Free tools / Stick drift test

Stick Drift Test

Put the controller down, press one button and the tester measures where each stick rests for three seconds. If it is not at centre, that is drift, and you will know how bad it is in a number.

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Waiting for a controller

Connect it by USB or Bluetooth, then press any button. The browser only shows a pad once a button has been pressed.

Chrome or Edge on a laptop or desktop gives the most reliable reading. Connect by USB if Bluetooth keeps dropping. Everything runs locally in your browser and nothing is uploaded.

How to use the stick drift test

1

Connect and wake the pad. Plug the controller in or pair it, then press any button so the browser can see it.

2

Put it down. Rest the controller on a flat surface with nothing touching the sticks. Even a thumb resting on the edge will skew the reading.

3

Press Test for drift. The tester samples both sticks for three seconds and reports how far each axis sits from centre as a percentage of full travel.

4

Repeat after a nudge. Flick each stick and let it snap back, then run the test again. A stick that settles in a different place each time is wearing.

What the results mean

Under 5 per cent. Normal. Every game applies a dead zone bigger than this, so the offset is invisible in play.

5 to 10 per cent. Early drift. Some games will show a slow creep, particularly at low dead zone settings. Cleaning around the stick base sometimes helps for a while.

Over 10 per cent. The stick module is worn. Recalibrating in the console settings hides it for a few days at most. Replacing the module fixes it, and a magnetic TMR module means it does not come back.

Different result each run. A stick that rests in a different place after each nudge has a worn centring spring or dirty tracks. Treat it the same as drift.

Only one stick drifts. Common. Modules wear at different rates and the tester reports them separately, so a single-stick fix is often all that is needed.

Why sticks drift

Most controller sticks report position through a small carbon track and a wiper. Dust, wear and the spring losing tension let the reported position creep away from centre, so a character walks on its own or the camera pans slowly. It is a hardware fault, not a settings problem. We replace stick modules on PS5, Xbox and Joy-Con pads at Kings Cross or by post, with magnetic TMR sticks where the pad supports them.

Drift confirmed?

Stick modules replaced on PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo and pro controllers. Drop off at Kings Cross 24/7 or post it in with a free DPD label.

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Stick drift test: your questions answered

Does the test work over Bluetooth?−

Yes. A USB cable gives a steadier feed of data, so if the numbers jump about, plug the pad in and run it again.

My console says the sticks are fine but games drift+

Console calibration only shifts the centre point. Once the module wears past what calibration can hide, drift returns. This test shows the raw resting position, which is why it can flag a pad the console still passes.

Can I fix drift myself?+

Compressed air and contact cleaner around the stick base can buy time on a mild case. A worn module needs replacing, which means opening the pad and soldering on most controllers.

What is a TMR stick?+

A stick module that reads position magnetically instead of through a carbon track, so there is nothing to wear out. We fit them as an upgrade on PS5, Xbox and Switch pads.

Is anything recorded?+

No. The browser reads the controller through the standard Gamepad API and nothing leaves your device.

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Drift found?
Stick modules replaced the same day at Kings Cross, or post the pad in.

See controller repairs Call 0800 955 0071