DETECTED DEVICE
GAMEPAD IDNo controller detected
MAPPING—
BUTTONS / AXES0 / 0
GAMEPAD INDEX—
Controller Lab // Detection Diagnostics
CONTROLLER CONNECTION TEST
Check whether your browser can see a controller at all, inspect the reported gamepad identity and mapping, and verify that button or stick movement produces fresh input. This is the fastest first check when a controller works in one app but not another.
Live diagnostic
Connection and input detection
WAITING FOR GAMEPAD
Connect the controller and press any button.Many browsers require a user interaction on the gamepad before exposing it to a page. If nothing appears, try USB first, then reload this page and press a face button.
LIVE INPUT HEALTH
BUTTONS ACTIVE0
AXIS ACTIVITY0.0%
TIMESTAMP0
FRESH UPDATES0
NO CONTROLLER INPUT OBSERVED
Waiting for connection…
How to test controller detection
- Connect one controller before opening the diagnostic.
- Press a face button so the browser can expose the gamepad.
- Confirm that Gamepad ID, mapping, button count and axis count appear.
- Press several different buttons and check that Buttons Active rises.
- Move both sticks fully and confirm Axis Activity changes.
- Watch Timestamp, Fresh Updates and the event timeline while moving controls.
- Disconnect and reconnect once; confirm the timeline records both events.
What this connection test checks
- Whether the browser exposes a connected Gamepad API device.
- The device-reported ID, mapping type and gamepad index.
- How many buttons and axes the browser sees.
- Whether button presses or stick movement change the live input state.
- Whether the gamepad timestamp produces fresh browser-visible updates.
A successful connection proves only that the browser can see changing gamepad input. It does not certify every control, wireless quality, polling accuracy or hardware condition.
How to interpret the result
| Observation | Meaning | Next check |
|---|---|---|
| PASS — live input observed | A connected Gamepad API device produced button, axis or timestamp activity in this browser. | Continue with the button test, trigger test and stick drift test. |
| Connected, waiting for movement | The browser exposes the controller, but this sample has not yet shown meaningful button or stick activity. | Press several controls. If values stay unchanged, compare another browser, cable or connection method. |
| No controller detected | This page has no browser-visible gamepad. That is not by itself proof of a failed controller. | Press a face button, reconnect, try USB, reload, and confirm the operating system can see the device. |
| Repeated disconnects | The browser repeatedly loses and regains the device during the same session. | Compare USB and wireless operation, another port, another cable and other controller software before suspecting hardware. |
| Non-standard mapping | The browser does not promise the common standard button/axis layout. | Verify each input in the focused tools; do not assume displayed positions match another controller. |
If your controller is not detected
- Press a face button after the page loads.
- Try a wired USB connection if you are using Bluetooth.
- Confirm the controller works in operating-system game-controller settings.
- Reload the page after reconnecting the controller.
- Try a current Chromium- or Firefox-based browser.
- Close games, remappers or virtual-controller software that may capture the device.
Detected but no input changes?
If the identity appears but buttons, axes and Fresh Updates remain unchanged, compare another browser or connection method. A driver, remapping layer, firmware state, browser limitation or non-standard mapping can interfere even when the device is physically connected.
For sticks that move but do not centre correctly, use the deadzone test and circularity test. For intermittent input, compare the browser-visible polling test.
USB, Bluetooth and browser limits
The Gamepad API generally does not reveal a dependable USB-versus-Bluetooth label, radio quality, battery condition, cable integrity, operating-system latency or true USB polling interval. GearCheck Lab therefore does not infer those properties.
Browser and driver mappings vary. A technical ID or unspecified mapping can be normal. Compare the same controller in the same browser when changing only one factor, such as cable, port or wireless mode.
Privacy and measurement limits
Button, axis, mapping and timestamp readings stay in this page and are not uploaded. The test installs no driver and changes no controller settings.
A browser-visible PASS is not a manufacturer diagnosis, laboratory latency result or guarantee that every game will accept the device. Games can use different input APIs, remappers and platform layers.
Read the diagnostic methodology and privacy policy for the site-wide evidence boundary.
Controller connection test FAQ
Why do I have to press a button before the browser sees the controller?
Browsers often wait for a deliberate gamepad interaction before exposing a device to a page. Press a face button after the page loads, then reconnect and reload if detection still does not begin.
Why does the gamepad ID look technical?
The browser and driver supply the ID string. It may contain vendor, product or platform details rather than the controller's retail name.
Does a PASS prove every button and stick works correctly?
No. PASS here only means the browser detected fresh controller input. Use the focused button, trigger, deadzone and stick tools to inspect individual controls.
Can this test tell whether I am using USB or Bluetooth?
Usually not. The Gamepad API does not provide a dependable transport label, so this page does not guess the connection type.
Why is the mapping shown as non-standard or unspecified?
The browser could not confirm the standard gamepad layout. Inputs may still work, but button and axis positions can differ, so verify them in the focused diagnostics.
Does GearCheck Lab install a driver or send controller input anywhere?
No. The diagnostic reads browser-exposed gamepad state locally, installs nothing and does not upload button, axis or device-ID readings.