Stick Drift Tester
Visualize analog stick behavior and detect drift on your controller. See dead zones and calibration data.
No Controller Detected
Connect a controller and press any button to begin drift testing.
How Does the Stick Drift Tester Work?
- Connect your controller and do not touch the analog sticks.
- The tool continuously reads the analog stick positions via the Gamepad API.
- A dot visualizes the stick position — it should stay centered if there is no drift.
- The trail shows stick movement history, making subtle drift visible.
- Adjust the dead zone threshold to see if your game's dead zone would compensate for the drift.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is stick drift?
- Stick drift occurs when an analog stick registers input even when you're not touching it. This causes characters or cameras to move on their own in games. It's caused by wear on the potentiometers inside the stick mechanism.
- Can stick drift be fixed?
- Sometimes. Cleaning around the stick base with compressed air or isopropyl alcohol can help. Increasing the dead zone in game settings is a software workaround. For severe drift, the stick module may need replacement.
- What is a dead zone?
- A dead zone is a threshold around the center position where small stick movements are ignored. This compensates for minor drift and prevents unintentional input. A larger dead zone reduces sensitivity but hides more drift.
- How much drift is normal?
- Very small values (under 0.02) are normal for most controllers due to manufacturing tolerances. Values above 0.05 may be noticeable in games. Values above 0.10 usually indicate a hardware issue.