Free tools / Joy-Con drift test

Joy-Con Drift Test

Pair a Joy-Con or a Switch Pro Controller with your computer and measure the stick at rest. Joy-Con drift shows up as a number, so you know whether it is dust or a worn module.

FreeRuns in your browserNothing uploaded

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.

Joy-Con pair over Bluetooth only. Hold the small sync button on the rail until the lights run, then pair it in your computer settings and press any button. Each Joy-Con appears as its own pad. Everything runs locally in your browser and nothing is uploaded.

How to use the joy-con drift test

1

Pair the Joy-Con. Slide it off the console, hold the sync button on the rail until the player lights run back and forth, then pair it from your computer Bluetooth settings.

2

Press any button. The page shows the pad once a button has been pressed. Test one Joy-Con at a time, then the other.

3

Put it down and press Test for drift. The tester samples the stick for three seconds and reports its resting position as a percentage of full travel.

4

Roll the stick and repeat. Move the stick round its full edge, let it snap back and run the test again. A stick that settles somewhere new each time is wearing.

What the results mean

Under 5 per cent. Normal. If a game still drifts, recalibrate the stick in System Settings under Controllers and Sensors.

5 to 10 per cent. Early drift. A blast of compressed air under the rubber skirt sometimes clears dust from the track and buys time.

Over 10 per cent. The stick module is worn. Nintendo calibration hides it briefly. Replacing the module fixes it, and a TMR module means it does not come back.

Joy-Con will not pair. Try holding the sync button longer, or remove the Joy-Con from your computer and pair again. A Joy-Con that never pairs may have a rail or board fault.

Pro Controller drifts. Same cause, same fix. The Pro Controller uses a larger module that is also replaceable.

Joy-Con drift, and the fix that lasts

The Joy-Con stick reads position through a tiny carbon track that wears quickly, which is why drift is so common on the Switch. Cleaning and recalibration help for a while. Replacing the module fixes it, and fitting a magnetic TMR module removes the wearing part altogether, so the drift does not return. We do both at Kings Cross or by post. See the Joy-Con repair prices, and the Switch console repairs if the fault is on the console side.

Joy-Con drifting?

Stick modules replaced, with TMR drift-free sticks as an option, on Joy-Con and the Pro Controller. Kings Cross 24/7 or post it in.

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Joy-Con drift test: your questions answered

Why do I have to pair the Joy-Con with a computer?−

The Switch does not run web pages, so the test has to run on a computer or phone that can pair a Bluetooth controller.

Can I test both Joy-Con at once?+

Pair both and each appears as a separate pad. The tester shows one at a time, so switch between them with a button press on the one you want.

Does this work on a phone?+

Android phones with Chrome can pair a Joy-Con and run the test. iPhones pair the Pro Controller and Joy-Con on recent iOS versions, but Safari exposes less data.

Will cleaning fix it?+

Sometimes, briefly. Dust on the track causes some drift, wear causes the rest. If the number comes back within weeks, the module is worn.

Is anything uploaded?+

No. Everything happens in your browser.

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Joy-Con drifting?
Fixed the same day at Kings Cross, or post them in with a free DPD label.

Joy-Con repairs Call 0800 955 0071