Stick drift test
Let go of both sticks for three seconds and the test measures how far each one sits from centre and how much it jitters. Then roll each stick around its edge and flick it to check range, circularity and snap-back. You get a verdict: no drift, early drift or drift.
Controller bench
No controller yet
Turn your phone sideways for the full bench.
Press any button on your controller — browsers only show a pad after its first press.
Stick check
Three steps: rest, circles, snap-back. Start with the controller lying on a table.
Deep mode (WebHID)
You don't need this for the checks above: the standard test works with any controller. Deep mode is an optional extra.
Verdict
Connect a controller and run a check — the verdict shows up here.
Checklist for this controller
- Put the controller on a flat surface and don't touch the sticks during the rest window.
- Roll each stick slowly around its full edge two or three times.
- Push each stick to the edge and let it spring back on its own.
- Repeat after cleaning or recalibrating to compare.
How to fix it
- Recalibrate the stick in your console or OS settings — it fixes offsets caused by bad calibration, not wear.
- Raise the dead zone in the game; most games already hide small offsets.
- Blow compressed air around the stick base while rotating it; dust in the sensor is a common cause.
- If drift stays above the warning level after that, the stick module is worn and needs replacing.
- Check warranty first — drift on a pad under warranty is usually covered.
FAQ
How much stick drift is normal?
A few percent of travel at rest is normal and invisible in games. Microsoft's default XInput dead zone is about 24% of travel, so anything well below that won't move your character.
Can stick drift be fixed?
Sometimes. Recalibration fixes offset caused by calibration, cleaning helps when dust is the cause. Worn potentiometers need a new stick module or a warranty repair.
Why does my stick drift only in some games?
Games pick their own dead zones. A game with a small or no dead zone shows drift that others hide.
What does circularity tell me?
It shows whether the stick reaches its full range in every direction. Gaps in some directions point to wear, dirt or bad calibration; a slightly square shape is normal on some pads.
Are these the raw stick values?
Not quite. Through the Gamepad API the bench sees each stick after the OS and browser have handled it, and Safari puts its own dead zone on top. Raw, uncalibrated values come only from the experimental deep mode in desktop Chrome or Edge.
Why does my stick move in coarse steps?
Resolution depends on the connection path: XInput passes 16-bit axes, a DualSense through the Gamepad API only 8-bit. Coarse steps aren't drift, and the verdict allows for that rounding.