Joy-Con Drift Test
Connect one Joy-Con or both, press every button, then set them down: one test checks each stick for drift, plus the buttons and triggers.
- Connect
- Press Every Button
- Set It Down
- Result
- Bluetooth Hold the sync button on the Joy-Con’s rail until the lights run, then pair it in your Bluetooth settings. Pair the other one the same way to test both.
- USB Slide both into a charging grip and plug the grip in with a USB-C cable that carries data.
Getting ready…
Testing a Different Controller?
How It Works
Your browser reads a Joy-Con the same way browser games do. Over Bluetooth each Joy-Con is a controller of its own, and Chrome and Edge join a left and a right one into a single controller. Every button reports whether it is pressed, and each stick reports its position on two axes from −1 to 1. ZL and ZR are buttons too: they are either pressed or not, with nothing in between.
The page draws what you connected: a Joy-Con (L) with its stick, four arrow buttons, Minus, Capture, L, ZL, SL and SR; a Joy-Con (R) with A, B, X and Y, its stick, Plus, Home, R, ZR, SL and SR; or both side by side. A single Joy-Con is meant to be held sideways, and the browser numbers its buttons that way, but the drawing shows each one where it is printed. Each button lights while held and stays marked once registered.
Finish test then records the Joy-Cons for 5 seconds while they sit untouched. From that one window it finds buttons that register on their own, measures each stick’s resting position (its average offset is its drift), and checks that ZL and ZR let go.
Where the browser reports the controller’s USB ids, the result names it: Joy-Con (L), Joy-Con (R), or Joy-Con (L)/(R) for a pair. Nothing is installed, and no reading leaves this page.
Motion controls, HD Rumble’s fine patterns, the IR camera and the NFC reader are not part of what browsers expose, so they are not tested here. Basic rumble is, wherever your browser supports it: the controller vibration test runs each motor in turn.
Interpreting Your Result
A stick resting below 0.08 from center passes: every stick has a little sensor noise. Between 0.08 and 0.20 is slight drift that many games ignore. Above 0.20 your character or camera will creep on its own.
Drift found? The stick drift test measures it on its own so you can retest after cleaning, and the controller deadzone test finds the lowest in-game deadzone that hides it.
Calibrating the sticks on a Switch, under Controllers and Sensors in System Settings, can bring a slightly off-center stick back to zero. It does not fix a worn one: if drift comes back after calibrating, the stick itself is wearing out.
A released ZL or ZR reads 0 and passes. One that stays down with nobody on it fails, and is reported as a stuck button too: dirt under the trigger or a broken return spring is the usual cause. Press it firmly a few dozen times and test again.
A stuck button stayed down with nobody touching it. Sticky residue from a spill is the usual cause. A phantom press fired on its own, which usually means a worn contact or a damaged board.
The Home button staying dark is normal on a PC: Steam and the system often take it before a web page can see it, so it is not counted. A Joy-Con (L) has no Home button, so its Capture button counts instead.
Testing a Switch Pro Controller instead? The Switch Pro controller test is drawn for it. For any other controller, use the gamepad tester.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I test a Joy-Con for drift on PC?
Pair it over Bluetooth: hold the small sync button on its rail, between SL and SR, until the lights run, then choose Joy-Con (L) or Joy-Con (R) in your Bluetooth settings. Open this page in Chrome or Edge and press a button on the Joy-Con, then follow the steps: the drift result is in the stick check.
Can I test both Joy-Cons at once?
Yes. Pair one, then the other: Chrome and Edge join them into one controller, drawn as a pair, and both sticks are checked in the same test. Testing them one at a time works too, and tells you which one drifts if you are not sure.
What causes Joy-Con drift?
Wear inside the stick. Each stick measures its position with small sensors that wear with use, and dust getting in under the stick makes it worse. A worn sensor reports a small movement while the stick rests, which games read as you pushing it.
How do I fix Joy-Con drift?
Blow compressed air around the base of the stick while moving it in circles, then test again. Calibrating the sticks on the Switch helps with a stick that rests slightly off center. If the drift stays, the stick is worn: Nintendo repairs drifting Joy-Cons, so check its support site for your region, or the stick module can be replaced.
Why does my Joy-Con not show up?
Use Chrome or Edge: they read Joy-Cons in the standard layout, which other browsers may not. Then press a button, since a page cannot see a controller until one is pressed. If the Joy-Con was last paired to a Switch nearby, turn the Switch off first, or the Joy-Con may reconnect to the console instead.
Does it work with Joy-Con 2?
Not yet. Browsers do not read the Switch 2 Joy-Con 2 in the standard layout, so this page cannot locate its sticks. The gamepad tester still shows its buttons and axes, numbered.