PS4 Controller Test: Check Your DualShock 4
Check a PS4 DualShock 4 controller in your browser: every button, the touchpad click, stick drift, the L2 and R2 triggers and rumble. Nothing is uploaded.
Runs in your browser. Your button presses and stick readings never leave this device. No upload, no sign-up.
Waiting for a controller. Press any button on it.
Connect your controller, click this page, then press any button on the controller. Browsers show a controller to a page only after one of its buttons is pressed.
If nothing happens when you press a button:
- Click anywhere on this page, then press a button again. Browsers send controller input only to the window in front.
- On a cable, try another USB port and a cable that carries data. Some cables only charge.
- Over Bluetooth, check that the controller shows as connected in your system's Bluetooth settings.
- Close apps that can take over the controller, such as Steam, DS4Windows or a game, then reconnect it.
- Still nothing? Try another browser, then work through the fixes further down this page.
| Controller | – |
|---|---|
| Mapping | – |
| Reports | – |
| Slot | – |
| Rumble | – |
Buttons
0 tested- ×
- ○
- □
- △
- L1
- R1
- L2
- R2
- Share
- Options
- L3
- R3
- ↑
- ↓
- ←
- →
- PS
- Pad
Press each button once. Each one turns green when it works.
Sticks
Move each stick around the edge in slow circles. The dot should reach the circle in every direction and come back to the middle when you let go.
Triggers
Press each trigger slowly all the way down, then let go. The curve shows how the reading rose and fell.
Not pressed yet
Press it slowly all the way down, then let go.
Not pressed yet
Press it slowly all the way down, then let go.
Stick drift
Put the controller down, press Test stick drift and don't touch it for 7 seconds.
Left stick Not tested
| Rests at | – |
|---|---|
| Jitter | – |
| Furthest from center | – |
| Suggested dead zone | – |
Right stick Not tested
| Rests at | – |
|---|---|
| Jitter | – |
| Furthest from center | – |
| Suggested dead zone | – |
Rumble
- Strong motor
The deep rumble, usually in the left gripFelt it? - Weak motor
The lighter buzz, usually in the right gripFelt it? - Both motors
Both at once, at full strengthFelt it? - Trigger motors
The small motors in the triggers, on controllers that have themFelt it?
Rumble works from web pages in Chrome, Edge and Safari 16.4 or later on a Mac.
Polling rate
Press Measure polling rate, then move a stick in circles until it finishes, about 3 seconds.
Raw values from the browser
Buttons
Axes
Your report
Run the test above. Your results will appear here as plain text you can paste into a support chat, a return request or a forum post.
How to test a PS4 controller
- Connect your DualShock 4 with a micro-USB cable, or pair it over Bluetooth (the steps are below). Click this page, then press the PS button or any other button.
- Press every button once: ×, ○, □ and △, L1 and R1, Share and Options, the D-pad, the PS button, both sticks (push them in for L3 and R3) and the touchpad (press it down until it clicks).
- Move both sticks around the edge in slow circles, then press L2 and R2 slowly all the way down and let go.
- Put the controller on a table and press Test stick drift. Don't touch it for 7 seconds.
- Try the rumble buttons, then press Copy report to keep the results.
DualShock 4 buttons in the browser
Browsers number the DualShock 4's buttons by position, the same way they number every controller's. Both versions of the DualShock 4, the original and the later one with a light strip on top of the touchpad, show up the same way here.
| Number | DualShock 4 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Cross (×) | A in games that show Xbox prompts |
| 1 | Circle (○) | B in games that show Xbox prompts |
| 2 | Square (□) | X in games that show Xbox prompts |
| 3 | Triangle (△) | Y in games that show Xbox prompts |
| 4, 5 | L1, R1 | The shoulder buttons |
| 6, 7 | L2, R2 | Analog: 0 when released, 1 when fully pressed |
| 8 | Share | Left of the touchpad |
| 9 | Options | Right of the touchpad |
| 10, 11 | L3, R3 | Pressing the left and right sticks in |
| 12–15 | D-pad up, down, left, right | Four separate buttons |
| 16 | PS button | Between the sticks |
| 17 | Touchpad click | In Chrome and Edge; other browsers may leave it out |
The left stick is axes 0 (left and right) and 1 (up and down), and the right stick is axes 2 and 3. Pushing a stick up gives -1 and pulling it down gives 1. The light bar isn't a button, and web pages can't change its color.
Connect a DualShock 4 to a computer
With a micro-USB cable
The DualShock 4 charges and connects through the micro-USB port on its front edge. Use a cable that carries data; many micro-USB cables from old phones and gadgets only charge. Windows 11 and macOS recognize the controller without extra software, and it shows up as Wireless Controller.
Over Bluetooth on Windows 11
- Hold the Share button and the PS button together until the light bar starts flashing quickly.
- Open Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Add device → Bluetooth.
- Choose Wireless Controller.
- When Windows says it's connected, click this page and press a button.
Over Bluetooth on a Mac
- Hold Share and the PS button until the light bar flashes.
- Open System Settings → Bluetooth, find the controller (it may be called Wireless Controller or DUALSHOCK 4 Wireless Controller) and click Connect.
- Click this page and press a button.
To use the controller with your PS4 again, connect it to the console with the USB cable and press the PS button.
What a browser can and can't check on a DualShock 4
- Touchpad. Pressing the pad down is one button, usually button 17 in Chrome and Edge. Browsers don't pass on where your finger is, so swipes can't be tested in a browser.
- Light bar. Web pages can't set its color. On a computer, the color depends on the app in charge: Steam and DS4Windows set their own.
- Rumble. Chrome, Edge and Safari 16.4 or later on a Mac can run the DualShock 4's two motors when the controller accepts it; Firefox can't run any controller's motors.
- Speaker, headset jack, motion sensors and battery level. A browser's controller support doesn't include them, so they can't be tested here.
- DS4Windows. It adds a virtual Xbox controller that copies your DualShock 4, so the browser can list two controllers. The test lets you pick either one.
What the results mean for a DualShock 4
A button works if it lights up while you press it and goes dark when you let go. The parts you use most, such as the sticks, the D-pad, L2 and R2, wear first, so test them carefully.
DualShock 4 sticks report 256 positions on each axis, so a centered stick can read a few thousandths away from 0. That's normal. The drift test calls a stick normal when it rests less than 0.03 from center, slight drift from 0.03 to 0.08 and severe drift above that, and suggests a dead zone you can set in Steam, DS4Windows or your game. How to fix controller stick drift explains the next steps, from dead zones to cleaning and repair.
L2 and R2 should rise smoothly from 0 to 1.00 on a slow press and drop back to 0 when you let go. If a trigger stops short, sticks partway down or doesn't return to 0 (the drift test checks this at rest), dirt or a worn spring is the usual cause.
PS4 controller not working on your computer?
Your DualShock 4 isn't found
Browsers show a controller only after you press one of its buttons while the page is open, and only to the window in front. If that doesn't help, check that your computer sees it.
Windows 11
- Open Settings → Bluetooth & devices and check that Wireless Controller shows as connected. If it's listed but not connected, remove it and pair it again.
- On a cable, try another micro-USB cable that carries data, and a port on the computer itself rather than a hub.
macOS
- Open System Settings → Bluetooth and check that the controller shows as connected.
- If it won't connect, click the info button next to it, choose Forget This Device, and pair it again.
If the controller seems dead even on a cable, charge it for half an hour and try again.
Two controllers show up, or buttons are mixed up
DS4Windows and Steam can take over the DualShock 4. DS4Windows also adds a virtual Xbox controller next to it.
- Pick the controller you want in the test's controller list: Wireless Controller is the real one.
- To see only the DualShock 4, quit DS4Windows, or turn on its option to hide the real controller from other apps if you want only the virtual one.
- If buttons look wrong while Steam is open, quit Steam, reconnect the controller and test again.
It keeps disconnecting over Bluetooth
- Charge it fully. A low battery causes dropouts before the light bar goes out.
- Move closer to the computer and away from other wireless gear, such as Wi-Fi routers and USB 3 hubs.
- Remove the controller from your Bluetooth settings and pair it again.
- If it stays connected on a cable but not over Bluetooth, the battery or the wireless link is failing, not the buttons.
It won't pair or acts strangely: reset it
- Unplug the controller.
- Find the small hole on the back of the controller near the L2 button and press the button inside with a straightened paper clip for about 5 seconds.
- Connect it with a USB cable and press the PS button, then pair it again if you use Bluetooth.
Common questions
How do I connect a PS4 controller to my PC or Mac?
Plug it in with a micro-USB cable that carries data, or pair it over Bluetooth: hold the Share button and the PS button until the light bar flashes, then choose Wireless Controller in your computer's Bluetooth settings. Then press any button on this page.
Why does my PS4 controller show up as Wireless Controller?
That's the name the DualShock 4 gives itself, so Windows, macOS and browsers show it as Wireless Controller. Chrome and Edge add Sony's vendor ID, 054c, and a product number, which is how the test can tell it's a DualShock 4.
Can the test change or check my PS4 light bar?
No. Browsers don't let web pages control the DualShock 4's light bar, so the test can't change its color. On a computer, the color depends on the app in charge, such as Steam or DS4Windows.
Does the PS4 touchpad work in the browser?
Pressing the touchpad down works like a button, usually button 17 in Chrome and Edge. Browsers don't report where your finger is on the touchpad, so swipes can't be tested here.
Why does my PS4 controller keep disconnecting?
Over Bluetooth, a low battery, distance and other wireless devices are the usual causes. Test it on a USB cable: if it stays connected on the cable, charge it fully and pair it again; if it still drops out, the battery or the Bluetooth inside may be failing.
Why do I see two controllers when DS4Windows is running?
DS4Windows creates a virtual Xbox controller next to your real DualShock 4, so browsers see both. Pick the one you want in the test's controller list, or quit DS4Windows to test the DualShock 4 on its own.
PlayStation, PS4 and DualShock are trademarks of Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. Plug and Check is not affiliated with Sony.
Something not right?
Tell us if your device wasn't found or a result looks wrong. Your browser, system and device model help us check.
We read every message and use your email only to reply. Privacy notice