone0.05
LS DriftNone detected
RS DriftNone detected
Drift Severity Scale
0.00
Perfect
No drift at rest
0.05
Noise
Normal electrical noise
0.14
Early
Drift beginning — clean stick
0.25+
Severe
Affects gameplay — repair needed
Connect any controller and press a button to switch from simulation to live input. Place controller flat on desk with sticks untouched to check drift accurately.
Causes of Stick Drift

Why Analog Sticks Drift and Fail

Understanding the root cause of drift helps you decide whether cleaning, calibration, or replacement is the right fix.

Most Common

Worn Potentiometer

Traditional analog sticks use a carbon-film potentiometer to measure position. The resistive carbon layer wears down over millions of movements, creating an uneven resistance track. The sensor then reports a slightly off-centre position at rest. This is the most common cause of stick drift on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series controllers. It typically appears after 300 to 500 hours of use on non-Hall-effect sensors.

Very Common

Dust and Debris

Dust particles and debris that accumulate inside the stick module physically obstruct the potentiometer track and cause erratic readings. This can cause sudden spikes or a persistent offset in one direction. Cleaning with compressed air or electronics contact cleaner often resolves dust-related drift completely without any hardware replacement. The tester makes it easy to verify whether cleaning has resolved the issue.

Common

Oxidised Contacts

Moisture and oxygen cause oxidation on the metal contact points inside the stick module over time, especially in humid environments or on controllers stored unused for months. Oxidised contacts produce intermittent resistance changes that appear as random spikes in axis values. Electronics contact cleaner applied carefully around the stick base often removes oxidation and restores stable readings.

Hall Effect

Magnetic Sensor Failure

Modern high-end controllers and many third-party replacement modules use Hall-effect sensors that measure position magnetically with no physical contact. These sensors are theoretically immune to wear-based drift but can still fail if the magnet mounted to the stick shaft shifts out of position, or if the sensor chip itself develops a fault. Hall-effect drift typically presents as a sudden offset rather than the gradual creep of potentiometer wear.

How to Test Analog Sticks

How to Use the Analog Stick Tester

A complete analog stick test for both sticks takes under two minutes and reveals drift, dead zone requirements, and range problems clearly.

1

Connect Your Controller

Connect your controller via USB or Bluetooth and press any button to wake the Gamepad API. The tool switches from Auto Simulation to Live Controller mode immediately. The controller info panel fills with your device name and the stick canvases begin showing your actual hardware axis values. Close any apps like Steam Big Picture that may be holding exclusive controller access.

USB or BluetoothPress any button firstChrome or Edge best
2

Check Rest Position for Drift

Place your controller flat on a desk and do not touch either analog stick. Watch the circular visualisers and the X/Y axis values for both sticks. At rest, both should sit at or near 0.00 on both axes. Any value consistently above 0.05 in any direction without being touched is drift. The Drift Severity Scale in the panel shows whether the offset requires attention or is within normal electrical noise tolerance.

Controller flat on deskDo not touch sticksWatch for non-zero values10 second observation
3

Test Full Range of Motion

Slowly rotate each stick through its full circular range from edge to edge. The visualiser dot should trace a clean circle that fills the outer edge of the canvas. The Max X and Max Y statistics should both reach close to 1.00 in each direction. Flat spots or areas where the dot stops short of the outer ring indicate sensor wear or mechanical obstruction in the stick module housing.

Full circular rotationMax X and Y near 1.00Check for flat spots
4

Set Dead Zone and Calibrate

Use the Dead Zone slider to set the threshold above which input is recognised. Click Calibrate Center to set the current resting position as the reference zero point — useful if your stick has a consistent minor offset that cannot be physically corrected. Click Clear Trails to reset the circular trace and start fresh measurements. The calibrated dead zone value shown in the info panel is the minimum you should configure in your game settings to prevent ghost movement.

Adjust dead zone sliderCalibrate Center buttonMatch game dead zone setting
Why Choose Gamepad Tester

Why Use Gamepad Tester for Analog Stick Testing

The most detailed browser-based analog stick test available, showing raw hardware values before any game dead zone is applied.

Raw Hardware Values

This tester reads axis data directly from the Gamepad API before any game dead zone is applied. That means you see the true hardware output — including drift your game is currently hiding behind its own dead zone settings.

Visual Circular Trace

The circular stick canvas plots every position the stick passes through, drawing a complete motion trail. Full-range testing reveals flat spots, irregular circles, and sensor non-linearity that numeric values alone cannot communicate clearly.

100% Private

All axis data is processed locally in your browser using the Gamepad API. No stick position data, drift readings, or controller metadata is ever transmitted to any server. Your input data never leaves your computer.

60fps Real-Time Polling

The axis polling loop runs at up to 60 frames per second. Even fast circular motions are tracked smoothly and drift spikes that appear for only a few frames are caught and displayed before they disappear from the numeric readouts.

Drift Severity Scale

The built-in severity scale shows whether your stick's resting offset falls within normal noise, early drift, or severe drift that requires repair. Colour-coded thresholds give an instant assessment without needing to interpret raw numbers.

All Major Controllers

PS5 DualSense, PS4 DualShock 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch Pro, and all standard HID gamepads are fully supported. Works on Windows, macOS, and Linux in Chrome, Edge, and Firefox.

Analog Stick Compatibility
Controller Left Stick Right Stick Sensor Type Drift Risk Notes
PS5 DualSense✓ Full✓ FullPotentiometerMediumKnown for drift around 300h use
PS4 DualShock 4✓ Full✓ FullPotentiometerHighMost reported drift of any controller
Xbox Series X/S✓ Full✓ FullPotentiometerMediumDrift common after extended use
Xbox One✓ Full✓ FullPotentiometerMediumModule replacement common fix
Nintendo Switch Pro✓ Full✓ FullPotentiometerMediumPraised for accuracy, drift less common
Joy-Con✓ Full✓ FullPotentiometerVery HighSubject of class-action lawsuit
Xbox Elite Series 2✓ Full✓ FullPotentiometerMediumSwappable stick modules
Generic Hall-Effect✓ Full✓ FullHall-EffectVery LowNo contact wear, long-term accurate
Frequently Asked Questions

Analog Stick Test FAQs

How do I test my analog sticks for drift online?
Connect your controller via USB or Bluetooth, then open this Analog Stick Tester in Chrome or Edge. Press any button to activate the Gamepad API. Place your controller flat on a desk and do not touch either analog stick. Watch the circular visualisers and the X and Y axis values for both sticks. If either stick shows a consistent value above 0.05 in any direction without being touched, drift is present. The Drift Severity Scale panel classifies the offset as noise, early drift, or severe drift based on the magnitude. Run the test for at least 10 seconds with the sticks untouched for the most accurate reading.
What does stick drift look like on the tester?
Stick drift appears in the tester as a non-zero axis value when the stick is untouched. On the circular visualiser, the dot drifts away from the centre circle instead of sitting still at the crosshair point. In the X and Y axis bars, the fill extends to one side rather than sitting at the midpoint. Minor drift appears as a consistent small offset, such as X: 0.08 or Y: -0.12. Severe drift shows large, sustained values like X: 0.30 or larger. Intermittent drift appears as occasional spikes from zero followed by a return to centre — this is often caused by debris rather than sensor wear.
What is a dead zone and how do I set the right one?
A dead zone is a threshold around the stick's centre position where values are treated as zero and ignored. It prevents the resting electrical noise and minor physical imperfections of the sensor from registering as movement. To find the right dead zone for your controller, use the Calibrate Center button in the tester, then watch the resting X and Y values with the stick untouched. Your dead zone should be slightly larger than the highest resting offset you observe — if your stick rests at a maximum of 0.06, set your game's dead zone to at least 0.08. Using a dead zone that is too large reduces stick responsiveness near center, which hurts aiming precision in FPS games.
Can I fix analog stick drift without replacing parts?
Yes, in many cases. If the drift is caused by dust or debris, cleaning around the stick base with compressed air often resolves it. If caused by oxidised contacts, spraying a small amount of electronics contact cleaner into the gap around the stick base and rotating the stick through its full range several times can restore clean readings. If caused by a firmware issue, updating your controller's firmware through the manufacturer's app may recalibrate the stick's neutral position. After any cleaning attempt, retest with the Analog Stick Tester to verify the fix. If the resting offset remains above 0.15 after cleaning, the potentiometer itself is worn and physical replacement of the stick module is needed.
Why do my PS4 or PS5 analog sticks drift?
PS4 DualShock 4 and PS5 DualSense controllers use carbon-film potentiometers in their stick modules. These physically wear down with use, causing the sensor to report an off-centre position at rest. The DualShock 4 is particularly prone to this, with many users reporting drift appearing after 200 to 400 hours of gameplay. The DualSense drift issue has been subject to regulatory investigations in multiple countries. Cleaning with electronics contact cleaner can temporarily restore correct behaviour, but replacement of the stick module is the only permanent fix for wear-based drift. Third-party Hall-effect replacement modules are available for both controllers and eliminate wear-based drift entirely.
Why do Joy-Con analog sticks drift so much?
Nintendo Switch Joy-Con analog sticks use small potentiometer modules that are more susceptible to wear and contamination than the modules used in larger controllers, due to their compact size. The tighter housing gives dust fewer escape routes, and the smaller carbon tracks wear faster under the same movement forces. Nintendo acknowledged the widespread drift issue and extended the warranty for Joy-Con repairs. The Analog Stick Tester can help you quantify how much drift your specific Joy-Cons have and whether the problem is worsening over time. Third-party Hall-effect replacement modules are available that resolve Joy-Con drift permanently.
What is the difference between potentiometer and Hall-effect analog sticks?
Potentiometer-based sticks measure position by the changing electrical resistance along a carbon-film track as the stick shaft moves across it. The physical contact between the wiper and the carbon track wears the material down over millions of movements, eventually causing drift. Hall-effect sticks measure the position of a magnet attached to the stick shaft using a sensor that detects changes in magnetic field strength with no physical contact at all. Because there is no friction or wear between moving parts, Hall-effect sticks are theoretically immune to drift caused by mechanical wear. They are used in high-end controllers and are increasingly available as aftermarket replacement modules for popular consumer controllers.
Does the analog stick tester show drift that games are hiding?
Yes. This is one of the most important features of the tester. Games apply a software dead zone on top of the raw hardware input from your controller, which means small amounts of drift never reach the game engine and you do not see them in gameplay. However, the Analog Stick Tester reads the raw Gamepad API values before any game dead zone is applied. This lets you see the true hardware output and detect early-stage drift while it is still small enough for a game to hide. Catching drift early gives you the opportunity to clean the stick module before the wear progresses to the point where it exceeds the game's dead zone and becomes visible during gameplay.
Can I test analog stick range of motion online?
Yes. Slowly rotate each stick in a full circle from edge to edge and watch the circular canvas trace the path. The trace should form a complete circle that reaches close to the outer edge of the canvas. The Max X and Max Y statistics track the furthest reach recorded in each direction. Values below 0.90 at full extension indicate the stick is not reaching its physical limits, which can be caused by a worn stick gate, a damaged thumbstick cap, or debris inside the housing restricting movement. Full range is important for precise diagonal aiming in FPS games and for driving games that use full stick deflection to represent maximum steering angle.
Is the analog stick tester free?
Yes, the analog stick tester is completely free with no account, no registration, no email address, and no usage limits. All stick position data is processed locally in your browser using the W3C Gamepad API. No axis values, drift readings, or controller metadata are ever transmitted to any server. You can test as many controllers as you like, as many times as needed, on any operating system, with no restrictions.

Gamepad Tester — free browser-based analog stick test for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and all standard gamepads. Test for stick drift, dead zone, and range of motion. Raw hardware axis values displayed before game dead zone. Data processed locally. Compatible with Chrome 58+, Edge 79+, Firefox 55+, Safari 16.4+.