Rumble Test - Free Controller Vibration & Motor Tester Online

The most common reasons are: using Safari or Firefox (which have limited or no Gamepad Vibration API support), low battery on a wireless controller, Steam running in the background and locking exclusive gamepad access, or an outdated DualSense firmware. Switch to Chrome or Edge on Windows, fully charge your controller, close Steam, and press a button on the controller before running the test. If rumble still does not trigger, test via USB rather than Bluetooth — some controllers only expose motors correctly over a wired connection.

Most gaming controllers use two independent eccentric rotating mass (ERM) motors. The strong motor (typically in the left grip) uses a large, heavy mass that spins slowly — producing deep, low-frequency rumble ideal for explosions, crashes, and heavy impacts. The weak motor (typically in the right grip) uses a small, light mass that spins fast — producing high-frequency buzzy sensations for subtle cues like footsteps, reloads, and environmental details. Games mix both motors simultaneously at different intensities to create rich, layered haptic feedback. Testing them independently helps you determine which motor is faulty if vibration feels unbalanced.

Yes, with some limitations. The PS5 DualSense uses advanced linear resonance actuators (LRAs) rather than traditional spinning motors, and its full haptic capability — the expressive, precise sensations you feel in PS5 games — requires Sony's proprietary software and is not accessible via the browser Gamepad API. However, the standard dual-rumble channels (strong and weak) are accessible, and you will feel basic vibration during our test. Connect via USB-C for best results and ensure your DualSense firmware is updated using Sony's PC DualSense Firmware Updater app. Bluetooth rumble with the DualSense can be inconsistent depending on your OS and browser version.

No — for normal testing durations. Controller motors are rated for millions of cycles and are designed to handle sustained rumble during long gaming sessions. Short test bursts of 0.3 to 3 seconds at any intensity will not cause damage. We recommend avoiding continuous 100% intensity testing for more than 30 seconds in a single session as a precaution against heat build-up, but even this would be unlikely to cause immediate damage to a healthy motor. If your motors are already failing (which is why you are running the test), avoid unnecessary prolonged testing.

If only one motor responds, first verify using the Strong Only and Weak Only presets to confirm which motor is missing. If one motor is consistently silent across all tests, the motor has likely failed — either the motor itself has burned out, or its internal wire connection has broken (a common failure point from drops). This is repairable: replacement ERM motors for most major controllers cost between £3 and £12 and are available online. The repair requires opening the controller with a Torx screwdriver. If your controller is still under warranty, contact the manufacturer first — PS5 drift and motor issues have attracted extended warranty programmes from Sony in some regions.

Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One controllers have four motors — the two main grip motors and two micro-motors inside the LT and RT triggers (impulse triggers). In Chrome on Windows, the Gamepad API exposes leftTrigger and rightTrigger haptic channels, so impulse trigger rumble may respond during our test. In other browsers or on macOS/Linux, only the main grip motors will respond. If you feel the main grips rumbling but not the triggers during a constant test, this is almost certainly an API limitation rather than a hardware fault. Test trigger rumble in an Xbox or Steam game that uses it to verify hardware.

Several factors can reduce perceived rumble strength over time. Battery level is the most immediate — wireless controllers, especially Xbox, cut motor power below around 15% battery. Test wired or with a full charge first. Beyond battery, ERM motor brushes wear down over hundreds of hours of rumble use, gradually reducing the torque and thus the vibration intensity. This is normal mechanical degradation. If your controller vibrates noticeably less than it did when new, and a full charge does not restore it, the motors are wearing out. This does not affect button or stick functionality and can be addressed with motor replacement or simply accepted as a sign of a well-used controller.

This usually means your browser does not support the Gamepad Vibration API — the hardware is fine. Games access rumble through the operating system's gamepad stack (XInput on Windows, IOKit on macOS, or the game engine's native driver), which has full access to motor channels. Browser-based tools must go through the browser's implementation of the W3C Gamepad API, which not all browsers implement equally. Switch to Chrome or Edge and try the test again. If it still does not work in Chrome, make sure the browser tab is focused and that no other application has exclusive input lock on the controller.

No. The rumble test runs entirely within your browser using the W3C Gamepad API and the Gamepad Haptics API. No controller data, motor response readings, test results, or any other information is transmitted to our servers. All processing — including the pattern generation, intensity calculations, and vibration commands — happens locally on your device. You can verify this by opening your browser's developer tools Network tab while running the test: you will see no outbound requests to our servers.

Connect your Nintendo Switch Pro Controller via USB-C to your PC for the most reliable rumble test. Bluetooth support is possible but can require additional driver setup (BetterJoy is a popular Windows utility). Once connected in Chrome, press a button to wake the Gamepad API, and the controller will appear in our tool. The Pro Controller's HD Rumble LRA motors will be exposed as standard strong and weak channels — you will feel vibration, though the precise HD Rumble sensations from Switch games are not replicable via the browser API. For Joy-Cons, pair both as a combined controller through your PC's Bluetooth settings before opening the test page.

Yes, on Android with Chrome. Connect a compatible controller via USB-OTG adapter or Bluetooth, then open this page in Chrome for Android. The Gamepad API including rumble is supported on Chrome for Android. iOS does not support the Gamepad Vibration API in any browser as of 2026 due to WebKit limitations — you would need a native app for iOS controller testing. For the most complete rumble test, a Windows desktop with Chrome remains the recommended setup.

A rattling or unusually loud buzzing noise during rumble indicates a mechanical issue inside the controller. Common causes include: the eccentric mass on a motor has come loose or is misaligned; a motor mount screw has worked loose and the motor is vibrating against the shell; or debris (crumbs, dust, small particles) has entered the controller and is resonating with the motor. In some cases, a cracked plastic motor bracket causes this. The fix typically requires opening the controller, identifying the loose component, and tightening or replacing it. This is a DIY repair for most modern controllers with standard Torx screwdrivers.