Gamepad API Tester - Online Visual Controller Check

The Gamepad API is a web standard that allows browsers to access game controller input directly from JavaScript. It provides real-time data about connected gamepads, including button presses, joystick positions, and (in supported browsers) haptic feedback/vibration control. This enables web applications and games to use physical controllers without any plugins or drivers.

The Gamepad API is supported in Chrome (desktop & Android), Edge, Firefox (desktop), and Safari (macOS 11+ and iOS 14.5+ with MFi controllers). However, Safari's implementation is more limited—vibration/rumble is not supported on iOS. For the best experience, we recommend using Chrome or Edge on desktop.

Try these steps:
1. Make sure your controller is properly connected via USB or Bluetooth before opening this page.
2. Press any button on the controller—browsers often require a user gesture before exposing gamepad data (this is a security/privacy feature).
3. Refresh the page after connecting the controller.
4. Check that your operating system recognizes the controller (test it in system settings or Steam).
5. Some older or non-standard controllers may not be recognized—try a standard Xbox or PlayStation controller for best compatibility.

When gamepad.mapping === "standard", the button and axis layout follows the W3C specification, which closely matches the Xbox controller layout. This means:
Buttons: A(0), B(1), X(2), Y(3), LB(4), RB(5), LT(6), RT(7), Select(8), Start(9), Left Stick Press(10), Right Stick Press(11), D-pad Up(12), Down(13), Left(14), Right(15).
Axes: Left Stick X(0), Left Stick Y(1), Right Stick X(2), Right Stick Y(3). Most modern controllers (Xbox, PlayStation, Switch Pro) support this mapping.

Deadzone is a small threshold around the center position of a joystick where input is ignored. Physical joysticks rarely return to a perfect 0.0 position due to wear, manufacturing tolerances, or slight drift. Without a deadzone, your game or application might register unintended movement. Our tester uses a 0.08 deadzone (shown as the dashed circle on each stick)—movements smaller than this are treated as neutral. This matches common game defaults (typically 0.05–0.15).

Vibration (haptic feedback/rumble) support depends on several factors:
• Browser: Chrome and Edge support vibrationActuator; Firefox has partial support; Safari does not support it.
• Secure Context: The page must be served over HTTPS (or localhost) for vibration to work.
• Controller: Most Xbox and PlayStation controllers support dual-rumble. Some third-party or older controllers may not have vibration motors.
• OS: Windows, macOS, and Linux generally support controller vibration through the browser.

Yes! The Gamepad API supports up to 4 simultaneous controllers in most browsers. If you have multiple gamepads connected, you can switch between them using the selector buttons at the top of this page. Each controller's inputs are tracked independently. This is great for testing local multiplayer setups or comparing different controllers side by side.

Yes! This tool works with all major controllers:
• Xbox (One, Series X|S, 360): Full support, standard mapping, vibration works.
• PlayStation (DualShock 4, DualSense): Full support via USB or Bluetooth; standard mapping applies; vibration supported (DualSense adaptive triggers not exposed via Gamepad API).
• Nintendo Switch Pro Controller: Full support, standard mapping, vibration works via USB/Bluetooth.
• Generic/Third-party: Most work but may have non-standard mapping—raw data is still displayed.

The Gamepad API was designed with privacy in mind. Websites cannot detect connected gamepads until you press a button on the controller. This prevents fingerprinting—a site can't silently enumerate your connected devices. Gamepad data is also only available in active, visible browser tabs and during requestAnimationFrame callbacks, preventing background tracking. Additionally, the API does not expose any personally identifiable information about the controller.