About the Gamepad Tester.
ToolCheckup's controller suite is a set of free testing tools that run entirely in your browser on the standard Gamepad API. Press every button and watch it light up, plot both analog sticks in real time, measure stick drift at rest, read trigger pressure, map your deadzone, and fire the rumble motors — without installing anything or sending a byte of data anywhere.
What these tools are for
A misbehaving controller is hard to pin down: is a face button dead, a bumper double-firing, a stick drifting, or is it just a heavy game deadzone hiding the problem? Each tool here isolates one measurable thing — a button's pressed state, a stick's live X/Y coordinates, the resting offset that betrays drift, the 0–1 trigger axis — so instead of guessing you can read it directly. Everything is built on the browser's Gamepad API, works with Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch and generic USB/Bluetooth pads, and is free, supported by readers who buy us a coffee.
Privacy, in one paragraph
Every test runs on your device. We read the same gamepad state your browser already exposes to any web page — button values, axis positions, the controller's id string — poll it in a requestAnimationFrame loop, and paint it on screen. There is no recording, no fingerprinting, and nothing uploaded. Your theme and settings live in your browser's local storage and never leave your machine. See the privacy policy for the boring details.
Found a bug? Want a tool?
Tell us what broke (with your browser + OS + controller model) or what you'd like tested next — we read everything.
Site FAQ
Is the Gamepad Tester really free?
Yes — every tool, no paywall, no sign-up. The site is supported by voluntary donations ("buy me a coffee") and may show unobtrusive ads that never cover or push down a test.
Do I need to install a driver or app?
No. Modern browsers read gamepads natively through the W3C Gamepad API, so a wired or Bluetooth controller works the moment you press a button — no driver, extension, or download. On Windows, Xbox pads use the built-in XInput driver; DualSense and Switch Pro controllers pair over USB or Bluetooth and are recognised the same way.
Why won't my controller show up until I press a button?
That's by design in the Gamepad API. To avoid fingerprinting, browsers hide a connected gamepad until it sends its first input, then fire a "gamepadconnected" event. So plug in (or pair) your pad, press any button or nudge a stick, and it appears instantly.
Can a browser read rumble, adaptive triggers or gyro?
Partly. Vibration is exposed through the Gamepad API's vibrationActuator on Chromium browsers and many controllers, which is what our vibration test drives. But the DualSense's adaptive-trigger resistance, its detailed haptics, and motion/gyro data are not surfaced to web pages, so no browser tool can read or control them — we're honest about that on the PS5 page.
Which browsers work best?
Chromium-based browsers (Chrome, Edge, Opera) have the most complete Gamepad API support, including vibration. Firefox reads buttons, sticks and triggers well but has limited rumble support. Safari supports the core API on recent versions. On mobile, gamepad support is patchy — a desktop browser is the safe choice.
Can I link to or embed these tools?
Linking is always welcome. Embedding the pages in iframes isn't recommended — some browsers restrict Gamepad API access inside cross-origin frames, so the controller may not register.