PS5 DualSense Controller Tester
Connect a controller and press any button — every input is detected and displayed live.
Connect a controller and press any button
Browsers hide gamepads until first input. Plug in via USB or pair over Bluetooth, then press any button to wake the test. On phones, pair the controller in your system Bluetooth settings first.
Buttons
Analog sticks
Circularity test
Rotate a stick around its full rim — we trace the path against a perfect circle.
How it works
The PS5 DualSense is packed with features that only work on a PS5 — adaptive triggers, dual-actuator haptics and a built-in mic. In a browser, most of that gracefully falls back to standard behaviour, which is exactly what this test helps you verify: which features are hardware-present versus PS5-exclusive.
How to connect your PS5 DualSense Controller
USB-C cable, or Bluetooth: hold Create + PS button until the light bar flashes, then pair from your OS.
How the PS5 DualSense Controller maps in your browser
In Chromium it maps to the standard layout with basic rumble. Adaptive triggers report as ordinary 0–1 analog triggers (the resistance motors stay idle), and the touchpad registers as a single button-press, not a pointer. The Create and Mute buttons sit outside the standard 16 inputs.
Thumbstick type and drift risk
Potentiometer thumbsticks — the DualSense saw high-profile drift complaints and class-action attention. This is one of the most important pads to run through the drift and circularity tests.
Internal rechargeable battery (~1560 mAh); level is not readable in the browser.
Known issues and quirks
Adaptive triggers and haptics work natively only on PS5 — browsers see standard triggers and basic rumble. Touchpad registers as a button, not a pointer.
Once connected, press any button and the tester will detect the pad automatically. Check every button and trigger registers, watch the stick crosshairs for centering, and run the circularity test to quantify stick wear. Suspect drift? Run the dedicated controller drift test for a 10-second automated verdict.
Testing every part of your controller
Browsers hide gamepads until you press a button, so tap any button once to wake the connection. From there, every button, trigger, analog stick and (on supported hardware) vibration motor is displayed live. It works with anything your OS recognizes as a gamepad — Xbox, PlayStation DualShock 4 and DualSense, Switch Pro, and most generic USB or Bluetooth pads.
What to check, and what's normal
| Element | Healthy behavior | Warning sign |
|---|---|---|
| Face & shoulder buttons | Register instantly, release cleanly | Sticky, missed, or double inputs |
| Analog sticks (at rest) | Under 1–2% jitter around center | A constant offset = drift |
| Triggers | Smooth 0–100% travel | Jumps to 100% or won't reach it |
| Vibration | Rumbles on command (Chromium pads) | Silent on Safari/Firefox = browser limit, not the pad |
Troubleshooting connections
- Nothing appears: press any button first; if still hidden, try another USB port or re-pair Bluetooth and reload.
- Layout doesn't match your pad: unknown models fall back to a generic view, but every button and axis is still shown by index — you can fully test it.
- Vibration does nothing: rumble over the web works on Chromium browsers with most Xbox and DualSense pads; Safari and Firefox have limited or no support.
If the sticks jitter beyond a couple of percent at rest, run the dedicated controller drift test for a measured verdict.
Troubleshooting
› My controller is connected but nothing shows
Browsers hide gamepads until you press a button — press any button once. If it still doesn’t appear, try a different USB port or re-pair Bluetooth, then reload the page.
› Vibration test does nothing
Vibration via the browser works on Chromium browsers with most Xbox and DualSense pads. Safari and Firefox have limited or no support — that is a browser limitation, not your controller.
› The layout doesn’t match my controller
Unknown models fall back to a generic layout. Every button and axis is still shown by index, so you can fully test the pad even without a matching picture.
Frequently asked questions
› Which controllers are supported?
Anything your OS recognizes as a gamepad: Xbox (360/One/Series), PlayStation DualShock 4 and DualSense, Switch Pro, and most generic USB or Bluetooth pads.
› Do I need to install anything?
No. The test uses the browser’s built-in Gamepad API — just connect your controller and press a button.
› Why do axis numbers jitter slightly at rest?
Analog sticks always have a little electrical noise, typically under 1–2%. Constant offsets beyond that suggest drift — run the dedicated drift test.
› Can I test controller vibration?
Yes, on Chromium-based browsers with supported pads. Click the vibration button; if nothing happens, your browser or pad doesn’t expose rumble to the web.
Common PS5 DualSense Controller problems and how to read them
These are the faults reported most often for the PS5 DualSense Controller, what causes each one, and how to confirm it in the tester above before you spend money on a repair or replacement.
| Symptom | Cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Stick drifts after a few months | Worn potentiometer wipers — widely reported on the DualSense, sometimes early in the pad's life. | Hands-off drift test; a steady pull confirms it. Sony has repaired drifting pads; a Hall-effect module swap is the durable third-party fix. |
| Adaptive triggers feel normal, no resistance | The resistance motors are driven by PS5-only APIs the browser can't access. | Expected. The triggers still report their analog value correctly here — resistance is a PS5 game feature, not a browser one. |
| Touchpad 'click' works but swipe does nothing | Browsers expose the touchpad only as a button, not as a touch surface. | Working as designed. The click should register as a button in the tester; swiping is unsupported outside a PS5. |
Testing tip: Over USB-C the DualSense reports at a high poll rate — watch the poll estimate; a healthy wired DualSense should sit comfortably above 200 updates/second in Chrome.