Switch Controller Test
Split cyan/red Joy-Con diagram, also fine for the Pro controller: every button, stick and the D-pad, visualized live.
Connect your controller via USB or Bluetooth, then press any button on it to wake the page up.
Why this tester
Split Joy-Con diagram
Cyan/red dual-body diagram with the D-pad, ABXY and both sticks lighting up as you press.
Layout swap annotated
Nintendo places A right / B bottom (reversed vs Xbox); the diagram marks the mapping, so fault-finding is unaffected.
Pro controller too
Switch Pro pads test over USB or Bluetooth with the same mapping as the Joy-Con.
100% local, zero upload
All detection happens in your browser; your input never leaves your device.
How to start testing
- 01 · Connect the controller
Join the Joy-Con and connect via USB-C, or long-press the pair button to pair over Bluetooth.
- 02 · Press a button (required)
Browsers only expose gamepad data after you physically press any button on the pad.
- 03 · Test against the screen
Press ABXY, the D-pad, both sticks and the triggers, checking the animation mirrors your input.
- 04 · Mind the layout
The browser reads the Xbox layout, so A/B appear swapped — that is normal, not damage.
Switch controller terms explained
- Joy-Con
- Switch’s detachable left/right mini-pads: the left carries the D-pad, the right carries ABXY.
- HD Rumble
- Precise linear motors for fine vibration. On a PC they read as ordinary dual motors, so a web test cannot tell the difference.
- SL / SR side buttons
- The two small outer buttons on each Joy-Con. They act as L/R when the pad is used separately, but browsers hide them in combined mode.
- Stick drift
- The Joy-Con’s notorious issue: worn or dusty sensors send movement when untouched — a character walking on its own.
- Hall effect sticks
- Non-contact magnetic sensing — no wear, no drift. Newer Switch hardware is adopting them.
Use cases
Joy-Con drift check
The famous drift issue: test stick re-centering before anything else.
Second-hand Switch check
Test both bundled pads so nothing surprises you after the sale.
Emulator mapping
Verify the pad talks to your PC before mapping buttons in Yuzu / Ryujinx, and get used to the reversed A/B.
Split-mode gaming
Confirm button output is clean in both combined and split modes.
Troubleshooting guide
Joy-Con drift
Spray WD-40 precision electronics cleaner into the stick base, work it around, then let it dry; persistent drift needs a new stick module.
Buttons look swapped
Nintendo’s layout is reversed vs Xbox and browsers parse Xbox-style — swapped labels are not damage.
SL / SR do not respond
Browsers hide the side buttons in combined mode — that is normal. They appear when the Joy-Con is used separately.
No response at all
Press any button to wake the Gamepad API, use a Chromium browser, and update the controller firmware if needed.
Frequently asked questions
How do I connect a Joy-Con to a PC?
Combined, connect it over USB-C and it is recognized; individually, long-press the pair button — but PC support for a single Joy-Con is limited.
Why are the buttons swapped?
Browsers parse signals in the Xbox layout (A bottom), while Nintendo puts B bottom. It does not affect fault detection — only the printed labels differ.
Can HD Rumble be tested?
It reads as ordinary dual motors; the fine HD vibration is hardware-only and cannot be measured from a page. Feel it on the Switch.
How do I judge drift?
Release the stick — the on-screen dot must return to center. A dot that stays off-center or jitters is drift.
Why can’t I see SL / SR?
Combined mode hides the side buttons from the browser — normal and harmless. It does not affect the other buttons.