PS5 · Controller Check
Is it stick drift? Test your PS5 controller.
Connect the DualSense to this device and let go of both sticks. We’ll measure the input, calculate a dead-zone starting point if one is justified, and put the free fixes before repair or replacement.
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See what the sticks do when you are not touching them.
Connect the DualSense to this device by USB or Bluetooth. The controller must be connected to the browser device, not only to your PS5.
- 1. ConnectUse USB or Bluetooth.
- 2. Let goSet it flat and release both sticks.
- 3. TestWe read five seconds of center input.
Connect wirelessly
1. Put the DualSense in pairing mode.
Turn the controller off and disconnect its USB cable. Hold Create and PS together until the light bar flashes.
Windows 11
Open Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Add device → Bluetooth. Select the controller when it appears.
macOS
Open System Settings → Bluetooth. Find the controller under Nearby Devices and choose Connect.
2. Return here and press any controller button.
DualSense and DualSense Edge support Bluetooth. A USB-C data cable is the quickest fallback if wireless pairing does not appear.
Official DualSense pairing instructionsWhat PS5 controller drift looks like
Stick drift is unwanted analog input when you are not touching the stick. A camera may move, a menu may scroll, or aim may pull in the same direction. If it happens in only one game, that game’s dead-zone or controller settings may be the real cause.
What this test can tell you
The test reads the standard stick axes your browser receives and looks for repeated radial distance from center. It adds a small margin to that reading when it suggests a starting point. It does not inspect your PS5, override a game’s dead zone, or prove that the controller needs replacement from one reading.
A stronger case combines the browser reading with the same unwanted movement in another game or the PS5 interface, after the controller has been updated and reset.
What to do if the test finds drift
- 01
Update and reset first. Update the PS5 and controller software, reset the controller, reconnect it by USB, and run the test again.
- 02
Confirm it outside one game. The same unwanted movement in another game or the PS5 interface is stronger evidence than one game’s aim feeling different.
- 03
Check covered repair. Sony’s US DualSense warranty is one year for the original purchaser, subject to its terms and proof-of-purchase requirements. Use PlayStation Repairs before opening the controller.
- 04
Use the model-specific path. DualSense Edge has a replaceable stick module. A standard DualSense does not, so repair or replacement should come only after the free checks and support path.
Expansion Bay is independent and is not affiliated with Sony. PlayStation and DualSense are trademarks of their respective owner.