Want to check the built-in controls on your Steam Deck? Start with the free online joypad tester on our homepage: open it in the browser on your Steam Deck and test the sticks, buttons, triggers and trackpads — with nothing to download.
How to test your Steam Deck controls
Follow these steps for a full check:
- Open a web browser on your Steam Deck and load the free online Joypad Tester on our homepage.
- Move a stick or press a button so the tester detects the controls and the on-screen inputs light up.
- Leave both sticks at rest and check the readouts: values should sit near the centre and stay still.
- Push each stick slowly through its full range, then move it in a smooth circle, watching that the on-screen dot follows steadily.
- Press every face button, D-pad direction, shoulder button and menu button one at a time, confirming each registers and releases cleanly.
- Squeeze the L2 and R2 triggers slowly from rest to fully pressed, checking the readout climbs smoothly with no sudden jumps. Where your system exposes the trackpads as inputs, try those too.
- If your browser supports it, run the vibration test and confirm you can feel the response.
What to check
Keep an eye on these points as you test:
- Sticks at rest: no movement on the readouts when untouched — movement here suggests stick drift.
- Dead-zone stability: values near the centre should stay neutral or register cleanly, without flickering.
- Circular motion: the on-screen dot should trace a smooth, even circle as you rotate each stick.
- Buttons: every button and D-pad direction should register on each press without sticking.
- Triggers: L2 and R2 should travel smoothly from rest to fully pressed.
- Trackpads: where they appear as inputs, check that touches and clicks register as expected.
Troubleshooting
Controls not detected? Reload the tester page, then move a stick or press a button so the browser picks the controls up.
If a stick drifts at rest, note the direction it pulls, then retest after cleaning around the stick base and recalibrating where your system allows. Our drift prevention guide covers sensible maintenance habits.
We never promise a fix for a specific fault — if problems persist after cleaning and recalibration, consider a professional repair.
Retest after cleaning or recalibration to compare against your baseline, and browse the Guides hub for more testing walkthroughs.