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.

ZLZRLRSLSRSLSRL3R3XABYMinus buttonPlus buttonCapture buttonHome buttonPress any Joy-Con button to activate detection

B

B0

Right Joy-Con face button

A

B1

Right Joy-Con face button

Y

B2

Right Joy-Con face button

X

B3

Right Joy-Con face button

L

B4

Left Joy-Con shoulder

R

B5

Right Joy-Con shoulder

ZL

B6

Left Joy-Con trigger

ZR

B7

Right Joy-Con trigger

Minus

B8

Left Joy-Con minus

Plus

B9

Right Joy-Con plus

L Stick

B10

Left stick press

R Stick

B11

Right stick press

Up

B12

Left Joy-Con direction

Down

B13

Left Joy-Con direction

Left

B14

Left Joy-Con direction

Right

B15

Left Joy-Con direction

Home

B16

Right Joy-Con Home

Capture

B17

Left Joy-Con Capture

SL

B18

Rail button

SR

B19

Rail button

A single Joy-Con may expose only one side's controls, depending on OS pairing and browser support.
SYNC, release buttons, player LEDs, rails, IR camera, motion controls, and HD Rumble are hardware or capability items, not guaranteed Gamepad API buttons.

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.

ZL trigger+0.000
ZR trigger+0.000

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.