See exactly when analog-stick movement is inside or outside a chosen deadzone. Adjust the threshold live, compare it with your controller's neutral noise, and use the result as a practical starting point for game settings—not as a universal calibration number.
LOCAL TESTYour controller values stay in this browser session on this page.
Live diagnostic
Raw input vs selected deadzone
AWAITING CONTROLLER
Connect a controller and press a button.Start with both sticks untouched. The test samples neutral noise and then lets you move each stick across the selected threshold.
LEFT STICK
RAW 0.00%FILTERED
RIGHT STICK
RAW 0.00%FILTERED
What a controller deadzone does
A deadzone is a region around the stick centre where small analogue values are ignored. It can hide minor centre noise or drift, but it also removes fine control. The practical goal is usually the smallest threshold that reliably stops unintended movement.
This page visualizes a radial deadzone using the X/Y axes that the browser receives. A game can use an axial, cross-shaped or custom deadzone plus its own response curve, so the browser percentage is a starting point—not a setting that automatically transfers everywhere.
How to run a repeatable controller deadzone test
Connect the controller, focus this page and press a face button so the browser exposes the gamepad.
Place the controller on a stable surface with both sticks untouched.
Reset the neutral sample and let the full five-second countdown finish without touching either stick.
Repeat the sample twice. Note whether the peak is stable or caused by one short spike.
Set the slider just above the repeated neutral peak, then move each stick away from centre very slowly.
Approach centre from the up, down, left, right and diagonal directions to check whether light input passes consistently.
Apply the value only in the relevant game and verify fine aim, steering or camera movement there.
Worked deadzone result examples
These examples show how to interpret patterns, not universal pass/fail limits. Use repeated observations from your own controller and game.
Browser observation
Practical reading
Next step
Neutral peak repeats near 2.4%; suggestion shows 4%
The page rounded the repeated peak upward and added its 1% margin.
Try 4% in the game, then lower or raise it only after checking unwanted movement and fine control.
Two samples stay below 1%, but one brief sample jumps to 9%
A bump, touch or connection hiccup may have contaminated that run.
Repeat on a stable surface. Do not choose 10% from one unexplained spike.
Left stick rests near 6%; right stick stays below 1%
The combined suggestion follows the larger offset, which may be excessive for the cleaner stick.
Use separate per-stick settings if the game provides them; run the Stick Drift Test on the left stick.
8% stops drift, but small aiming corrections feel numb
The threshold may hide the symptom while removing too much intentional movement.
Check calibration or repair options and compare the smallest stable value rather than increasing the deadzone indefinitely.
Deadzone too low, too high or inconsistent
Too low: camera, cursor or character movement creeps while the stick is released.
Too high: small intentional movements disappear and fine aim or steering feels numb.
Inconsistent: repeated untouched samples vary widely or a stick crosses the same threshold at noticeably different physical positions.
Useful starting point: repeated neutral movement stays filtered while gentle intentional input still passes comfortably.
Do not use a larger deadzone as proof that the controller is repaired. It is a software filter and can only hide part of a centre-offset symptom.
Symptom-led troubleshooting
Controller never appears: press a button, reconnect it, try another supported browser and use the Connection Test.
Peak climbs while untouched: remove your thumbs, use a stable surface, reconnect and repeat the sample.
Only one direction passes late: compare full travel in the Circularity & Range Test; deadzone alone does not describe outer range.
Result changes over Bluetooth: charge and re-pair the pad, then compare the same procedure over USB if supported.
Game behaves differently: check whether it uses axial/radial deadzones, response curves or separate left/right settings.
How the suggested starting point is calculated
During the five-second untouched sample, the page records the largest radial offset seen across both displayed sticks. It rounds that peak upward, adds a 1% margin and caps the suggestion at the tool's 30% slider limit.
This deliberately simple calculation is transparent and conservative. It does not claim to predict a game's response curve, per-axis filtering or the best setting for a specific player.
Browser, game and hardware limits
The Gamepad API reports values after the controller, connection, operating system, driver and browser have processed them. Non-standard mappings can place axes in a different order. A browser page cannot inspect potentiometers, Hall sensors, springs, solder joints or firmware tables directly.
This test is not a repair decision or manufacturer certification. Before disassembly, check warranty terms and repeat persistent findings in another browser, connection or system when practical.
Controller deadzone test FAQ
Should I set deadzone equal to the peak shown here?
Use a small margin above a repeated neutral peak rather than copying one momentary spike. The page waits for a complete five-second untouched sample and adds a 1% margin, but you should still verify the result in the actual game.
Is an 8% controller deadzone bad?
Not automatically. The useful test is whether the threshold stops repeated unwanted movement without hiding light intentional input. Different controllers, games and response curves can need different values.
Does changing this slider change my controller or game?
No. The slider changes only this page's circular deadzone visualization. GearCheck Lab does not write controller firmware, calibration data or game settings.
Why does the neutral sample combine both sticks?
The suggested starting point uses the largest untouched offset seen on either displayed stick. That is conservative for a single shared game setting; games with separate per-stick settings should be checked and tuned separately.
Should I choose a radial or axial deadzone?
This page visualizes a radial deadzone based on distance from centre. Some games use axial, cross-shaped or custom response processing, so match the game's own setting type and recheck diagonal movement in that game.
Can this test identify a worn stick sensor?
It can reveal repeatable browser-visible centre offset and threshold behaviour, but it cannot identify a specific internal component. Confirm persistent results across repeated runs, connections or systems before making a repair or warranty decision.
