Switch handheld controller diagnostics
Joy-Con Test
Pair one or both Joy-Con controllers and this Joy-Con test will show left/right buttons, SL/SR, Home, Capture, stick movement, triggers, and mapping status.
Joy-Con Button Visualizer
Joy-Con left and right controls are mapped to browser button indexes for local visual testing.
No Controller Detected
Connect via USB or Bluetooth, then press any controller button to activate detection.
B
B0Right Joy-Con face button
A
B1Right Joy-Con face button
Y
B2Right Joy-Con face button
X
B3Right Joy-Con face button
L
B4Left Joy-Con shoulder
R
B5Right Joy-Con shoulder
ZL
B6Left Joy-Con trigger
ZR
B7Right Joy-Con trigger
Minus
B8Left Joy-Con minus
Plus
B9Right Joy-Con plus
L Stick
B10Left stick press
R Stick
B11Right stick press
Up
B12Left Joy-Con direction
Down
B13Left Joy-Con direction
Left
B14Left Joy-Con direction
Right
B15Left Joy-Con direction
Home
B16Right Joy-Con Home
Capture
B17Left Joy-Con Capture
SL
B18Rail button
SR
B19Rail button
Analog Sticks
Crosshair scopes show center drift, range, and live trail.
Left stick
X +0.000 Y +0.000
Right stick
X +0.000 Y +0.000
Triggers
Analog pressure appears as local intensity values.
Raw Data
Latest values expose browser mapping and analog button state.
Last input
Waiting
Press a button to populate the live event log.
Vibration Test
Haptic commands run only after a user click.
Click a pattern after selecting a connected controller.
Why Joy-Con Testing Needs Its Own Layout
A Joy-Con test should not simply stretch a standard gamepad drawing. Joy-Con controllers are small, asymmetric, and often used as a pair, a single sideways controller, or a handheld-style set. This Joy-Con test uses a compact split visual layout so left-side directions, right-side A/B/X/Y buttons, L/R, ZL/ZR, +/-, Home, Capture, SL/SR, stick movement, and raw browser mapping are easier to interpret than they would be in a generic gamepad tester.
Browser support for Joy-Con controllers varies. Some operating systems expose each side as an independent device, while others combine them through drivers or third-party tools. The controller tester shows P1 to P4 slots so you can see whether the browser detected one side, both sides, or a virtual combined controller. The displayed device ID helps identify the mode without exposing full-length noisy strings.
Joy-Con drift is a common reason to run this page, but the first pass should still confirm buttons and mapping. If the Joy-Con test shows the stick moving while untouched, open the stick drift test. If one direction never reaches the edge, open the circularity test. If a sideways layout reports confusing buttons, the button mapping test gives the raw index grid.
Reading Small Stick Movement Accurately
A Joy-Con stick has shorter physical travel than many full-size controllers, so small movement problems can feel larger in play. The Joy-Con test draws a scope with center, deadzone, live dot, and trail. A stable center close to zero suggests that the browser sees the stick returning correctly. A dot that creeps, jitters, or sits outside the deadzone suggests drift or contamination.
Move the stick slowly to each edge instead of snapping it around. A clean Joy-Con test should show a smooth path and consistent return. If the live dot jumps, the connection may be unstable, the stick may have worn contacts, or the browser may be receiving noisy Bluetooth reports. Comparing the same Joy-Con over another pairing mode can clarify whether the issue is hardware or connection.
Because Joy-Con controllers can be recognized in unusual ways, raw axes matter. The controller tester shows signed axis values and live button entries so you can verify what a game, emulator, or web app is likely to receive. That is especially helpful when a single Joy-Con used sideways reports SL/SR, directions, or face buttons differently than expected.
Pairing, Slots, And Practical Follow-Up
If the Joy-Con test does not detect a controller, pair it through the operating system first, then press a button while this page is focused. Some browsers cannot combine two Joy-Con sides on their own. In that case, each side may appear in a different player slot, or only one side may be exposed to the Gamepad API. This is a browser limitation, not proof that the Joy-Con is dead.
Vibration, motion, IR camera, player LEDs, rail behavior, release buttons, and SYNC are less predictable in browsers than ordinary buttons and axes. The Joy-Con test reports haptic support only when the browser exposes a compatible actuator. Motion and gyro behavior may require optional HID access and is better checked on the gyroscope test page, where permission and unsupported states are handled directly.
Use the results as a diagnostic path. A noisy idle stick leads to drift testing. A strange button order leads to mapping. A missing device leads to the support guide. The Joy-Con test is intentionally visual first, because seeing the small controller's live state is more useful than reading a large table before you know which symptom matters.
Diagnostic Glossary
Single-side mode
A Joy-Con used as an independent compact controller rather than a combined pair.
Pairing mode
The operating-system Bluetooth state that must succeed before the browser can see the device.
Short throw
The smaller physical range of a Joy-Con stick compared with larger controllers.
Questions Users Ask
Short answers for common diagnostic decisions on this page.
Can this Joy-Con test combine left and right controllers?
The page shows whatever the browser exposes. Some systems combine them, while others report each side as its own gamepad slot.
Why is my Joy-Con detected but buttons look unusual?
Sideways and single-controller modes can change expected labels. Use the mapping page to confirm raw indexes.
Does the test diagnose Joy-Con drift?
It can show idle movement and jitter. The dedicated stick drift test gives more focused deadzone and offset interpretation.
Useful Next Checks
Run a stick drift test
Check idle offset and deadzone before changing in-game sensitivity.
Measure circularity error
Trace the stick gate to find uneven travel or square clipping.
Inspect button mapping
Confirm indexes, labels, analog values, and unusual layouts.
Read troubleshooting paths
Fix detection, Bluetooth, permission, browser, and mobile issues.