This PS4 controller tester checks a DualShock 4 in your browser on a PC, Mac or Android phone, no PS4 needed. Press any button and the drawing lights up each one, including the touchpad click, while the scopes follow both sticks and the bars show how far L2 and R2 travel. As a DualShock 4 tester it works with both models over a micro-USB cable, Bluetooth or Sony's wireless adapter. In Chrome and Edge on a computer, the extras panel also reads the battery and charging state, the touchpad surface, the gyroscope and accelerometer, and lets you change the light bar color.
How to test a PS4 controller on PC
- Plug the controller in with a micro-USB data cable, or pair it: hold Share and the PS button until the light bar flashes, then add it in your Bluetooth settings.
- Press any button. The page switches to the PS4 drawing and shows the controller as Wireless Controller.
- Press every button, click the touchpad and press both sticks down. Each turns green once it works.
- Squeeze L2 and R2 slowly. Both bars should rise smoothly to 100 percent.
- Run the Stick drift test and the Vibration motor check.
- In Chrome or Edge, press Connect for extras and choose the controller to see the battery, touchpad and motion sensors.
What the results mean
| Readout | Normal result | Look into it when |
|---|---|---|
| Buttons tested | Every button, including the touchpad click | A button never turns green |
| Stick distance at rest | 0.00 to 0.05 | Above 0.10 with your hands off |
| L2 and R2 | 0% at rest, 100% fully pressed | Stuck above 0% at rest, or short of 100% |
| Battery | 10 percent steps, charging on a cable | Says charging but never rises |
| Touchpad | Coordinates up to 1920 by 942 | The dot jumps or vanishes in one area |
| Reports per second | About 250 on a cable | Drops sharply on Bluetooth near other devices |
A trigger that sits at a few percent when released has a weak spring. That is common on old DualShock 4 controllers and causes accidental shots or braking in games.
The controller will not pair or keeps disconnecting
- Use a data cable. Many micro-USB cables only charge. If the light bar comes on but the page sees nothing, swap the cable.
- Check the port. A worn micro-USB port makes the controller disconnect when the cable moves. Wiggle the plug gently while watching the controller in the tester: if it drops, the port needs replacing.
- Reset it. Switch the controller off, press the reset button in the small hole on the back near L2 for at least 5 seconds, then reconnect it with a cable.
- Pair it again. Remove it from your Bluetooth settings, hold Share and PS until the light bar double flashes, and add it again.
For Windows driver and pairing problems, see controller not connecting to pc.
A stick drifts
DualShock 4 sticks are potentiometers, and after years of use the track inside wears and collects dust. Put the controller down and run the drift test. Under 0.05 is normal. From 0.10 up, the stick will creep in games with small deadzones. The stick drift test page explains the result and the deadzone that hides it, and how to fix stick drift covers cleaning and replacing the stick, which on a DualShock 4 means desoldering it.
The touchpad or the light bar acts up
Connect the extras and drag a finger slowly across the whole pad, then along the edges. A touchpad that clicks but does not track has a damaged touch layer or a loose ribbon cable inside. For the light bar, pick a color in the extras panel: if it changes, the LED works and any problem is in the game or app that sets it. On a PS4 console you can dim it under Settings > Devices > Controllers, which also saves battery.
The battery runs down fast
The DualShock 4 battery wears out with age, and the light bar uses a good share of it. Charge the controller fully, connect the extras and note the level, then check it again after an hour of play. A controller that drops from full to the low steps within two or three hours has a worn battery, which is cheap to replace with a small screwdriver. A level that never rises on a cable points to the charging port or the cable.
Using a PS4 controller in PC games
Windows sees the DualShock 4 as a DirectInput device, and most PC games expect an Xbox controller. If it works on this page but not in a game, turn on Steam Input for PlayStation controllers in Steam's controller settings, so Steam presents it to the game as an Xbox pad. The controller tester pc page covers this in more detail. For a DualSense, use the ps5 controller tester online instead, which adds adaptive triggers.
What this PS4 controller test cannot check
- The speaker, headset jack and microphone. Plug a headset into the controller and use a headset test to check them.
- The extension port on the bottom of the controller, used by charging docks and some accessories.
- Battery capacity in hours. The controller only reports a level in 10 percent steps, so the page cannot measure capacity directly.
PS4 controller tester questions
Does this work with both DualShock 4 models?
Yes. The first model (CUH-ZCT1) and the second model (CUH-ZCT2), which has a thin light strip on top of the touchpad, both work with the button and stick test in any browser and with the extras panel in Chrome and Edge.
How do I test the PS4 controller touchpad?
Clicking the touchpad lights it on the drawing in any browser. To check the touch surface itself, open this page in Chrome or Edge on a computer, press Connect for extras and slide a finger over the whole pad. The dot should follow your finger with no gaps.
Can I test PS4 controller vibration?
Yes. Open the Vibration tab and run the motor check. The strong motor sits in the left grip and the weak one in the right. Chrome, Edge and Safari on a Mac can vibrate a DualShock 4. Firefox and Safari on iPhone cannot.
Why does my PS4 controller show as Wireless Controller?
That is the name Sony gives the DualShock 4 over USB and Bluetooth. The ID numbers after it are the maker and model: 054c is Sony, and 05c4 or 09cc is the first or second DualShock 4 model.
Can I test a PS4 controller on Android?
Yes. Pair it by holding Share and the PS button until the light bar flashes, add it in the phone's Bluetooth settings, open this page in Chrome and press a button. The extras panel needs Chrome or Edge on a computer.