Stick Drift Tester
Stick drift is one of the most common controller faults, and it is also one of the easiest to catch early. This tool reads the raw axis values your controller reports through the Gamepad API, the same values a game receives, and samples both sticks continuously while they sit at rest. Any reading that holds steady above a small tolerance points to drift rather than normal sensor noise. Works with PS5, PS4, PS3, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and generic USB or Bluetooth controllers.
Left stick
Right stick
Drift event log
No drift events recorded yet. Leave a stick untouched to monitor it.
Follow these steps for a reliable drift check on both sticks.
Connect
Plug in over USB or pair over Bluetooth, then press any button so the browser detects it.
Let go completely
Set the controller down and do not touch either stick for at least ten seconds.
Watch the crosshair
A healthy stick sits at the center. Any steady drift away from center points to a problem.
Check both sticks
Repeat for the other stick, then move each stick to its full range and release to check the return to center.
This tool reports a normalized value from 0.000, perfectly centered, to 1.000, fully deflected. Compare your resting magnitude reading to the ranges below.
| Resting magnitude | Verdict | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 0.000 to 0.049 | No drift | Stick is healthy and within normal manufacturing tolerance. |
| 0.050 to 0.149 | Mild drift | Detectable but often tolerable, most noticeable in precise aiming or slow camera movement. |
| 0.150 and above | Significant drift | Materially affects gameplay, worth cleaning first and considering a repair or replacement if it persists. |
Most analog sticks read position using a potentiometer, a small resistive sensor with a physical wiper that drags across a contact strip every time the stick moves. That constant contact wears the strip down over months of regular use, and the wear is what eventually causes a stick to report movement even when nothing is touching it.
Dust and debris around the base of the stick can cause a very similar symptom without any real wear involved, which is why cleaning is worth trying before assuming the sensor itself has failed. Genuine wear related drift tends to appear gradually and get worse over time, while dust related drift can appear suddenly and sometimes disappears just as suddenly once the debris shifts or clears.
Newer and premium controllers increasingly use Hall effect or TMR sensors instead, which read the stick's position magnetically with no physical contact at all, removing the specific wear pattern that causes most drift. You can check which sensor type your own stick uses with the Hall Effect Checker.
Live crosshair tracking
Both sticks tracked at once with a live dot showing exactly where the reported position sits.
Deadzone reference ring
A dashed ring shows a typical deadzone boundary, so you can see how far outside it any drift sits.
Resting magnitude readout
A numeric percentage showing exactly how far off center a stick reads while untouched.
Drift event log
A running record of drift moments detected during your session, with timestamps.
Independent left and right results
Each stick is scored on its own, since drift often affects only one side.
Exportable results
Save a report of both sticks' readings and any logged drift events.
Stick drift
The camera or character moves on its own even though you are not touching the stick.
Read the fixSnapback or overshoot
Releasing the stick causes it to overshoot past center before settling.
Read the fixDeadzone feels too large
Small stick movements no longer register, requiring a bigger push than before.
Read the fixThis test works with any controller your browser recognizes as a standard gamepad, including these commonly tested models.
See full specifications for these and more on the Devices page.
Run the full controller benchmark
Stick drift is one part of a complete health check. Run every diagnostic in sequence and get one overall score for your controller.
Run the benchmarkWhat is stick drift
Stick drift is unwanted input a controller reports while an analog stick is at rest and nobody is touching it, which shows up as the camera or character moving on its own in a game.
How do I test for stick drift at home
Connect your controller, place it down without touching either stick, and watch the crosshair above. It should sit at the center. Any steady movement away from center while the stick is untouched points to drift.
What causes stick drift
The two most common causes are dust or debris around the base of the stick interfering with the sensor, and physical wear on a potentiometer style sensor after months of use. Dust related drift often improves with cleaning, wear related drift usually does not.
How much stick movement counts as drift
A reading under roughly 5 percent of the stick's full range while at rest is generally calibration noise rather than true drift. Anything consistently above that while the stick is untouched is worth investigating further.
Can stick drift be fixed without replacing the controller
Sometimes. Cleaning around the stick base resolves drift caused by dust or debris. Drift caused by sensor wear usually requires a replacement stick module or a full controller replacement. See the Fix guide for the full process.
Do Hall effect sticks still get drift
Hall effect and TMR sensors resist the specific wear pattern that causes most drift, since they read position without physical contact, but they are not fully immune. Debris, connector issues, and physical damage can still cause problems. Check your stick type with the Hall Effect Checker.
Can I test a PS5 DualSense controller for drift here
Yes. The DualSense works over both USB and Bluetooth, and both analog sticks are read live in this tool.
Can I test an Xbox controller for drift here
Yes. Xbox Series X and S, Xbox One, and Xbox Elite controllers are all supported over USB and Bluetooth.
Does this work with a Nintendo Switch Joy Con
Yes, when the Joy Con is recognized as a standard gamepad by your browser. Results can vary slightly depending on how the browser maps the smaller stick.
Do I need to install anything to test for drift
No. This tool runs entirely in your browser using the Gamepad API. There is nothing to download and no account to create.
Why does my stick show movement when I am not touching it
That is the definition of drift. It usually points to debris around the stick base or wear on the internal sensor, and it tends to get worse over time rather than better on its own.
Can cleaning the stick around the base fix drift
Often, yes, if the drift is caused by dust rather than wear. Compressed air and a careful clean around the base of the stick resolves a meaningful share of reported drift cases.
Does this work on mobile phones
Yes, on any mobile browser that supports the Gamepad API and a controller paired over Bluetooth or connected through a USB adapter.
Is my stick position data stored anywhere
No. Every reading happens locally in your browser and is not sent to a server unless you choose to export a report yourself.
What should I do if this test detects drift
Try cleaning around the base of the stick first, then retest. If drift continues, check the Fix page for stick drift, or the Deadzone Test to set a temporary in game deadzone while you decide on a repair or replacement.