Check your controller and find out if it really has drift
This is not a dot viewer. It measures how far your sticks deviate, compares it against tolerance thresholds, and tells you whether your controller is healthy, worn or due for replacement.
Connect your controller to start
Over a USB cable. Gives access to the touchpad, the mute button and the controller's raw values. Chrome, Edge and Opera only.
Xbox or generic controller? Press any button on it and it will show up on its own.
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0.000
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Left stick
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Right stick
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0.000
Precise drift measurement
Let go of both sticks and do not touch the controller until it finishes.
Circularity
Traces the outer edge of the stick and measures the radius reached in each of 72 sectors. A healthy stick draws a regular circle; a worn one shows notches and flat spots.
Press Check circularity above, then roll one stick along its outer edge for several full turns, then the other. Both are measured at the same time.
Controller information
This data is only available with direct reading over a USB cable. Go back to the front page and connect the controller by cable.
Stick calibration
With the centre magnified you can see the real resting offset, and below are the controller's raw values: the measured centre and the maximum travel reached on each axis.
Left stick
Right stick
Calibration is only available with direct reading over a USB cable. Connect the controller by cable to calibrate it.
Stick centre
Sets where rest position is. This is what fixes drift when the controller moves on its own.
Stick range
Learns how far each stick reaches. Fixes not hitting the edge, or a flattened circle.
Fine tuning
The twelve internal values, one by one. For when automatic calibration leaves something off.
Calibration wizard
Changes are temporary until you press “Save changes permanently”. If something goes wrong, “Restart the controller” discards anything you haven't saved.
🔒 Everything runs in your browser. Nothing is uploaded or stored on any server.
How it works
- 1Connect the controller
PlayStation ones over a USB cable. Any others, however you have them.
- 2Press the connect button
Or, for an Xbox or generic controller, press any button on it.
- 3Run the tests
Two minutes. Resting drift and circularity, guided step by step.
- 4Read the verdict
With numbers, thresholds and a plain-language conclusion.
What is stick drift?
Stick drift is when your controller's stick registers movement even when you are not touching it: the character walks on its own, the camera turns, or your aim slides without you moving anything. It happens because the sensor that measures the stick's position wears out and its centre point stops reading zero.
It is not always visible to the naked eye. A controller can have a small deviation that does not bother you in most games yet, but that will grow over time. That is why it is worth measuring it with numbers instead of trusting the feel.
padvitals measures two things: how far the stick centre drifts when you let go, and how regular the circle it draws is when you roll it along the edge. A healthy stick drifts less than 2 % of its travel at rest; above 3 % it is out of specification and the drift is noticeable in game.
Those thresholds are not made up on the spot: they are published and explained one by one, along with the formula behind each metric and what can distort a measurement.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe? Is anything uploaded to a server?
Yes, it is safe. All the analysis happens in your browser: nothing is uploaded or stored on any server. The controller is read locally through your browser's own APIs.
Which controllers work?
Any controller your browser recognises: DualSense (PS5), DualShock 4 (PS4), Xbox controllers and compatible generic ones. PlayStation controllers over a USB cable give the most accurate reading and access to the controller's internal data.
Do I have to install anything?
No. It is a web page: open it, connect the controller and that's it. There is nothing to install, no programs and no extensions.
What exactly is stick drift?
It is when the stick sends movement without you touching it, due to sensor wear. It shows up as the camera or the character drifting. This tool measures it in figures instead of leaving it to guesswork.
Can stick drift be fixed?
Sometimes. Software calibration can correct small deviations, cleaning the module helps in mild cases and, if the sensor is badly worn, the real fix is replacing the stick module. padvitals includes a calibration tab for compatible controllers.
Does it work on mobile?
It is designed for a computer with Chrome, Edge or Opera and the controller over a USB cable: that is where the browser gives access to the controller's raw values. On mobile, support for reading controllers is limited and varies by browser.